Hello lovelies!
While summer is still a long way away, that doesn't mean stories set in summer can't be written. It may not be everyone's favourite season, heat and sun isn't for everyone after all, but that doesn't mean it has no potential to be a perfect setting for certain stories.
Much like winter, summer is one of the more extreme times of the year, so stories set in this season could most likely reflect that. Whether this is positive or negative will depend on the type of story you want to write.
Leisure and Freedom:
What is the thing most of us remember the best about summer? Summer vacation! A time with no responsibilities where you could go out and just have fun with your friends. Not only is it hot enough not to worry about being weighed down by heavy clothing, but it also stays light out long enough to almost never let the fun end!
Stories centred around summer adventures are certainly a good possibility, but more so are the themes which can accompany that. The sense of freedom and relaxation which come with having months of open time for you to fill often result in pushing the limits and exploration, not just by oneself, but with others too.
Summer is therefore a great season, not only to write stories of enjoyment and happy play, but also about venturing into new, unknown places. This can, for example, take the form of characters going on vacation to a foreign country and learning from the experiences, but also of reckless actions and decisions made taking a sudden turn and having to deal with the concequences.
The point is, summer is typically a time when characters won't be interrupted by responsibilities, use that!
Harvest:
If spring is the time of new beginnings and planting seeds, then summer is the time to harvest the fruits of one's labour. So, stories about efforts finally being rewarded can fit quite well within this season, especially since the warm, beautiful scenery that this time of year can offer adds a layer of positivity and celebration to the success.
However, much like efforts coming to fruition, so can consequences for other past actions, with the phrase 'reaping what you sow' coming to mind. After all, the seeds planted in spring don't always have to be good ones. Characters getting what they deserve, therefore, can mean a variety of different things, depending on what you choose.
Then again, harvest can also mean a literal harvest. While this usually takes place towards the end of summer, stories about harvests can include not only the action of reaping itself, but also emphasize the effort and team work it takes to accomplish it. Harvests are essential for food sources, obviously. So, having characters work together in the sun in order to bring their community and family something to eat for the next few months can inspire themes of home, responsibility, community, and relying on your fellow man.
Drought and Hardship:
Summer can indeed be a fun time, but other times it can be a literal fight for survival. Heat and sun are needed for sustaining life, but once it gets too much, those very things can turn against it really fast. Writing about drought or other hardship brought upon by the sometimes extreme summer weather can include themes such as survival and endurance.
This may be very different from the more happy type of storytelling described above, but it's nonetheless something many humans throughout history have gone through, and therefore, it's worthy to write about. If winter season isn't the type of survival setting that floats your boat, then the summer season may be a good alternative. After all, much like the harsh cold, the extreme heat doesn't care about human comfort either
On top of this, a summer drought is a prime setting should you want to write about or include a famine in your storytelling, Especially if your story takes place towards the end of summer, can you emphasize just how devastating such a thing is. When autumn and winter are right around the corner, any other provision for the cold is either gone or extremely limited, giving way to many primal anxieties for your characters to have to work through.
Feast and Festival:
Going back to something more optimistic, summer is not only a season of leisure, but of feasts and festivals as well. With all the warm weather and fresh food, coming together in celebration seems to be an absolute rule of human culture. This does not only have to concern big, city-wide feasting, but even just a small barbecue gathering will do the trick.
Stories centred around the merriment of spending time with your family, friends, or community, while eating, dancing, and enjoying oneself, are a good fit for the season of summer. Not only are the days longer and the nights warmer, meaning the celebrations can go on for as long as you want them to, but this is typically a time where people have more freedom, and therefore more time to enjoy themselves.
Writing about festivities taking place outside, with fairy lights, a lot of people, barbacue, and lots of food are probably most compatible with summer. This is especially true if you want your festival to have a lot of energy and span a bigger community, something that is harder to achieve in other seasons. So, let the summer festivals begin!
I hope this was helpful for you all to determine if summer is the right season to set your story in, or maybe not at all. That works too.
Goodbye, lovelies!
Comments