Happy Friday!
Around the country, children and many adults are celebrating the fall season with Halloween next Friday. This history of Halloween is somewhat complicated and sometimes controversial, but one thing is certain: Halloween provides numerous opportunities to boost your creativity and hone your writing.
My assistant Beth picked up her pen and tried some exercises that use Halloween as inspiration and innovation in her writing to share in this week’s blog.
There’s something about October — the vibrant color of leaves, the cool shift in the air, and those clear blue skies. It’s Mother Nature’s “last hoorah” before everything green takes a long winter nap and the world turns brown and dull. For me, autumn is a time to enjoy the outdoors, but I also realize that winter will be here soon, and with it, more time to write.
Sadly, that doesn’t always translate to enhanced creativity or productivity. I’m still facing my share of creative blocks, lackluster writing, and a novel that hasn’t moved past Chapter 12 in four weeks! But Halloween can provide the spark I need to explore my characters’ personalities, build better worlds, and strengthen my prose.
Using Fear as a Writing Tool
At my local Walmart, as I perused the candy selection, I watched a kid pick out a mask for his Halloween costume. I wasn’t surprised to hear his excitement as he tried to decide between a Scream or Jason from Halloween mask, or to go with a rather grisly-looking, but more traditional choice, a werewolf.
I’ve always wondered about our fascination with the scary or even the macabre. But, for writers, fear is one of our most powerful tools. It’s the core of conflict.
What does your main character fear? Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about your character’s worst nightmare, but don’t let it end in terror. Let the dream shift toward insight or triumph. What do they learn? How do they change?
What Halloween Costume Would Your Main Character Wear?
The kid at Walmart chose the werewolf mask. I silently cheered. Now that would be a character I can write about! The transformation, physical and mental, the inner turmoil, and the danger–the possibilities are nearly endless.
Then I wondered what my main character in my recent novel would pick as her costume. It didn’t take me long to decide after I recalled her primary conflict, her fear, in the story. Without giving anything away, her costume would reflect what she desires most. Now think about your main character. Would the costume choice reveal hidden motivations or even secrets?
The Haunted Object
While a costume allows our characters or even ourselves to change who we are for a short time, an object often carries memories and truths. In Marilyn’s Beyond Happiness Method webinars, we’ve discussed and used objects as touchstones to help keep us centered and calm. But what if the touchstone was haunted?
If you’re lacking motivation, pick up an ordinary object. It could be a key, a teacup, or a piece of jewelry. Place the name of the object in the center of a Word of the Day Cluster. Around the cluster, jot down what images, memories, and feelings the object brings to mind. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes, and write a story with the words and phrases in your cluster. Next, do the same exercise for a character in your story.
A Trick or Treat in Your Scene
The previous exercises brought a new and different energy to my writing, but I’m struggling with a scene in my new novel. The scene lacks action, and I need to spice it up; however, I find myself sticking to my outline because once I make a plan, it’s hard to switch gears. I need to move out of my comfort zone!
The “treat” scene, the one I’ve written so far, is realistic. It gets the job done, but it’s not remarkable and doesn’t leave my reader wondering. So now I’m writing a second version: the “trick” scene. This version includes an unexpected, eerie twist — something I hadn’t planned but now see could work beautifully. The contrast between the two versions has already opened new plot possibilities I hadn’t considered.
Spooky Sensory Exercise
Even the best twist or surprise in a scene will fall flat without atmosphere, and autumn and Halloween provide a multitude of sensory experiences. Crunchy leaves, tart apple cider, fall colors, misty fog, and longer, darker days are some of my favorites.
Try this: Write 200 words on autumn, Halloween, or something incredibly spooky using all five senses. No plot or dialogue is necessary. You may discover a new story idea to use later, and this helps create immersive and descriptive scenes in your current project.
Try It and Send Us Your Writing
Halloween might come once a year, but creative transformation is always waiting for you. This week, try one or more of these exercises and let us know how it went! Marilyn would love to share them in next week’s Halloween edition of the newsletter!
So light a candle, pour a cup of tea (or a pumpkin spice latte), and invite your imagination to unlock your creativity.
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The Book of Zev Returns in Print! (and Kindle!)
I’m thrilled to announce that The Book of Zev is back in print! This dark-comedy thriller follows two unlikely heroes—a disillusioned cabdriver and a spirited kosher chef—whose shared psychic reading pulls them into a global terrorist plot.
Now available in paperback and on Kindle, The Book of Zev offers a “gripping mix of suspense, satire, and spiritual discovery.” Order your copy today!
The Bi-Weekly Webinar is Moving to Tuesdays!
After four years of meeting on Wednesday evenings, the Word of the Day/Beyond Happiness Webinar is being offered on Tuesdays! We’ll continue exploring practices that help you find calm and clarity—focusing on somatic movement, affirmations, and getting into your best mental space to boost creativity, problem-solve, and make confident decisions.
Bring your pen and paper, and join this warm community of writers, artists, and professionals—now on Tuesdays! See you on November 4!
Here’s to your personal success,
Professor Marilyn Horowitz
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New Webinar
Tuesday, November 4, 7:00 pm EST
Join us for our upcoming webinar where we’ll explore how calm and clarity aren’t luxuries—they’re essentials for better work, creativity, and decision-making. Using the Beyond Happiness Method and simple writing techniques, you’ll learn how to quiet the noise of daily life and reconnect with your inner steadiness.
Bring your pen and paper! You’ll leave with practical tools to help you feel centered, confident, and creatively free—no matter what tomorrow brings.
New Podcast: On the Air With Florenza
I was so excited and honored to be a guest on On the Air with Florenza! We had a wonderful time talking about my new novel, Bad Girl Pie where I shared how I combined humor, danger, and desire to create a story that’s both entertaining and empowering. We also talked about how writing fiction can become a tool for healing and transformation—something I’m passionate about bringing to both my teaching and my readers.
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