I’ve always loved writing when it was raining. I used to live in Northern California, where we had three seasons (spring, summer, autumn). Rarely did we get winter as seen in other parts of the country. Those days of writing with rain pounding on my window were wonderful days of productive writing.

Now I live in Southern California (Orange County). As I write this in early August, we’ve had a relatively reasonable summer, mostly 70s and 80s, with a few weeks of 90s and 100s inland. We are blessed (at least that’s what they say) with great weather.

But I yearn for some rain. Give me a great thunder and lightening storm any day. The constant bright sunshine gets really boring.

I happen to enjoy varying weather patterns. So having mostly sunny days in the 70s is rather trying on my writer’s soul. But I live with it. I stay inside and write, trying to ignore the sunshine outside.

I’ve actually read of other writers complaining about this, especially screenwriters living in Southern California (close to Hollywood). They talk of the disabilities writers suffer from the constant sunshine: writer’s block, lethargic movement on the keyboard.

I’m not suggesting that I move to a city that is snowbound several months of the year. Being a California native, I wouldn’t survive. But I may move someplace with a little more variation to the weather, with enough rain to keep me going but not enough to drown me.

So if you find yourself lethargic with your writing, and it’s sunny outside, maybe it’s the weather. At least, that’s as good excuse as any.

What are your thoughts about the weather and writing? Leave a comment and let us know.

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Katherine Ploeger, MA, MFA, is a writer, teacher, and consultant. She publishes practical, process-oriented information for nonfiction writers and screenwriters on her blog, Katie’s Writing Notes (katieploeger.wordpress.com). Also check out her website at www.ploegersservices.com for books about writing nonfiction.