creative writing about nature

12 Nature-Inspired Creative Writing Prompts

by Melissa Donovan | Jun 20, 2024 | Creative Writing Prompts | 16 comments

Nature inspires, and so do these creative writing prompts.

Today’s post includes a selection of prompts from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts . Enjoy!

Creative writing prompts are excellent tools for writers who are feeling uninspired or who simply want to tackle a new writing challenge. Today’s creative writing prompts focus on nature.

For centuries, writers have been composing poems that celebrate nature, stories that explore it, and essays that analyze it.

Nature is a huge source of inspiration for all creative people. You can find it heavily featured in film, television, art, and music.

Creative Writing Prompts

You can use these creative writing prompts in any way you choose. Sketch a scene, write a poem, draft a story, or compose an essay. The purpose of these prompts is to inspire you, so take the images they bring to your mind and run with them. And have fun!

• A young girl and her mother walk to the edge of a field, kneel down in the grass, and plant a tree.
• The protagonist wakes up in a seemingly endless field of wildflowers in full bloom with no idea how he or she got there.
• Write a piece using the following image: a smashed flower on the sidewalk.
• A family of five from a large, urban city decides to spend their one-week vacation camping.
• An elderly couple traveling through the desert spend an evening stargazing and sharing memories of their lives.
• A woman is working in her garden when she discovers an unusual egg.
• Write a piece using the following image: a clearing deep in the woods where sunlight filters through the overhead lattice of tree leaves.
• Some people are hiking in the woods when they are suddenly surrounded by hundreds of butterflies.
• A person who lives in a metropolitan apartment connects with nature through the birds that come to the window.
• Write a piece using the following image: an owl soaring through the night sky.
• A well-to-do family from the city that has lost all their wealth except an old, run-down farmhouse in the country. They are forced to move into it and learn to live humbly.
• Two adolescents, a sister and brother, are visiting their relatives’ farm and witness a sow giving birth.

Again, you can use these creative writing prompts to write anything — poems, stories, songs, essays, blog posts, or just sit down and start freewriting.

16 Comments

lovely prompts… really simple line or two that just strikes up imagery and let you freestyle all over it. Nice one

Thanks, Rory!

thanks for the good ideas good short story for someone in grade 8

Thanks. I just read through your list of prompts and got flashes of either beginnings or endings for stories from every one. I’ve not seen prmopts like these much on the web, so well done. Such a simple idea with so much power and potential. If only I had the day off to get cracking!

I love to create and use writing prompts, and I’m glad you found these to be useful. Thanks!

Hello. Supernatural or magic realism is pretty much all I write. I’ve got a prompt. ‘A young teenager is walking home during a storm and ends up getting struck by lightning. The next day they wake up to find that the accident turned them into an inhuman being.’ I’ve heard of this type of scenario before and I thought it would make for a great story. I love creating my own ideas of course but writing prompts are just fun challenge myself with and see what I can create out of already given ideas. I really like the prompts you give. As I said they are enjoyable to mess around with.

Thanks for sharing your prompt, Kristen. I agree that prompts are fun and can be challenging. I’m glad you like these. Keep writing!

#7 Woodland Clearing

Winter trees screen blue and sunny skies, Intense but icy light the heat belies. Spikey, naked, dormant maids and men Wait for the earth to turn around again.

And bring the warmth that touches every thread Of bark and twigs and all that acted dead Until the full-blown leaves create a wall Shortening the view until late fall

When sun and clouds break through the limbs again And show clear-cut those lacey maids and men Black for a time against the coldest air While waiting for the Spring to deck them fair

With leaves that seem to turn the world to green Creating hidden meadows only seen By animals and birds and mist and rains. For ages before calendars and trains.

Humanity intrudes in such a place And fools themselves that they have found a space Where they belong beneath the patchy light To rip and tear and exercise their might.

For meadow edges have no need to stand Between the woods and grassy, open land Where bugs and bears and buntings feel the sun. ‘Till people think they do what must be done.

April 27, 2019

Hi Jennifa. Thanks for sharing your lovely poem here.

That is a stunningly good poem, Jennifa. Far more worthy than just an obscure comment thread here. I hope you found a home for it where more eyes will see it. If you are published anywhere, I’d love to find out.

Wow. These are truly amazing prompts! Just a few lines of inspiration and now my mind is filled with creativity. Please come up with more! <3

You’ll find plenty more in the Writing Prompts section of the Blog menu.

these are really helpful

Thanks, Flo! I’m glad you found them helpful.

What lovely prompts. I’m going to do some free writing and see what comes out. And maybe a poem or two.

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Creative Biz

Describe Nature Creatively: A Guide to Captivating Descriptions

How to describe nature in creative writing – Welcome to the art of describing nature in creative writing! In this guide, we’ll dive into the techniques and strategies that will transform your nature descriptions from ordinary to extraordinary.

From capturing the sensory details to conveying the emotions evoked by nature, we’ll explore a range of approaches to help you create vivid and immersive nature scenes that will leave your readers spellbound.

Sensory Details

Nature’s beauty lies in its intricate tapestry of sensory experiences. To effectively describe nature in writing, it is essential to engage all five senses to create a vivid and immersive portrayal that transports the reader into the heart of the natural world.

Sensory details provide a tangible and visceral connection to the environment, allowing readers to experience nature through their imagination. By capturing the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the natural world, writers can evoke a profound sense of place and connection.

Visual descriptions are the most prominent and often the first sensory detail that comes to mind. When describing nature, focus on the colors, shapes, sizes, and textures of the surroundings. Use specific and evocative language that paints a clear picture in the reader’s mind.

• Instead of writing “there were many trees,” describe the “towering oaks with their gnarled trunks and emerald canopies.”
• Instead of saying “the water was blue,” describe the “azure waters that shimmered like a thousand diamonds under the sunlight.”

Sounds add depth and atmosphere to a natural setting. Describe the cacophony of birdsong, the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, or the thunderous roar of a waterfall. Use onomatopoeia and sensory verbs to create a vivid auditory experience.

• Instead of writing “the birds were singing,” describe the “melodic chorus of birdsong that filled the air, a symphony of chirps, trills, and whistles.”
• Instead of saying “the wind blew,” describe the “wind that whispered through the trees, carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers.”

Smells evoke powerful memories and emotions. Describe the fragrant scent of blooming flowers, the earthy aroma of damp soil, or the salty tang of the ocean breeze. Use evocative language that transports the reader to the heart of the natural world.

• Instead of writing “the flowers smelled nice,” describe the “heady perfume of jasmine that permeated the air, a sweet and intoxicating fragrance.”
• Instead of saying “the forest smelled musty,” describe the “earthy scent of the forest floor, mingled with the fresh aroma of pine needles and the sweet decay of fallen leaves.”

While taste is less commonly associated with nature descriptions, it can add a unique and immersive element to your writing. Describe the tart sweetness of wild berries, the salty tang of seawater, or the earthy flavor of fresh herbs.

• Instead of writing “the berries were sweet,” describe the “sweet and juicy berries that burst in my mouth, releasing a burst of tart and tangy flavor.”
• Instead of saying “the water was salty,” describe the “salty tang of the seawater as it kissed my lips, leaving a lingering taste of the ocean.”

Textures provide a tactile dimension to your writing. Describe the rough bark of a tree, the smooth surface of a lake, or the velvety softness of a flower petal. Use descriptive language that evokes a physical sensation in the reader.

• Instead of writing “the bark was rough,” describe the “rough and gnarled bark of the ancient oak, its deep fissures and ridges creating a tactile tapestry.”
• Instead of saying “the water was smooth,” describe the “smooth and glassy surface of the lake, reflecting the sky like a perfect mirror.”

– Sensory Imagery

Engage the reader’s senses with specific and evocative language that appeals to sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Create a vivid sensory landscape that transports the reader into the heart of nature.

• The emerald leaves shimmered like a thousand tiny mirrors, reflecting the dappled sunlight.
• The wind whistled through the trees, a mournful symphony that stirred the soul.
• The soft moss beneath her feet yielded like a downy pillow.
• The pungent scent of wildflowers filled the air, a heady perfume that intoxicated the senses.
• The tangy sweetness of ripe berries burst between her teeth, a taste of summer’s bounty.

Personification: How To Describe Nature In Creative Writing

Personification is a literary device that gives human qualities to non-human things, such as animals, plants, or objects. It can make nature more relatable and create a deeper connection between the reader and the natural world.

Examples of Personification

Here are some examples of how personification can be used to create a deeper connection between the reader and the natural world:

• The wind whispered secrets to the trees.
• The sun smiled down on the earth.
• The river danced and sang its way to the sea.

These examples give nature human qualities, such as the ability to speak, smile, and dance. This makes nature more relatable and allows the reader to connect with it on a more personal level.

Table of Personification Types and Effects

Here is a table that summarizes the different types of personification and their effects on the reader:

Poem Using Personification

Here is a poem that uses personification to give a voice to a natural object, in this case, a tree:

I am a tree, and I have stood for centuries, My roots deep in the earth, my branches reaching for the skies. I have seen the seasons come and go, And I have witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. I am a silent observer, But I have a story to tell.

This poem gives the tree a human voice and allows it to share its story with the reader. This creates a deeper connection between the reader and the natural world.

Emotional Impact

Nature writing has the power to evoke a wide range of emotions, from awe and wonder to peace and tranquility. Language plays a crucial role in conveying these emotions to the reader, creating a specific mood or atmosphere that enhances the overall impact of the writing.

Figurative Language

Figurative language, such as metaphors and similes, can create powerful emotional connections between the reader and the natural world. Metaphors compare two seemingly unrelated things, while similes use the words “like” or “as” to make a comparison. Both techniques can bring nature to life, giving it human qualities and making it more relatable and emotionally resonant.

For example, the poet William Wordsworth uses a metaphor to describe the daffodils in his famous poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”:

“A host, of golden daffodils;/ Beside the lake, beneath the trees,/ Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

Here, Wordsworth compares the daffodils to a host of dancers, suggesting their joyful and carefree nature. The use of the word “fluttering” also evokes a sense of movement and energy, further enhancing the emotional impact of the poem.

Nature’s Perspective

Adopting the perspective of nature can infuse your writing with a profound sense of empathy and ecological consciousness. By giving nature a voice, you can convey its intrinsic value, resilience, and interconnectedness with humanity.

Imagine nature as a sentient being, possessing its own thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Describe the landscape through its eyes, capturing the intricate details that often go unnoticed by humans. Explore the interconnectedness of all living organisms, highlighting the delicate balance that sustains the natural world.

Voice and Viewpoint

Craft a distinct voice for nature, using language that reflects its vastness, wisdom, and timelessness. Employ sensory imagery and personification to evoke a vivid and intimate connection between the reader and the natural world. Consider the unique perspective of each element of nature, from the towering mountains to the murmuring streams.

Example: “The ancient oak tree stood as a silent guardian, its gnarled roots anchoring it firmly in the earth. Its branches stretched out like welcoming arms, offering shelter to weary travelers and a sanctuary for woodland creatures.”

Fresh Insights and Deeper Understanding

Writing from nature’s perspective offers fresh insights into the human experience and our place within the natural world. By embodying nature, you can challenge anthropocentric viewpoints and foster a greater appreciation for the interdependence of all living beings.

Example: “The river flowed relentlessly, carrying with it the memories and secrets of countless journeys. Its waters whispered tales of distant lands and the lives that had touched its banks.”

Nature’s Rhythm and Movement

Nature is a dynamic entity, constantly moving and changing. To effectively capture this dynamism in writing, pay attention to the rhythms, patterns, and cycles that govern the natural world. Describe the ebb and flow of tides, the waxing and waning of the moon, the seasonal changes, and the life cycles of plants and animals.

Use descriptive language to convey the movement and flow of nature. For instance, instead of simply stating that the wind is blowing, describe how it rustles through the leaves or whips up the waves. Instead of saying that the river is flowing, describe how it meanders through the landscape or cascades over rocks.

Capturing Rhythmic Patterns, How to describe nature in creative writing

• Identify the cycles and patterns that occur in nature, such as the changing of seasons, the movement of the stars, or the ebb and flow of tides.
• Use language that conveys rhythm and repetition, such as alliteration, assonance, or onomatopoeia.
• Pay attention to the tempo and cadence of your writing to create a sense of movement and flow.

Conveying Dynamic Movement

• Use active verbs and strong action words to describe the movement of natural elements.
• Employ sensory details to create a vivid picture of the movement, such as the sound of wind whistling through trees or the feeling of water rushing over your skin.
• Consider using personification or擬人化 to give natural elements human qualities, such as the wind dancing or the river whispering.

Nature’s Scale and Immensity

When describing nature’s scale and immensity, the goal is to convey a sense of awe and wonder at its vastness and grandeur. This can be achieved through the use of language that emphasizes size, distance, and power.

One effective technique is to use words that evoke a sense of scale, such as “colossal,” “towering,” or “expansive.” These words help to create a mental image of the sheer size of natural features, such as mountains, oceans, or forests.

• The towering peaks of the Himalayas stretched up into the sky, their snow-capped summits lost in the clouds.
• The vast expanse of the ocean stretched out before us, as far as the eye could see.
• The ancient forest was a labyrinth of towering trees, their branches reaching up to the heavens.

Nature’s Interconnectedness

Nature is a vast and intricate web of life, where every element plays a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Describing this interconnectedness requires capturing the relationships between different species, the interdependence of natural processes, and the impact of human activities on the environment.

Symbiotic Relationships

Highlight the mutually beneficial relationships between species, such as pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling. Explain how these interactions contribute to the survival and well-being of both species involved.

• Describe the intricate relationship between bees and flowers, where bees collect nectar and pollen for food while aiding in the plant’s reproduction.
• Discuss the interdependence of birds and trees, where birds rely on trees for nesting and shelter, while trees benefit from the birds’ seed dispersal and insect control.

Food Webs and Trophic Levels

Explain the concept of food webs and trophic levels, illustrating how energy and nutrients flow through an ecosystem. Emphasize the interconnectedness of all organisms, from producers to consumers to decomposers.

• Describe the role of phytoplankton as primary producers in marine ecosystems, providing the foundation for the entire food web.
• Explain how the decline of one species, such as a keystone predator, can have cascading effects throughout the ecosystem, affecting multiple trophic levels.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Discuss the interconnectedness of natural processes, such as the water cycle, carbon cycle, and nitrogen cycle. Explain how these cycles regulate the Earth’s climate, provide essential nutrients, and support life.

• Describe the role of forests in the water cycle, capturing and releasing water vapor into the atmosphere.
• Explain how the carbon cycle links the atmosphere, oceans, and land, regulating the Earth’s temperature and providing the basis for fossil fuels.

Human Impact

Discuss the impact of human activities on the interconnectedness of nature. Explain how pollution, deforestation, and climate change can disrupt natural relationships and threaten the stability of ecosystems.

• Describe the effects of plastic pollution on marine life, entangling and harming animals.
• Explain how deforestation disrupts the water cycle and leads to soil erosion, affecting the entire ecosystem.

Sensory Overload and Immersion

Nature has the power to overwhelm our senses and immerse us in its vastness. To create a sense of sensory overload and immersion in nature using descriptive language, writers can employ the following techniques:

Sensory Overload

Sensory overload is a technique that involves using multiple sensory details to create an overwhelming and immersive experience. By engaging several senses simultaneously, writers can transport readers into the natural world and evoke a vivid and visceral response.For example, consider the following passage:

“The air was thick with the scent of pine needles, the sound of rushing water, and the feel of the wind on my skin. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting a dappled light on the forest floor. I could taste the crisp autumn air on my tongue, and the crunch of leaves beneath my feet filled my ears.”

This passage uses a combination of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to create a sense of sensory overload, immersing the reader in the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the natural world.

Envelopment

Envelopment is a technique that describes the feeling of being fully surrounded by and enveloped in nature. By creating a sense of enclosure and immersion, writers can evoke a feeling of awe and wonder in readers.For example, consider the following passage:

“I felt like I was being swallowed up by the forest, the trees towering over me like ancient guardians. The canopy of leaves formed a dense roof above my head, blocking out the sunlight and creating a sense of intimacy and seclusion. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sound was the gentle rustling of the wind in the trees.”

This passage uses imagery and sensory details to create a sense of envelopment, making the reader feel as if they are surrounded by the forest and enveloped in its sights, sounds, and smells.

Awe-Inspiring

Awe-inspiring is a technique that conveys the overwhelming and awe-inspiring aspects of nature. By using language that evokes a sense of wonder and insignificance, writers can create a powerful emotional response in readers.For example, consider the following passage:

“The sheer size and majesty of the mountains filled me with a sense of wonder and insignificance. I stood at the base of the towering peaks, my head tilted back as I gazed up at their snow-capped summits. The clouds drifted past, casting shadows on the mountain slopes, and the wind howled through the passes, carrying with it the sound of distant thunder.”

This passage uses vivid imagery and sensory details to convey the awe-inspiring aspects of nature, creating a sense of wonder and insignificance in the reader.

Nature’s Symbolism and Meaning

Nature has the ability to evoke powerful emotions and associations, making it a rich source of symbolism in creative writing. Authors can use nature to convey deeper themes and meanings, exploring the human condition and the relationship between humanity and the natural world.

For example, a stormy sea might represent inner turmoil or emotional upheaval, while a blooming flower could symbolize hope or renewal. Nature can also be used to represent human qualities, such as strength, resilience, or fragility.

Nature as a Reflection of Human Emotion

• A gentle breeze can convey a sense of peace and tranquility.
• A raging storm can symbolize anger, passion, or chaos.
• A wilting flower can represent sadness, loss, or vulnerability.

Nature’s Healing and Restorative Powers

Nature possesses an inherent ability to heal and restore our minds and bodies. Spending time in natural environments has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and boost cognitive function. In this section, we will explore how to effectively describe the restorative effects of nature on the human psyche, providing examples and insights to enhance your writing.

Natural Elements and Their Psychological Benefits

Various natural elements offer specific psychological benefits. Consider incorporating the following into your writing:

“Nature has a profound and healing effect on our well-being. It can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost cognitive function.” – Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods”

Nature’s Threats and Fragility

Nature, in its pristine beauty and intricate balance, faces myriad threats that jeopardize its well-being and the delicate equilibrium it sustains. Human activities, often driven by short-sightedness and unsustainable practices, pose significant risks to the natural world, leaving an imprint of destruction that threatens the very foundation of our planet’s ecosystems.

Industrialization, urbanization, and the proliferation of consumer goods have led to an alarming increase in pollution levels. Pollutants such as greenhouse gases, toxic chemicals, and plastic waste contaminate the air, water, and soil, disrupting ecosystems and endangering countless species. Air pollution, caused by vehicle emissions and industrial processes, contributes to respiratory illnesses and climate change.

Water pollution, resulting from industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and sewage discharge, contaminates water bodies, harming aquatic life and affecting human health.

Deforestation

The relentless destruction of forests, driven by logging, agriculture, and urban expansion, is a major threat to biodiversity and the global ecosystem. Forests play a crucial role in regulating the climate, providing habitats for countless species, and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people.

Deforestation disrupts the water cycle, exacerbates soil erosion, and contributes to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Climate Change

Climate change, driven by human activities that release greenhouse gases, is one of the most pressing threats to nature. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events disrupt ecosystems, threaten species, and impact human societies. Coral reefs, essential for marine biodiversity, are particularly vulnerable to rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification.

Conservation and Protection

Recognizing the urgency of these threats, conservation efforts are vital to safeguard nature’s resilience and ensure its long-term survival. Protecting and restoring natural habitats, promoting sustainable practices, and reducing pollution are essential steps towards mitigating these threats. Individuals can contribute by adopting eco-friendly lifestyles, supporting conservation organizations, and advocating for policies that prioritize environmental protection.

Nature’s Resilience and Adaptability

Nature is not just beautiful; it’s also incredibly resilient and adaptable. It has the ability to withstand and overcome challenges, and even thrive in changing conditions.

Nature’s Adaptability

Nature has an amazing ability to adapt to its surroundings. For example, some plants have evolved to thrive in harsh conditions, such as deserts or mountains. Some animals have developed camouflage to help them hide from predators. And some organisms have even learned to live in extreme environments, such as the deep sea or the Arctic.

Nature’s Resilience

Nature is also incredibly resilient. It can withstand natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods. It can also recover from human-caused damage, such as pollution and deforestation. Nature’s resilience is a testament to its strength and adaptability.

How to Describe Nature’s Resilience and Adaptability

When describing nature’s resilience and adaptability, use descriptive language and vivid imagery. Focus on the details that show how nature is able to withstand and overcome challenges. For example, you might describe the way a tree bends in the wind but does not break, or the way a flower blooms in the middle of a barren landscape.You can also use personification to give nature human qualities.

This can help to make nature seem more relatable and to emphasize its strength and resilience. For example, you might describe a river as “fighting” against its banks, or a mountain as “standing tall” in the face of adversity.Finally, don’t forget to evoke emotions in your writing.

Nature’s resilience and adaptability can inspire a sense of awe and wonder. By capturing these emotions in your writing, you can help your readers to appreciate the beauty and strength of the natural world.

Key Questions Answered

How do I choose the right sensory details to describe nature?

Focus on details that evoke a specific sense or emotion. Use vivid language and avoid generic or overused descriptions.

How can I use figurative language to enhance my nature descriptions?

Metaphors, similes, and personification can bring nature to life and create a lasting impression. Use them sparingly and effectively.

How do I convey the emotional impact of nature in my writing?

Use language that reflects the emotions you want to evoke. Consider the tone and mood you’re aiming for and use descriptive language that creates the desired atmosphere.

The Writer's Depot

Welcome All Writers!

12 Nature-Inspired Creative Writing Prompts

Nature inspires, and so do these creative writing prompts.

Today’s post includes a selection of prompts from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts . Enjoy!

Creative writing prompts are excellent tools for writers who are feeling uninspired or who simply want to tackle a new writing challenge. Today’s creative writing prompts focus on nature.

For centuries, writers have been composing poems that celebrate nature, stories that explore it, and essays that analyze it.

Nature is a huge source of inspiration for all creative people. You can find it heavily featured in film, television, art, and music.

Creative Writing Prompts

You can use these creative writing prompts in any way you choose. Sketch a scene, write a poem, draft a story, or compose an essay. The purpose of these prompts is to inspire you, so take the images they bring to your mind and run with them. And have fun!

• A young girl and her mother walk to the edge of a field, kneel down in the grass, and plant a tree.
• The protagonist wakes up in a seemingly endless field of wildflowers in full bloom with no idea how he or she got there.
• Write a piece using the following image: a smashed flower on the sidewalk.
• A family of five from a large, urban city decides to spend their one-week vacation camping.
• An elderly couple traveling through the desert spend an evening stargazing and sharing memories of their lives.
• A woman is working in her garden when she discovers an unusual egg.
• Write a piece using the following image: a clearing deep in the woods where sunlight filters through the overhead lattice of tree leaves.
• Some people are hiking in the woods when they are suddenly surrounded by hundreds of butterflies.
• A person who lives in a metropolitan apartment connects with nature through the birds that come to the window.
• Write a piece using the following image: an owl soaring through the night sky.
• A well-to-do family from the city that has lost all their wealth except an old, run-down farmhouse in the country. They are forced to move into it and learn to live humbly.
• Two adolescents, a sister and brother, are visiting their relatives’ farm and witness a sow giving birth.

Again, you can use these creative writing prompts to write anything — poems, stories, songs, essays, blog posts, or just sit down and start freewriting.

Go to Source Author: Melissa Donovan

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256+ Category: Nature Writing Prompts

Rainy reflections

Compose a reflective narrative centered around walking in the rain.

Breezy Beginnings

Write about embarking on a new journey or adventure on a day with clear skies and gentle breezes.

Snowbound Solitude

Detail a day spent in complete solitude due to a heavy snowfall preventing any travel.

Sun-drenched Memories

Create a narrative centering on a poignant memory indemnified by the vivid, warm glow of a summer sun.

Stormy Epiphanies

Write about a moment of revelation or profound understanding that comes to you during a thunderstorm.

Interplanetary Insects

Imagine a planet where insects and microorganisms are the dominant species.

Web Of Life

Describe the relationship between various insects and microorganisms in a specific habitat.

Beneficial Bugs

Explain the importance of most feared insects and germs in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem.

Microbes On A Mission

Create a story where a microbe is the hero.

Insect Antics

Imagine what the world is like from an insect’s perspective.

Dancing Shadows in the Lightning

Describe a night during a thunder and lightning storm.

Voices in the Wind

Write a monologue expressing the thoughts of a solitary human being witnessing a hurricane.

World in White

Imagine a world where the snow never stops falling.

The Calm After the Storm

Narrate your experiences or feelings once a violent storm has passed.

Eye of the Storm

Write a short story about a character experiencing their first tornado.

Aftershock Affliction

Craft a poem about the aftermath of an earthquake.

Lava Love Story

Create a romantic short story involving two characters and a volcano as a symbolic entity in their relationship.

Quaking Quandary

Write a journal entry as a Geologist on the verge of predicting a massive earthquake.

Volcano Verbatim

Imagine being a reporter, assigned to cover the eruption of a dangerous volcano. Write your article.

Tectonic Tales

Pen a short story where the main character is an Earthquake.

Nature’s Parables

Choose an element in nature and write a parable that it inspires.

Chronicle of Seasonal Ebb and flow

Write about how a particular season morphs your surroundings.

Identifying Weather Impressions

Reflect and write about how different weather patterns affect your feelings and thoughts.

Mapping The Terrain

Identify and describe the natural features within your immediate environment.

Observing The Microcosm

Pick a small object or spot in nature and write about it in detail.

The Wandering Woods

In a fictional narrative, describe a forest that moves and changes locations with the seasons.

Leafy Lessons

Write a narrative as if you are a leaf transitioning from a bright green piece of summer to a crackling,…

The Forest’s Symphony

Describe the sounds of a forest from dawn to dusk and how these create a symphony.

Dialogue with a Deciduous

Create a conversation between a young sapling and an old, wise tree.

Woodland Whispers

Write a poem using the perspective of a tree in an old-growth forest.

Tales of the Sea Turtle

Narrate the life journey of a sea turtle, from its birth on a beach to its adventures in the ocean.

The Song of the Whale

Imagine you are a whale, sing your song and tell your story.

In the Depths of the Ocean

Write about the mysterious world that exists in the deepest parts of the ocean.

A Day in a Coral Reef

Pen down a piece that captures a day in the vibrant ecosystem of a coral reef.

Underwater Cities

Imagine a bustling underwater city and describe the day-to-day life of its inhabitants.

The Monsoon’s Arrival

Describe the changes in the jungle atmosphere with the arrival of the monsoon season.

Life in the Undergrowth

Write about the hidden ecosystem within the jungle floor.

Tree-top Home

Describe building a treetop house in the middle of a jungle.

King of the Jungle

Write a story where you are a lion in a jungle, detailing a day in your majestic life.

Jungle Soundscape

Describe the sounds of the jungle late at night.

Spring’s Melody

Narrate a tale where the sounds of spring serve as a backdrop or even play a character.

Canvas of the Sky

Write a series of poems based on the different moods and colors of the sky during each season.

Changing Seasons, Changing Mood

Pen down a personal essay reflecting on how changing weather and seasons influence your mood, productivity, or overall wellbeing.

Dance of the Dry Leaves

Write a short story about a day in the life of a dry leaf being swept away by the fall…

Fall’s First Frost

Describe the first frost of the fall season – what does it look like, how does it feel, and how…

Cycle of the Sun

Express your interpretation of the metaphors associated with sunrise and sunset.

Sunset Solitude

Write about your most memorable solo sunset watching experience.

Diversity of Dawn

Compare two sunrises you’ve experienced in different geographical settings.

Life in Twilight

Imagine yourself as the sun setting slowly after a long day.

Dawn’s First Light

Describe the moment of witnessing the beauty of a sunrise.

Atmospheric Mirror

Write about how the changes in sky and atmosphere can mirror changes in your emotional state.

Describe the emotions evoked when you’re witnessing a sunset alone.

Celestial Symphony

Write about the emotions you would feel if you could listen to the sounds of the universe.

Storm of Emotions

Imagine you are an astronaut observing a thunderstorm from space. Capture the emotions this scene invokes within you.

Cloud Conversations

Write a conversation between two elements of the sky: the moon and a cloud, a star and the wind, etc.

Pets and Inner Harmony

Reflect on the calming, therapeutic effects that your pet has on you.

Pets’ Natural Habitat

Compare your pet’s current living environment with their species’ original natural habitat.

A Day in Furry Life

Describe a day in the life of your pet from their perspective.

Secret Pet Language

Invent a language for your pet and write a conversation between you two.

Whiskers’ Wanderlust

Imagine your pet embarking on an outdoor adventure. Describe their journey and experiences.

River’s Resilience

Analyze the resilience of a river, overcoming obstacles and shaping landscapes.

Lakeside Mystery

Develop a short mystery story set near a lake.

Stream of Memories

Write about a childhood memory linked to a small stream or brook.

Lake Serenity

Describe a peaceful moment spent by a lonely lake and explore the emotions it evokes.

River Reflections

Compose a reflective piece on how a river changes from source to end.

Surface versus Depths

Compare and contrast the tranquil surface of the ocean with its mysterious and intimidating depths.

The Call of the Tides

Describe feeling the call of the sea, a longing to venture into the deep blue.

Message in a Bottle

Imagine finding a message in a bottle while walking along the beach.

Her Majesty’s Sea

Reflect on the power and majesty of the ocean.

Voyage into the Unknown

Write a fictional account of discovering a new species in the dark depths of the ocean.

The Changing Seasons

Write about a season that feels deeply significant to you and articulate why.

Botanic Muse

Contemplate on a significant plant or tree that has played a part in your life.

The Untamed Wilderness

Describe a personal interaction you’ve had with a wild animal or insect.

My Secret Sanctuary

Reflect on a natural place where you feel calm and safe.

Nature’s Symphony

Write about your favorite natural sound and what emotions or memories it evokes.

Phantom Species

Describe a day in the life of a phantom species- an animal or plant that’s believed to be extinct, but…

Secrets of the Microcosm

Write a story where you’re an explorer discovering a secret world inside a dewdrop.

Cataclysmic Event

Detail the aftermath of a freak natural event causing trees to grow upside-down.

Sunset Spectrum

Write about a surreal sunset with colors that no one has ever seen before.

Bioluminescent Wonder

Imagine you’ve discovered a new bioluminescent organism and describe its features, behavior, and habitat.

Wilderness as a Metaphor

Think of a personal challenge or problem you’re facing. Frame it as a wilderness expedition.

The Silence Speaks

Write about the silence you experience in the wilderness and what it communicates to you.

Shared by the Land

Provide a detailed observation of wildlife you’ve encountered in a wilderness setting.

Into the Depths

Imagine you’re an explorer discovering a new wilderness region for the first time. Describe your journey.

The Land I Call Home

Describe your personal connection to a particular wilderness area.

The Eye of the Hurricane

Envision being in the audience of Earth’s most destructive drama – the eye of a hurricane.

Throes of the Earthquake

Illustrate the turmoil of a city grappling with a devastating earthquake.

Heart of the Inferno

Imagine that you are a forest fire, spreading through woodlands. What are your thoughts?

Perfect Tsunami

Describe the perfect mark of a tsunami, from its inception to the moment it hits the shore.

Tornado Tangle

Write from the perspective of a tornado chaser who finds themselves stranded in a storm.

Dynamic Reflections

Write about a windy day where the water’s surface is agitated, constantly changing the reflections it casts.

Undercurrent Stories

Explore the unseen narratives hidden below the water’s apparent tranquility. What secrets does the water hold beneath its reflective surface?

Mirror Depths

Portray a scene where the surface of water is so clear that it mirrors the sky, and blurs the line…

Ripples of Change

Imagine tossing a stone into a clear, still pond and capturing the ripples it creates.

Reflective Serenity

Describe a calming scene of a body of water at sunset. What reflections do you see on the water’s surface?

Moon’s Muse

Consider the moon as your muse and write a poem or a short story inspired by its various phases.

The Dance of Fireflies

Imagine a secret gathering of fireflies in your garden, narrating it as if it’s an exclusive, secret party.

Nighttime Nature Walk

Narrate a nocturnal walk through a local nature site, paying particular attention to contrasting sights, sounds, and feelings.

Starry Sky Stories

Create a folklore or legend inspired by the constellations visible from your home.

Moonlit Melodies

Describe the sounds of the nocturnal wildlife in your local area.

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

Reader – writer – curated resources – & more, 12 nature-inspired creative writing prompts – by melissa donovan…, on writing forward:.

Creative writing prompts are excellent tools for writers who are feeling uninspired or who simply want to tackle a new writing challenge. Today’s creative writing prompts focus on nature.

For centuries, writers have been composing poems that celebrate nature, stories that explore it, and essays that analyze it.

Nature is a huge source of inspiration for all creative people. You can find it heavily featured in film, television, art, and music.

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12 Nature-Inspired Creative Writing Prompts

Today’s post includes a selection of prompts from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts . Enjoy!

Creative writing prompts are excellent tools for writers who are feeling uninspired or who simply want to tackle a new writing challenge. Today’s creative writing prompts focus on nature.

For centuries, writers have been composing poems that celebrate nature, stories that explore it, and essays that analyze it.

Nature is a huge source of inspiration for all creative people. You can find it heavily featured in film, television, art, and music.

Creative Writing Prompts

You can use these creative writing prompts in any way you choose. Sketch a scene, write a poem, draft a story, or compose an essay. The purpose of these prompts is to inspire you, so take the images they bring to your mind and run with them. And have fun!

• A young girl and her mother walk to the edge of a field, kneel down in the grass, and plant a tree.
• The protagonist wakes up in a seemingly endless field of wildflowers in full bloom with no idea how he or she got there.
• Write a piece using the following image: a smashed flower on the sidewalk.
• A family of five from a large, urban city decides to spend their one-week vacation camping.
• An elderly couple traveling through the desert spend an evening stargazing and sharing memories of their lives.
• A woman is working in her garden when she discovers an unusual egg.
• Write a piece using the following image: a clearing deep in the woods where sunlight filters through the overhead lattice of tree leaves.
• Some people are hiking in the woods when they are suddenly surrounded by hundreds of butterflies.
• A person who lives in a metropolitan apartment connects with nature through the birds that come to the window.
• Write a piece using the following image: an owl soaring through the night sky.
• A well-to-do family from the city that has lost all their wealth except an old, run-down farmhouse in the country. They are forced to move into it and learn to live humbly.
• Two adolescents, a sister and brother, are visiting their relatives’ farm and witness a sow giving birth.

Again, you can use these creative writing prompts to write anything at — poems, stories, songs, essays, blog posts, or just sit down and start freewriting.

By Melissa Donovan Source: writingforward.com

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Nature writing prompts to spark creativity and connection

A keepsake journal for writing down experiences in nature (Photo by Wendy Ho/NCC staff)

December 21, 2023 | by Wendy Ho

Connecting with nature can come in many forms. For some, it may be taking a walk and listening to the rustling of leaves, or the crunching of snow underfoot. For others, a creative outlet like art, music and rhythmic movement allows them to experience nature more closely.

I like to reflect on how I’ve nurtured my connection with nature through writing. Often, nature happens right under my nose and writing in a journal allows me to savour the moment and find delight every time I reread my work.

Whether it’s encountering a teeny spider on the windowsill or stumbling upon a bee dozing inside a squash’s flower, there is nature’s magic and awe to be found. And the more I think about how and why a moment in nature was meaningful and endearing, the more descriptive my written account is.

Roots of an old American beech tree at Clear Creek Forest (Photo by NCC)

If you’d like to flex your writing muscles and relive your nature experiences in new ways, here are 10   writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. See how far you get in 10 minutes on any one prompt. Perhaps even consider making this a regular habit as your one-on-one time with nature.

Connecting with nature in a multitude of ways can inspire all of us to act with intention and make a positive impact on nature at every turn we take.

• Write a eulogy for a majestic tree that stood for decades.
• Compose the first communication transmitted back to Earth after a successful human expedition to another planet.
• Finish this sentence: The scent of freshly bloomed flowers reminds me of...
• A forest sprite grants you three tiny wishes to interact with nature's wonders. What are they, and how do you use them to connect with the environment around you?
• An undercover botanist is about to study your local flora and fauna. Write instructions on how to observe and protect the delicate balance of nature.
• Write your life story in five sentences, emphasizing your profound connection with the wilderness and how it has shaped your outlook on life and personal growth.
• Complete this sentence: "I really ought to spend more time exploring …."
• Find a photo of a serene landscape and write about the sounds of nature, the scent of the air and the unseen wildlife that might inhabit the area beyond the frame.
• Pick a place in North America that you've never been to and describe your yearning to move there and immerse yourself in its beautiful landscapes.
• If you were given one extra hour today and you weren't allowed to use it for anything you'd normally do (e.g., eat, sleep, scroll on your phone, watch TV etc.), how would you spend that hour connecting with nature?

Posted in: Time for nature

About the Author

Wendy Ho is Nature Conservancy of Canada's digital content manager.

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15 April 2024

How to Write Engaging Non-Fiction: Nature Writing

Nature writing is a type of non-fiction writing in which the beauty of the natural world is observed and described, often as a way of exploring human emotion and experience. The landscapes and natural habitats that are examined in nature writing vary hugely, as does the human emotion or journey that is often probed. As such, nature writing is a broad, dynamic, and fertile genre, full of many different kinds of books.

The varying styles of nature writing

Nature writers might choose to examine what the natural world means to them personally, reflecting on their own relationship with, and memories of a particular place, like an unknown and hidden beach in the South West of England.

They might take a more focused and factual approach examining individual flora and fauna and their importance, like the importance of bees and the role they play in balancing our ecosystem.

Nature writers might also analyse the social and cultural history of a place, and provide a commentary on and chart the change and decline of a landscape or habitat from an environmental point of view.

For books that focus on a particular landscape, there are no limits as to what types of landscapes deserve attention. Nature writing can be about cliffs, lakes, rivers, deserts, gardens, meadows, oceans, remote islands, and underwater worlds. It can be a study of the slices of nature within cities and urban spaces, whether focusing on parks or plants that we find cropping up in pavements.

Nature writing can focus on developments in agriculture, new farming techniques, the rearing of animals and the sowing of crops. It doesn’t have to be focused around locations and landscapes — it can be about the fauna and flora of a whole region, or just one animal, or even a single tree. But the two things that tend to unify all kinds of nature writing, are that the writing conveys a very clear sense of place and that the natural world is explored in terms of our relationship with it.

What attracts readers to nature writing?

Readers are attracted to this genre for different reasons and take away different learnings or feelings,  dictated by the particular focus of the book. For example, nature writing that focuses on how the author found a particular landscape healing in a difficult and dark time will offer readers guidance, reassurance, and solace in a time when they might need it most. A reader might feel comforted and seen by this kind of book.

Magical, nostalgic, and literary reflections on a particular place will help readers escape their reality and be transported to a far-flung location and wild places like a foreboding forest, a sweeping beach, a flowing stream, or an idyllic riverbank.

For nature writing that has a scientific or educational element, where an author is making the reader rethink the importance of a particular plant, ecosystem, or habitat, or where they are addressing the effects of the climate crisis on the environment, readers will be hoping to come away with new facts and insights about a particular topic that might serve their activism.

Focusing your work

It’s important when you’re embarking on a nature writing project to think carefully about exactly what kind of writing you’re aiming to create and what the reader who is drawn to this kind of book is seeking to learn from or feel when reading it. Does what you’ve written satisfy why the reader was attracted to the book?

The other important element to consider is what kind of writing best suits your subject focus. Given it is a genre that overlaps with other genres like memoir , science, and activism, the style of writing employed in nature writing is varied. It can take many different forms — poetry about the natural world, cultural history told through essays, literary prose about the personal relationship with the natural world, and factual guidebooks.

Make sure that the form of writing you choose fits with the content and aim of your book. 

Tips for nature writing

If you’re developing a book proposal on nature writing, there are a few things that you should keep in mind as you write: 

• Your writing should convey a very clear sense of place. 
• The natural world should be explored in terms of our relationship with it.
• You can write about any natural subject, from a single tree to a whole classification of flora or fauna, from a particular landscape to a whole country. 
• Nature writing can take many forms, from poetry and essays to memoirs and factual guides.
• Think about the reading experience — consider why the reader might be attracted to your book and make sure your writing offers them what they are looking for, whether that’s reassurance, support, escapism, a new perspective or facts and figures.

As a genre, nature writing is experiencing a resurgence, thanks in part to society’s fatigue with the digital world and to the comfort many have found in retreating to nature and quieter places. The great outdoors is an appealing balm that can heal us and help us relax, acting as a tonic to a stressful day. While we can’t always access beautiful landscapes, we can access the natural world through writing. 

Reading list

This list of popular nature books demonstrates the real breadth of the genre, from memoir to activism, and cultural history to more scientific approaches.

Entangled Life: How Fungi Makes Our World, Changes Our Minds and Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake

From redefining the boundaries of intelligent life forms to providing us with the building blocks of foodstuffs and medicines, Entangled Life demonstrates just how integral fungi are to sustained living on this planet.

Entangled Life is a mind-altering and surprising journey into a spectacular and neglected world. It shows that fungi provide a key to understanding both the planet on which we live, and life itself. This book is a remarkable work of modern science that truly changes the way we see the world. Every sentence offers up earth-shaking facts communicated in an excited tone.

Sheldrake shines a light on a totally unexplored topic with such accuracy and descriptive flair .

The Old Ways: A Journey On Foot by Robert MacFarlane

Robert MacFarlane is one of the most prolific and respected nature writers today. In The Old Ways , MacFarlane travels Britain’s ancient paths and discovers the secrets of Britain’s beautiful, underappreciated landscapes.

Following the tracks, holloways, drove-roads, and sea paths that form part of a vast ancient network of routes crisscrossing the British Isles and beyond, Macfarlane discovers a lost world – a landscape of the feet and the mind, of pilgrimage and ritual, of stories and ghosts; above all of the places and journeys which inspire and inhabit our imaginations.

MacFarlane is a master at totally immersing the reader in a particular place. To read this book is to be transported to different parts of the British Isles. One of the things that so many people love about this book is the impact it has had on the walks they previously thought uninteresting – MacFarlane forces the reader to rethink the landscapes they’ve become accustomed to and see the beauty in places they were previously blind to. Reading this book feels like an adventure and flight of discovery .

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

As a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robin Wall Kimmerer brings together scientific understanding with history and tradition in a collection of moving essays on how plants give us gifts and lessons.

The central argument running through the essays in Braiding Sweetgrass is that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires us to embrace a reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. From asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass, Wall Kimmerer argues that only when we can hear the languages of these other living beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.

The book is a powerful vision of a new world of balance, reciprocity, and gratitude. Wall Kimmerer is an incredible storyteller who writes with real compassion and very poetic prose, which is what makes this collection of essays so special and unique. 

The Shepherd’s Life: A Tale of the Lake District by James Rebanks

Rebanks’ rural memoir is a rounded account of shepherding in the twenty-first century and a frank and engrossing dissection of a vanishing way of life .

In evocative and lucid prose, James Rebanks takes us through the year in the life of a  shepherd, offering a unique and candid account of a truly rural life and fundamental connection with the land that most of us have lost. Part cultural history of the Lake District and part personal memoir , Rebanks’ passion for his subject lights up every sentence.

At once lyrical and political, gentle and angry, The Shepherd’s Life is an amazing example of nature writing at its finest – a book that successfully draws on the author’s deeply personal relationship with the land, transports the reader into the landscape and rural life of the author, and offers poignant historical and political commentary on the natural world all at the same time. 

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

H is for Hawk is a profound meditation on grief expressed through the author’s experience training a goshawk.

As a child, Helen Macdonald was determined to become a falconer, learning the arcane terminology and reading all the classic books. Years later, when her father died and she was struck deeply by grief, she became obsessed with the idea of training her own goshawk. The book is a moving and candid account of Macdonald’s struggle with grief as she tried to tame the hawk.

Macdonald writes beautifully on memory, nature, and nation, and how it might be possible to reconcile death with life and love. Her descriptive writing about nature is startlingly precise and her reflections on how taming an animal led to the untaming of herself are poignant. H is for Hawk is a fantastic example of distinguished writing about the relationship between humankind and the environment that evokes truly deep feelings in the reader. 

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall.

The Salt Path is an honest and life-affirming story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world. It is a portrayal of home, and how it can be lost, rebuilt, and rediscovered in the most unexpected ways. And it makes the reader appreciate the comforts of a warm home and good health. Written with real tenderness and humanity, it is about two people finding themselves in nature.

If you’re interested in writing non-fiction and want to get your work in front of a publisher, visit our  free non-fiction book proposal course  written by Lydia Yadi, Senior Commission Editor for Non-Fiction at Penguin Random House.

Note: All purchase links in this post are affiliate links through BookShop.org, and Novlr may earn a small commission – every purchase supports independent bookstores.

Nature Writing Examples

by Lisa Hiton

From the essays of Henry David Thoreau, to the features in National Geographic , nature writing has bridged the gap between scientific articles about environmental issues and personal, poetic reflections on the natural world. This genre has grown since Walden to include nature poetry, ecopoetics, nature reporting, activism, fiction, and beyond. We now even have television shows and films that depict nature as the central figure. No matter the genre, nature writers have a shared awe and curiosity about the world around us—its trees, creatures, elements, storms, and responses to our human impact on it over time.

Whether you want to report on the weather, write poems from the point of view of flowers, or track your journey down a river in your hometown, your passion for nature can manifest in many different written forms. As the world turns and we transition between seasons, we can reflect on our home, planet Earth, with great dedication to description, awe, science, and image.

Journal Examples: Keeping Track of Your Tracks

One of the many lost arts of our modern time is that of journaling. While keeping a journal is a beneficial practice for all, it is especially crucial to nature writers. John A. Murray , author of Writing About Nature: A Creative Guide , begins his study of the nature writing practice with the importance of journaling:

Nature writers may rely on journals more consistently than novelists and poets because of the necessity of describing long-term processes of nature, such as seasonal or environmental changes, in great detail, and of carefully recording outdoor excursions for articles and essays[…] The important thing, it seems to me, is not whether you keep journals, but, rather, whether you have regular mechanisms—extended letters, telephone calls to friends, visits with confidants, daily meditation, free-writing exercises—that enable you to comprehensively process events as they occur. But let us focus in this section on journals, which provide one of the most common means of chronicling and interpreting personal history. The words journal and journey share an identical root and common history. Both came into the English language as a result of the Norman Victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. For the next three hundred years, French was the chief language of government, religion, and learning in England. The French word journie, which meant a day’s work or a day’s travel, was one of the many words that became incorporated into English at the time[…]The journal offers the writer a moment of rest in that journey, a sort of roadside inn along the highway. Here intellect and imagination are alone with the blank page and composition can proceed with an honesty and informality often precluded in more public forms of expression. As a result, several important benefits can accrue: First, by writing with unscrutinized candor and directness on a particular subject, a person can often find ways to write more effectively on the same theme elsewhere. Second, the journal, as a sort of unflinching mirror, can remind the author of the importance of eliminating self-deception and half-truths in thought and writing. Third, the journal can serve as a brainstorming mechanism to explore new topics, modes of thought, or types of writing that otherwise would remain undiscovered or unexamined. Fourth, the journal can provide a means for effecting a catharsis on subjects too personal for publication even among friends and family. (Murray, 1-2)

A dedicated practice of documenting your day, observing what is around you, and creating your own field guide of the world as you encounter it will help strengthen your ability to translate it all to others and help us as a culture learn how to interpret what is happening around us.

Writing About Nature: A Creative Guide by John A. Murray : Murray’s book on nature writing offers hopeful writers a look at how nature writers keeps journals, write essays, incorporate figurative language, use description, revise, research, and more.

Botanical Shakespeare: An Illustrated Compendium of All the Flowers, Fruits, Herbs, Trees, Seeds, and Grasses Cited by the World’s Greatest Playwright by Gerit Quealy and Sumie Hasegawa Collins: Helen Mirren’s foreword to the book describes it as “the marriage of Shakespeare’s words about plants and the plants themselves.” This project combines the language of Shakespeare with the details of the botanicals found throughout his works—Quealy and Hasegawa bring us a literary garden ripe with flora and fauna puns and intellectual snark.

• What new vision of Shakespeare is provided by approaching his works through the lens of nature writing and botanicals?
• Latin and Greek terms and roots continue to be very important in the world of botanicals. What do you learn from that etymology throughout the book? How does it impact symbolism in Shakespeare’s works?
• Annotate the book using different colored highlighters. Seek out description in one color, interpretation in another, and you might even look for literary echoes using a third. How do these threads braid together?

The Living Mountain: A Celebration of the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland by Nan Shepherd : The Living Mountain is Shepherd’s account of exploring the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland. Part of Britain’s Arctic, Shepherd encounters ravenous storms, clear views of the aurora borealis, and deep snows during the summer. She spent hundreds of days exploring the mountains by foot.

• These pages were written during the last years of WWII and its aftermath. How does that backdrop inform Shepherd’s interpretation of the landscape?
• The book is separated into twelve chapters, each dedicated to a specific part of life in the Cairngorms. How do these divisions guide the writing? Is she able to keep these elements separate from each other? In writing? In experiencing the land?
• Many parts of the landscape Shepherd observes would be expected in nature writing—mountains, weather, elements, animals, etc. How does Shepherd use language and tone to write about these things without using stock phrasing or clichéd interpretations?

Birds Art Life: A Year of Observation by Kyo Maclear : Even memoir can be delivered through nature writing as we see in Kyo Maclear’s poetic book, Birds Art Life . The book is an account of a year in her life after her father has passed away. And just as Murray and Thoreau would advise, journaling those days and the symbols in them led to a whole book—one that delicately and profoundly weaves together the nature of life—of living after death—and how art can collide with that nature to get us through the hours.

• How does time pass throughout the book? What techniques does Maclear employ to move the reader in and out of time?
• How does grief lead Maclear into art? Philosophy? Nature? Objects?
• The book is divided into the months of the year. Why does Maclear divide the book this way?
• What do you make of the subtitles?

Is time natural? Describe the relationship between humans and time in nature.

So dear writers, take to these pages and take to the trails in nature around you. Journal your way through your days. Use all of your senses to take a journey in nature. Then, journal to make a memory of your time in the world. And give it all away to the rest of us, in words.

Lisa Hiton is an editorial associate at Write the World . She writes two series on our blog: The Write Place where she comments on life as a writer, and Reading like a Writer where she recommends books about writing in different genres. She’s also the interviews editor of Cosmonauts Avenue and the poetry editor of the Adroit Journal .

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A pocket guide to nature writing.

In this glorious Pocket Guide, Kerri ní Dochartaigh highlights the value of Nature writing, whilst sharing her personal tips, resources and opportunities on how you can get inspired to write. 

What do we really mean when we talk about ‘nature writing’? And what do we even mean when we talk about ‘nature’?

Nature writing , like pockets , is a politicised thing – embroidered with different threads; depending on your race , class , gender , (dis)ability, wealth or place in this world. Is there space here for you? Do you feel safe? There has never been a more important time to make safe space: for every single thing on this earth. The writing, then, will just do its own thing, you see. It will come and go as it pleases, like a moth to a big aul’ light.

How about a wee browse through these background reads , and then we might, in the words of Edwyn Collins , (the most inspiring nature punk on earth): ‘Rip it up and start again’?… (What is nature writing if not the constant riotous act of starting again? Of learning, again, to listen and to look, to draw close and keep our distance, to break and to weep; to get back up and love the world afresh?) In this NY Times piece three and a half decades ago, David Rains Wallace wrote ‘NATURE writing is a historically recent literary genre, and, in a quiet way, one of the most revolutionary.’

We’re ready for this revolution but who is going to lead it?

For far too long we have allowed a very particular voice, from a very particular background, with a very particular outlook – dominate bookshop displays, library shelves, reading lists, bestseller rankings and our own homes. This, the idea that there has only ever been one nature story, is wildly incorrect. Other standpoints, other views, other stories, other voices: have always been there. In ‘Heart Berries’ Terese Marie Mailhot summarises: ‘So, where are we? Where we have always been. Where are you?’

To write about nature with truth and integrity means to ask questions about the past and the future – who, where and what have been mistreated – and how do we make that stop, through how we approach this genre? I only want to be a part of any gathering where every single one of us is there as an equal.

So, who is doing the important work in this area? Where should you go to read more? Where should you send your fledgling words?

Let’s start with The Willowherb Review because I think they are incredible. Their aim is ‘to provide a digital platform to celebrate and bolster nature writing by emerging and established writers of colour’, and already their writers have seen prize nominations and awards (all links on the site). Most importantly of all the writing is cracking; beautiful, raw and necessary. Jessica J Lee, the editor, has a no nonsense approach to the genre that I deeply admire. If you are a nature writer of colour, check out their website for submission dates.

Jessica has also organised a reading group, Allies in the Landscape , a fantastic support for nature writers and anyone wanting to widen their reading in the genre.

The folks at Caught by the River do stellar work for those who love the natural world across a plethora of genres. If you are in need of inspiration, or events to go to when we can, start here. You will not be let down. They read everything they’re sent but are a busy crew so – as with submitting anywhere, patience is kindness.

More folks with big hearts and brilliant writing are The Clearing .

The art of nature writing itself can be a children’s story, a poem, a list, a eulogy, a translation – it can be fiction or non – written or other – short or long; it is anything that takes our world and makes it sing. The best nature writing, for me, speaks of transformation – anything from a fiercely hungry caterpillar, through to strong women swimming themselves to safe places – making lists of yellow things for their sick fathers – moulding grief through sowing seeds: the best nature writers might not even call themselves that at all. Some books I have recently loved are: ‘ Trace’ by Lauret Savoy, ‘Braiding Sweet Grass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer Elizabeth J Burnett’s ‘ The Grassling’ , ‘ Bulbul Calling’ by Pratyusha, Seán Hewitt’s ‘ Tongues of Fire’ , Jessica J Lee’s ‘ Two Trees Make a Forest’ , ‘The Promise’ by Nicola Davies and ‘ The Diary of a Young Naturalist’ by Dara McAnulty. I return over and over to writers like Amy Liptrot, Kathleen Jamie, Annie Dillard, Robert McFarlane and others but I am constantly trying to find new voices, approaches and stories – new to me, not new in their existence, of course: it’s important to make that distinction in a genre such as this.

The important thing, needed now more than ever, is that they each take their place in this symphony of hope.

There is room, here, on these mountains and beaches, in these gardens and fields, in these bodies of water – in ASDA parking lots and unsafe spaces – on the streets, and in every place both ‘wild’  and not (both outer and inner) – for you and your story.

From me to you, here a few exercises I return to over and over as a means to get started…

Choose something – a moth, the colour blue, a tree, a wren, a pebble, the waves on the beach – and write about it as if the reader will have never before seen or heard of it. Really stay with the description for as long as you can, and try to get down to what it really is: its thingness. Make your description almost like a love letter in how much care you take with it, and the depth of your words. Another interesting take on this is to write yourself as the thing – to really imagine, say, going through all the stages of the cycle from caterpillar to moth – or the ebb and flow you would experience as a particular body of water etc.

Journal – at least three free-flow pages without thinking about them or rereading – every single day. This one really helps to get me out of my normal flow of thought, and does something to my brain that welcomes experiences, creatures and thoughts that are conducive to nature writing. It really doesn’t matter if I am not writing about nature in these pages, really that is not the point, I think it’s in the act of carving out space and time – bringing awareness to the act. The space in which I write these can be a cafe, on a train, or at home, and still I find myself in a wild place, one that is on the inside not the outside.

The thing that most helps me to write about the natural world is actually being in it – walking, swimming, running, laying, laughing, crying – just allowing myself to be outside as much as I can seems to be the best way for me to try to write about the world we share.

Once you feel more confident, you might be interested in entering your writing into a prize or sharing it online (an incredible amount of links can also be found in the hyperlinked pages too) and I can share only a fraction but here are a few that sing to me:

https://nanshepherdprize.com   This prize is changing the landscape of this genre. Every single section on the site is invaluable.

https://www.thenaturelibrary.com

Christina Riley has put such a wonderful thing together here. Have a browse / follow.

https://www.lonewomeninflashesofwilderness.com/about

Clare Archibald’s inspiring, inclusive site is really making ripples in this area.

https://beachbooks.blog/about/ A gorgeous, generous sea library full of joy.

https://www.elementumjournal.com  Submissions are closed for this journal but there is lots of fine work to peruse.

https://www.elsewhere-journal.com   This is a superb journal of place, and submission are open.

The Moth Nature Writing prize , The Rialto Nature Poetry Competition and others are great to look at too. There are courses, schemes and more online but I think the most important place to start is by looking and listening, reading and caring; by loving the world and by writing it down in any way you can.

For me, any time any of us looks and listens to the non-human beings we share this earth with – when we pause in humility to acknowledge the interconnectedness of us all – the threads tying us to each other; invisible often, but so strong – we are playing a part in making this a safer, fairer earth. To go one step further, and to write about this connection, to name, explore, celebrate and honour – whether we choose a swan or a stone, a moth or a lough, the wild sea or our gut flora; things nearby or faraway, the known or unknown –   we are shining light on one of the most important truths of this earth: our need to be alive, and to remain connected to every other living thing. There is power in trying to find traces of ourselves in the nonhuman, as well as acknowledging our difference. In searching for the beat of something unnameable;  the simple act of being alive, at the same time, as each other, and in the same way as even the smallest insect.

Nature Writing holds the hope, for me, of reminding us how to treat everyone and everything on the earth. The best nature writing shines light on places we need to see; on beings we need to learn to accept as our equal. It is only a proper telling of the earth if we can tread gently on the land and the non-human as well as human while we do it. If we can speak honestly of the places and the past – if we can find a way to write it where every single one of us is heard; where each one of us, and our stories, are kept safe.

Kerri ní Dochartaigh is from the North West of Ireland but now lives in the very middle. She writes about nature, literature and place for The Irish Times, The Dublin Review of Books, Caught By The River and others. Her first book, Thin Places ,  is out with Canongate in January 2021. @kerri_ni @whooperswan

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19,903 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,965 themes

nature - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

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Nature was my cocoon before my birth and wings beneath my wings ever after.

Nature clothes both land and soul - for she is home, hearth and sustenance for all of creation's kin.

Nature is our gold, for it echos with the golden light of the soul and into eternity.

It's not that I like nature, it's that I'm in love with it. I love the mountains, the snow, the trees and the animals. To imagine this world destroyed is to leave my soul without breath

When I am most awake, most present in the moment, every sense of nature converges into a single energetic joy. It is as if there is a feeling passing between each living thing, a bond that is tangible and blended, a melody beyond the range of ears but available for the heart. And so, as the each leaf moves in the wind, a part of me does also. It is the togetherness of what is separate, the glue in the universe.

This world is quite astonishing, when you claw your way out of the mire of dysfunction. When you first peek over the horizon and see nature without the haze of discontent. Without any filter, with the naked eye and the brain open to the beauty of this reality, amazement comes. It is the amazement of the baby when they first meet a dog, or see a leaf move in the wind. And when you see those simple things, when you can in love with the small, everything gets so much better. The larger things become almost overwhelming, the sense of love so much stronger. It is then you realise that before you lived a half-life, greyed and without the warmth each human is born with.

Why spin straw into gold when it already is that shade of the sun? Why take something warm and make it so cold? If this is alchemy, then you can keep those cold palaces for your cold ego, to house those bones that lost their soul. The sun spun this straw from mud and rain, grew a seed into a fine strand of such beauty. And so you see, blind wizard, nature is my alchemy.

To the animals, to all of our relatives, to the ones we are so blessed to share our planet with, we give you our hearts for always. We vow to clean your habitats and remake what we have broken or poisoned, for in those actions we poison ourselves and our own hearts. We're sorry, and we're coming back to be a part of the natural world, us and our technology.

In this light that paints my skin so warmly, the trees are dancing ladies, each in dresses more fabulous than any designer can craft. They move, choreographed by the wind, in perfect time with one another. They are the life and soul of this early summer morning, and I wonder how many hues of green my eyes are witnessing. As they stretch upwards and outwards toward the light, drinking in rays as pure as the rain, I stretch my arms up too, fingers spread toward the sun and slowly begin to dance.

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Healing Forest

Forest Walks, Nature Art, Mindfulness Activities, Healing with Nature

Words that heal: creative nature writing.

CREATIVE WRITING EXERCISES IN NATURE

Writing is therapeutic. Writing in nature – meditative.

Writing helps to give direction to our thoughts. From clouds of voluminous chatter in the mind, words drop on to paper like gentle rain, turning into streams of sentences. These streams follow their own path to uncover what is hidden and discover what is waiting to be discovered. It is a way to ignite creativity, curiosity and a deeper enquiry into the self.

It’s about observing the nature outside and observing the nature within.

Writing about nature leads to an increased awareness of our surroundings. This simple activity is an exercise to enhance our attention and also become aware of our own state of being. Nature is a place where one can observe our outer and inner landscape. Every person has a unique way of perceiving life and things around them. You begin to discover this uniqueness when you channelise your memories and imagination in a creative way.

Writing in nature is also a way to reconnect to a calmer self. Putting words on paper brings us back into the present moment and by paying attention to our senses and breath we can reach a state of relaxed ease. When one is relaxed and calm, it is easier to get creative insights about the questions in our mind.

WRITING EXERCISES IN NATURE

Our mind is a forest of memories, ideas, and observations. Let us explore the power of words to rediscover the nature around us and the nature within us.

Given below is a list of simple writing games that can be incorporated into an engaging walk for all age groups. The aim of these games is to build your awareness and curiosity. We hope this practice leads you to calm, creativity and clarity.

Senses: Pick any one of your senses. Describe your surroundings keeping only the chosen sense in focus. You can turn this exercise into a letter to a friend. In the letter you are describing your nature walk to a close friend who is not present with you, but remember you can only use one sense to portray the scene. Objects: Choose any object in nature, create a riddle around it. Let others in the group guess what object you picked. In the riddle the less you reveal, the more interesting it becomes. Just like the language of the forest which is full of riddles and mysteries. Here’s a riddle for you. The answer is given at the very end of the article.

You can see me, but you can’t hear me. You can feel me, but you can’t smell me. What am I?

Emotions: Take an emotion that you are feeling. Include it in a 3 line poem. These 3 line poems are a simplified version of Japanese Haikus . The aim of our poem is to capture an image from your nature walk and convey the emotion you are left with. It’s not a test of your poetic skills and the lines do not have to rhyme. Here’s an example:

Characters : Pick the oldest tree around or a tree that feels special to you. Spend time with it and write the story of its life. In this exercise allow your imagination to fly. You can compress time and write a biography for the tree or simply write about a day in the life of your tree.

EXTRAS: IDEAS FOR NATURE WRITING

Magical Creatures: Our forest stories have always been full of magical beings like elves, fairies, gnomes. If you could create your own magical creature what would it be? What magic will they have and what would you call them?

Game of Memories: When we recollect positive memories in nature it strengthens them and allows us to return to them when we need it the most. Write down your earliest happy memory. Write down your most peaceful nature memory.

Nature Song: This is a fun exercise that gives rest to the logical, thinking side of your brain. Pay attention to the sounds of nature and write a song in gibberish. Which means you cannot use any known words from your language. Just compose a song from the sounds around you: Krr Krr Krr Krr Krr, tok tok, Ku-oo

One Word Connections: This game serves as a warm-up to our next exercise, but is also fun on it’s own. If you are in a group, form a small circle. The game starts by one person saying any word from nature. The next person says the first thing that comes to mind on hearing that word. You are not allowed to think and respond. If a participant takes too long to respond, then the chance automatically passes to the next person in the circle. Complete 2 to 3 rounds of the circle with this exercise and build your spontaneity.

Twisty Tale: This is a group exercise. Stand in a circle and create a story starting with ‘I went for a walk into the forest….’. The conditions are that each person adds one line to the story, but alternate people add happy and sad twists to the story. So one set of people are trying to make the story positive and happy while the other set is giving it a dark or tragic turn. Once the story runs its course, switch the roles of the people.

Gratitude Note (Closing Exercise)

We usually end our nature walk by writing a note of gratitude. The note starts with gratitude for the gifts we have received from nature and grows to encompass other aspects of our life.

Without gratitude, nothing is enough ~Julio Olalla

At the core of all emotions in life, this emotion of gratitude is the one that allows us to find contentment and make peace with ourselves. It shifts focus from what is missing within our life and moves our heart to appreciate what we have. As with all writing, this exercise is effective only when the words flow from the heart and not the head. We hope that being in nature has enabled you to do so.

Bonus: Story Walk

A story walk session typically takes about 60~90 minutes. It is suitable for all age groups and creates more delightful results when people of different ages participate together.

Give around 15 minutes for each activity – 10 minutes for exploring, walking, writing and 5 minutes for sharing the stories. If there are a large number of participants, create smaller groups of 5 or less for sharing. Smaller groups create more meaningful engagements.

Any safe space in nature works for a story walk. Make pairs to create responsibility and manage the group better. At the end of each activity, have pre-decided meeting points for sharing stories from that section. These ideas are mere suggestions. Feel free to make your own. Stay creative.

WORDS THAT HEAL

Please share this article with friends who may find it useful. Here’s a link to download some posters, in case you’d like to create an event for people in your city.

Fewer people are spending time in nature these days. This distance is affecting our health – as individuals, as a society and also as a planet. The intention of this idea is to bring nature back into conversations and inspire more people to connect with forests in creative ways. Let’s do this as a collective. When you create writing in nature and share it with other, it spreads the seeds of emotions you felt and the insights you learnt. Hopefully, it will grow the magic of nature and draw more people to it. Do share your poems, puzzles, stories or reflections from the nature walk on our Facebook group . In case you post your writing on social media, add these tags: #healingforest / #forestlearning . It will make it easier for us to find them.

*This page is part of our learning program with nature arts, activities and meditations from around the world.

END NOTE: To get uplifting new ideas once a month you can join our  free newsletter here . We are a small group of friends trying to find new ways to reconnect people with nature. Our aim is simple.  Helping people heal. Helping forests heal.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions for more writing games. Please add them in the comments section below to grow our collective learning.

p.s: Our answer to the riddle is ‘ Sunlight ‘. But in nature, there can be more than one right answer!

Spread A Little Calm. Our World Needs It.

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 Posted on May 24, 2018 by Healing Forest

 Category: Healing Forest

 Tags: creative writing , Creative writing exercises , creative writing in nature , Forest Bathing , forest therapy , forest therapy activities , gratitude meditation , healing arts , healing meditation , mindful meditations , mindfulness , nature connection activities , nature healing , nature meditation , nature walk , shinrin yoku , words that heal , writing in nature

3 Comments on “ Words That Heal: Creative Nature Writing ”

Pingback: Photos of Peace – HEALING FOREST

Open your senses and notice what you hear-smell-touch-see. Start by connecting with one sense using word association to prompt your writing. For example, seeing green = money, begin freestyle writing about money. Close your eyes and touch the tree bark, then describe what sensations immediately come to mind, allowing the words to flow on their own. Utilizing your senses is a sure way to expand your writing with more vivid detail, while also enhancing your own connection to nature, and to your readers.

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Thank you for this beautiful opportunity to share our nature perspectives and writings. I’d like to share my recently launched book now available on Amazon, “Strength from Nature—Simple Lessons of Life Taught By the Most Unlikely Masters: The Nature Teachers.” Each chapter features everything from a scraggly weed to a rock, waves, mighty forests, butterflies and much more offering to help us face our human challenges with a greater appreciation for all life on this planet.

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Written by Emily Harstone October 12th, 2020

13 Literary Journals that Focus on Nature and the Environment

Most literary journals, unless they have a very focused mission, or are genre journals, are open to publishing poems, prose, and nonfiction featuring nature. Most writers that focus on the natural world do not have an issue finding homes for their work in general interest literary journals.

Still, there are a number of journals that focus on publishing writing that focuses on the environment.

It’s important to note that most journals that only publish poems that focus on the natural world are currently preoccupied with ecopoetics , which, according to the Poetry Foundation, is a “multidisciplinary approach that includes thinking and writing on poetics, science, and theory as well as emphasizing innovative approaches common to conceptual poetry”.

Of course there is overlap between the ecopoetics and nature poetry, just like there’s an overlap between journals that publish nature writing and those that focus on environmental change. Below I’ve collected a list of journals that publish one or both.

Not all of the journals are currently open to submissions but the majority of the journals are.

The Hopper Magazine

This is an environmental literary journal published by Green Writers Press. The Hopper looks for a number of very specific things in the writing they publish, which includes poetry and prose, including work that “Offers new and different articulations of the human experience in nature. Specifically, nature writing that is psychologically honest about the environmental crisis and the impacts of mechanical modernity” and work that “Explores place as both the cultural and physical landscapes of an author’s region.” Read their full submission guidelines with care.

This wonderful online journals focus is on how place shapes identity, imagination, and understanding. A lot of what they publish focuses on nature, but not all of it.

This respected and well paying journal publishes fiction, essays, and poetry, about the Pacific Northwest but only by authors based in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.

Minding Nature

This journal publishes a wide variety of work on humans’ interactions with the environment as a whole, including works of ecopoetics.

A literary journal focused on re-imagining place. They publish prose and poetry. They charge for online submissions, but postal submissions within the US are fee-free.

Orion Magazine

Orion Magazine brings ideas, writers, photographers, and artists together, focused on nature, the environment, and culture, addressing environmental and societal issues. They generally have an additional theme for most issues. They are only open for pitches on a theme till October 15th, and are not currently open to fiction, general nonfiction, or poetry.

Hawk & Handsaw: The Journal of Creative Sustainability

Focused more on the environmental and sustainable side of things, Hawk & Handsaw publishes visual art, poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction.

Green Briar Review

An online literary journey that focuses on the natural world, and often on the changing of the seasons, they publish nonfiction, cultural essays, reviews, fiction, and poetry, and photography/art. They read a limited number of fee-free submissions during their reading periods.

Split Rock Review

They are an online publication that publishes “poetry, short creative nonfiction, short fiction, comics, graphic stories, hybrids, visual poetry, photography, and art that explore place, environment, and the relationship between humans and the natural world”. They read a limited number of fee-free submissions during their reading periods.

They bill themselves as the literary journal of the environmental crisis. They publish poetry and essays.

Words for the Wild

This UK-based publisher of poetry and fiction often has an additional theme for online issues and anthologies, some focus more on ecopoetics, others more on nature.

Terrain An online journal that publishes fiction, poetry, and a variety of nonfiction, focusing on nature and the environment.

The Wayfarer

They focus on publishing contemplative voices. Not all that they publish focuses on nature and the environment, but much of what they publish, does intersect with these themes. They publish poetry and essays.

Emily Harstone  is the author of many popular books, including  The Authors Publish Guide to Manuscript Submissions ,  Submit, Publish, Repeat , and   The 2020 Guide to Manuscript Publishers.

She regularly teaches three acclaimed courses on writing and publishing at  The Writer’s Workshop at Authors Publish.

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 09 May 2018

Write fiction to discover something new in your research

• Amanda C. Niehaus 0

Amanda C. Niehaus is a scientist and writer in Brisbane, Australia.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

In the final month of my Australian Research Council fellowship at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, I published papers about sex-crazed marsupials, wrote grant applications and finished The Breeding Season , an as-yet-unpublished novel.

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Nature 557 , 269 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-05089-x

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What is Nature Writing?

Definition and Examples

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Nature writing is a form of creative nonfiction in which the natural environment (or a narrator 's encounter with the natural environment) serves as the dominant subject.

"In critical practice," says Michael P. Branch, "the term 'nature writing' has usually been reserved for a brand of nature representation that is deemed literary, written in the speculative personal voice , and presented in the form of the nonfiction essay . Such nature writing is frequently pastoral or romantic in its philosophical assumptions, tends to be modern or even ecological in its sensibility, and is often in service to an explicit or implicit preservationist agenda" ("Before Nature Writing," in Beyond Nature Writing: Expanding the Boundaries of Ecocriticism , ed. by K. Armbruster and K.R. Wallace, 2001).

Examples of Nature Writing:

• At the Turn of the Year, by William Sharp
• The Battle of the Ants, by Henry David Thoreau
• Hours of Spring, by Richard Jefferies
• The House-Martin, by Gilbert White
• In Mammoth Cave, by John Burroughs
• An Island Garden, by Celia Thaxter
• January in the Sussex Woods, by Richard Jefferies
• The Land of Little Rain, by Mary Austin
• Migration, by Barry Lopez
• The Passenger Pigeon, by John James Audubon
• Rural Hours, by Susan Fenimore Cooper
• Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, by Henry David Thoreau

Observations:

• "Gilbert White established the pastoral dimension of nature writing in the late 18th century and remains the patron saint of English nature writing. Henry David Thoreau was an equally crucial figure in mid-19th century America . . .. "The second half of the 19th century saw the origins of what we today call the environmental movement. Two of its most influential American voices were John Muir and John Burroughs , literary sons of Thoreau, though hardly twins. . . . "In the early 20th century the activist voice and prophetic anger of nature writers who saw, in Muir's words, that 'the money changers were in the temple' continued to grow. Building upon the principles of scientific ecology that were being developed in the 1930s and 1940s, Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold sought to create a literature in which appreciation of nature's wholeness would lead to ethical principles and social programs. "Today, nature writing in America flourishes as never before. Nonfiction may well be the most vital form of current American literature, and a notable proportion of the best writers of nonfiction practice nature writing." (J. Elder and R. Finch, Introduction, The Norton Book of Nature Writing . Norton, 2002)

"Human Writing . . . in Nature"

• "By cordoning nature off as something separate from ourselves and by writing about it that way, we kill both the  genre and a part of ourselves. The best writing in this genre is not really 'nature writing' anyway but human writing that just happens to take place in nature. And the reason we are still talking about [Thoreau's] Walden 150 years later is as much for the personal story as the pastoral one: a single human being, wrestling mightily with himself, trying to figure out how best to live during his brief time on earth, and, not least of all, a human being who has the nerve, talent, and raw ambition to put that wrestling match on display on the printed page. The human spilling over into the wild, the wild informing the human; the two always intermingling. There's something to celebrate." (David Gessner, "Sick of Nature." The Boston Globe , Aug. 1, 2004)

Confessions of a Nature Writer

• "I do not believe that the solution to the world's ills is a return to some previous age of mankind. But I do doubt that any solution is possible unless we think of ourselves in the context of living nature "Perhaps that suggests an answer to the question what a 'nature writer' is. He is not a sentimentalist who says that 'nature never did betray the heart that loved her.' Neither is he simply a scientist classifying animals or reporting on the behavior of birds just because certain facts can be ascertained. He is a writer whose subject is the natural context of human life, a man who tries to communicate his observations and his thoughts in the presence of nature as part of his attempt to make himself more aware of that context. 'Nature writing' is nothing really new. It has always existed in literature. But it has tended in the course of the last century to become specialized partly because so much writing that is not specifically 'nature writing' does not present the natural context at all; because so many novels and so many treatises describe man as an economic unit, a political unit, or as a member of some social class but not as a living creature surrounded by other living things." (Joseph Wood Krutch, "Some Unsentimental Confessions of a Nature Writer." New York Herald Tribune Book Review , 1952)
• Thoreau's 'Walden': 'The Battle of the Ants'
• What Is Style in Writing?
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• 20 Quotes on the Nature of Writing
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• Prewriting for Composition
• Defining Nonfiction Writing
• What Is Prose?
• Definition and Examples of Online Writing
• Creative Nonfiction
• Best Practices for Business Writing
• Unity in Composition
• Tips on Great Writing: Setting the Scene
• Invention (Composition and Rhetoric)

Nature-Inspired Writing Workshop

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Enjoy an afternoon in nature as you gather inspiration from your environment and respond to guided writing prompts. Participants will also receive materials to create their own unique writing journals. Transportation is available from the Creamery to and from the Farm, more information will be provided after registration. Free parking is also available at the Student Farm.

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Graduate Program in Creative Writing

Master of Arts in Creative Writing, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts

Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, Publishing, Screenwriting – an advanced degree in any of our five areas of creative writing provides you the opportunity to hone your craft, elevate your art, and inspire the world. Join our welcoming and inclusive community and become the writer you are meant to be. To learn more about our program directly from our faculty and students, check out our program video .

Program Overview

Pursue your dream of becoming a published author.

If you’re looking to get serious about your writing and you’re eager to join a thriving and diverse community of writers, then you’ll find your niche in Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing. Our five innovative areas of study—Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, Publishing, and Screenwriting—offer cutting-edge courses, and our dedicated faculty of award-winning writers will ensure that you achieve your full potential as a writer.

Our low-residency model makes a graduate education accessible. During the academic year, students work closely with faculty and fellow students through videoconferencing and online courses. Each summer, all students take intensive courses that culminate in a one-week residency on Western’s beautiful campus in late July. These residencies are packed full of exciting courses, inspirational workshops and lively social events.

Sharing work in community

Screenwriting student Tia Phillip giving a reading at the 2023 Open-Mic Night

Faculty & Staff

Kevin j. anderson, mfa.

Director, Publishing Concentration

Byron Aspaas, MFA

Poetry Faculty

Karen Auvinen, Ph.D.

Nature Writing Faculty

Claire Boyles, M.A.

Screenwriting and Nature Writing Faculty

Steve Coughlin, MFA

Professor of English

Julie E. Czerneda

Genre Fiction Thesis Mentor

Amy Fox, MFA

Screenwriting Faculty

CMarie Fuhrman, MFA

Associate Director; Director, Poetry Concentration; Faculty, Nature Writing Concentration

Geoff Geib, MFA

Gwyneth gibby, m.a..

Publishing Faculty

Sarah Goettsch

Graduate Program in Creative Writing Coordinator

Carol D. Guerrero-Murphy, Ph.D.

Tyson hausdoerffer, ph.d..

Director, Graduate Program in Creative Writing

Mitali Jahagirdar, MFA

Tenea d. johnson, m.a., julie kane, ph.d., lindsay king-miller, mfa.

Thesis Mentor

Gary Lilley

Allyson longueira, m.a., js mayank, mfa.

Interim Director of Screenwriting

Cameron McGill, MFA

Candace nadon, ph.d..

Genre Fiction Faculty

Johanna Parkhurst, M.A.

Director, Genre Fiction Concentration

Laura Pritchett, Ph.D.

Director, Nature Writing Concentration

Laura Resau, M.A.

Nature Writing/Genre Fiction Faculty

Ligiah Villalobos Rojas, MFA

Liz sczudlo.

Screenwriting Thesis Consultant

Andrew Sellon, MFA

GPCW Faculty, Performance Coach

Derek Sheffield, MFA

Ana maria spagna, mfa, anna stileski, m.a..

Executive Assistant

Richard Wilber, Ed.D.

Genre Fiction Faculty, Graduate Thesis Coordinator

Maya Jewell Zeller, MFA

Nature Writing and Poetry Faculty

Laura Pritchett

Laura Pritchett, who directs the MFA with a concentration in Nature Writing, has two novels coming out in 2024, and they could not be more different.

Ligiah Villalobos Rojas

Melissa Dalton-Martinez

Lara Richardson

Take the first steps toward your academic and personal growth..

Fostering your intellectual development is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling and enriched life after graduation.

News & Research

Western’s MFA Director Laura Pritchett’s latest novel is born from a world on fire

Western Earns Accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission

Western Poetry Faculty Member Chosen for Prestigious Poetry Prize

Teaching into the Firetower

Western’s CMarie Fuhrman Releases New Anthology & Public Radio Podcast

Nature Writing and Western Press Books to Produce Inaugural Book

Renown Author Karen Auvinen to Join Western Faculty

Western Instructor Named to Top Writer’s Honor

Graduate Program Pushes Caps on Enrollment During Pandemic

Western Professor Named to Authors’ Hall of Fame

Additional resources, admission requirements & application.

Western’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing considers applications in four waves throughout the year: Early Admissions, from July 1 through November …

Tuition & Fees

Full-time enrollment in the MFA extends over 25 months, spanning four non-residency semesters and three Summer Residencies. Students may also attend half-time or take a leave of …

Scholarships & Financial Aid

The GPCW is deeply committed to raising funds to support our students. Each year we offer substantial direct-funding scholarships. The GPCW is currently …

Summer Residency

The highlight of our academic year is the Summer Residency, held each July on Western’s beautiful campus in Gunnison, Colorado.

How can a low-residency format create a sense of community among students and faculty?…

Publications

Publications in the Creative Writing Graduate Program Explore the publications below to discover the depth and breadth of Western’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing: Think Journal Christine …

GPCW Mission, Indigenous Commitment and DEIA+ Statements

The Graduate Program in Creative Writing at Western Colorado University seeks to create transformative learning experiences for our students, built from a strong foundation that honors our students’ unique voices and is supported within inclusive environments established both virtually and at yearly residency gatherings.

Learn More about the GPCW

Interested in learning more about the Graduate Program in Creative Writing? There’s no better way to get to know our program than through the voices of our faculty and students. Tune in to watch this informational video about everything you’ll look forward to as a student in our program.

Related Programs

Genre Fiction

Master of Arts | Master of Fine Arts

Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW) 3+2

Accelerated Degree Programs

Nature Writing

Master of Arts

Screenwriting

Department information, associate director, program coordinator, contact information.

970.943.2014

[email protected]

Campus Location

Western Colorado University Quigley Hall 117 1 Western Way Gunnison, CO 81231

Take the Next Step

Apply to Western

We understand that applying to a university can be daunting, which is why we make our admission process as simple and straightforward as possible. Learn more about applying to your program of choice at Western.

Visit Western

The best way to find out what makes Western such a special place is to experience it for yourself. Our student-led tours give you an insider’s perspective on everything from academics to student life.

Alumni Community

We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.

Request Information

Want to discover more about Western? Request information today to get in touch with the admissions team.

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