January Idea Factory

A writer's productivity is fueled by many factors. People, noise, silence, smells... and weather -- ah weather! The cold, snowy weeks of early January are often my best period for writing. When storms push you indoors, thoughts retreat and huddle. Then the wind rocks the door frame, and unseen forces try to barge in. Characters are born and plot points sneak up, rattling the windows.

Outside, the whole landscape has changed. Snow and clouds cast the forest in a new palette. The blacks, whites, and grays suggest old movies, still photos. Imagination wants to play. For me, January is one big idea factory conjuring stories I can work on all year.

Many of my favorite authors are people who whipped weather and climate into the texture of their stories. Although Isak Dinesen gained fame for writing about Africa, I prefer her tales set in Denmark. She captures the mysteries of winter in a way that captivates fireside dreamers like me. Here, warm yourself with one of her paragraphs:

" 'Wait,' he said. 'I shall light a dip. I myself most often sit in the dark. But I shall light a dip for you tonight.'

She kept standing on the threshold while he raked the ashes from the embers in the fireplace, blew on them and lighted a tallow dip by a shaving.

'Come closer to the fire,' he said slowly and hoarsely, pointing to the only chair of the room. She, however, would not take her host's seat, but pulled a wooden stool up to the fireplace. The old man took down a heavy key from a nail and locked the door."

Then what?