Il rientro…la rentrée

2014_September_rientroSeptember is well underway, and even if the weather is still beautiful in my part of the world, those crisp evenings provide us with a hint of what’s to come.

Summer is almost over.

The kids are back to school, and we’re back to work. Holidays are fading into pleasant, but distant memories.

This is what the Italians call ‘il rientro‘, the French ‘la rentrée‘. Does the term exist in other languages? I’ve never heard it in northern European languages, and ‘the return’ would be laughable in US English, since American holidays are so stingy.

But in cultures where long summer holidays are (thankfully!) the norm, getting back to the daily grind can be particularly painful. Newspapers and television news reports are filled with advice and warnings by psychiatrists about how to handle the depression that may follow the famous ‘return’ to real life.

Are writers prone to suffering from this, too?

I recently posted about how summer holidays are not always productive writing periods for me, although I do store up inspiration for the writing months ahead. But is jumping back into the writing routine as tough as returning to school, or the office?

What do you think, writers? Suffering from il rientro/la rentrée blues? Or happily creating away after a long summer hiatus? Here’s to wishing a productive writing autumn for all of us!

3 Comments

  1. Catherine on September 12, 2014 at 8:38 am

    I don’t usually have a productive summer at all but this year has been different. It’s been cooler and I’ve been to some inspiring writing events. But I always look forward to the cold and the fog for writing! I don’t mind autumn at all..

  2. evelyneholingue on September 13, 2014 at 11:59 pm

    I’m actually excited for ‘la rentrée’ or ‘il rientro.’ So similar in our two languages, right?
    Our family summer was a mix of work and leisure time and I am looking forward to cooler weather, indoors reading and also my new novel. I have read a lot and like you wrote earlier this summer, I let everything simmer so hopefully my fall stew will be yummy. Fall has always been my favorite season and unlike some people I feel energized during this period of time.
    So Bonne Rentrée to you and to anyone reading your blog.

  3. kimberlysullivan on September 16, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Buongiorno/Bonjour Catherine and Evelyne… and great to hear from two impressive writers. So happy that you both see a productive autumn on the horizon, and that the rientro/rentrée has you excited. Will look forward to hearing how you’re progressing! Happy writing…

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