As the weather changes and the days get shorter, it becomes a bit harder to pour energy into creative work, especially if you’re going at it alone. This has been the case for me for quite some time now, which is why I’m always extra appreciative of the artistic challenges and campaigns that take place in the fall months. They definitely help to keep that creative fire burning. I’m talking Inktober, Nanowrimo, and everything in between: here’s to flexing our creative muscles as a community this Fall.
Getting Creative This Spooktober
Spooky season is upon us! I’m feeling very invested in all the October shenanigans this year. It’s likely my way of intentionally focusing on things that distract me from the shorter days and the stresses of the 9-5 grind – things that keep me present, grounded, and grateful.
I’m looking forward to watching all the fun and creepy decorations going up, and I’m especially looking forward to admiring everyone’s #Inktober creations.
For those unfamiliar, every October artists share the work they created using official Inktober prompts – one for every day of the month.
I love seeing my timeline flooded with the creative work of artists near and far. And this year, I’m hoping to add to this month of community creation with some prompts of my own: I’m hosting my own Spooktober Art Challenge over at The Write Place – my small business dedicated to fostering creativity in Belize and the Caribbean.
Join in on the fun by visiting @thewriteplace.bz. There are only 18 prompts which means there’s less pressure to consistently create!
Leaning Into Preptober + Nanowrimo
For us writers, October is also the prelude to a month of intensive writing, all in the name of finally completing our beloved manuscripts. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the thirty-one days leading up to it are dedicated to getting prepared.
As someone who’s finally learning the benefit of not just winging it when I’m writing my novels (shout out to my fellow pantsers), I’m looking forward to doing some worldbuilding and outlining this month.
Join in on the NaNoWriMo fun by visiting their official website. They’ll be hosting write-ins, workshops, and more, leading up to November 1.
Spooky Season Movie Marathon
In the true spirit of Halloween, this month I’ll be leaning into all things spooky, including movies! I started with watching Get Out this week.
Jordan Peele is a creative genius, and Get Out is definitely a movie that gets better each time you watch it. Plus, it made me super stoked for the release of Out There Screaming.
It’s an anthology of new black horror stories, penned by some fiction faves, like P. Djeli Clarke, Tananarive Due, N.K Jemisin, Nnedi Okafor, Rebecca Roanhorse, Cadwell Turnbull, and Nalo Hopkinson. (Talk about a star-studded lineup).
Next on my movie marathon list are Scream (2022) and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Which should I watch first?
Khaila A. Gentle 