4 Ways Travel Inspires Writing
Get Ready to have Fun!
Pack you bags and join me on an adventure of a lifetime!
To combat the “writer’s block blues” splurge a little and experience something new and exciting. Don’t worry though . . . inspiration through travel doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. You can customize travel to meet your interests and personal budget. Whether you’re spending the weekend visiting a neighboring city, county, or state; or maybe stepping foot in another country–you can always find inspiration around every corner.
After all, nothing can stifle your imagination faster than an unvarying routine. So pack a pen, notebook, and maybe a little sunscreen–and hit the road to re-energize your writing. Before you leave, keep the below suggestions in mind if you want to make the most of your trip.
1. Meet New People
The world is filled with wonderfully unique and interesting people, but if you stay at home inside your own bubble, you’ll never have the opportunity to meet them. Like many of you, I’m an introvert and am not prone to strike up a conversation with a stranger. But, even still, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself talking to the most amazing people while on vacation. Sometimes, you don’t even have to say a word to them. Spend a little time at a coffee shop and just spend some time people watching. You might be surprised how this can positively influence your writing.
If you want to make your characters “pop” on the page with a unique persona, it certainly doesn’t hurt to find inspiration from real life acquaintances and observations.
2. Soak in the Atmosphere
Whether you’re in the great outdoors, a bustling city, small town, museum, art gallery, or ice-cream parlor. Wherever you find yourself while on holiday, it is important that you soak up the atmosphere. For me, it is very helpful to bring along a laptop or pen/paper to jot down all the details you experience with your five senses.
What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch? It’s easy to forget the specifics of what you experience in the moment–so take notes that you can reference later when you get home. You never know what small details will sneak their way into your next brilliant novel.
3. Experience the Culture
To experience another culture you don’t have to go far. Regional differences can be evident even within the continental borders of the United States. Whether you’re in the North, South, East, West, or Central . . . you’ll encounter regional differences that can influence your writing.
If you have the financial means, you can become inundated with cultural inspiration by traveling the world. From food to religious practices, and everything in-between, you’ll be sure to come home with a different perspective on the societies that make up our world. If you want your writing to be authentic, I can’t think of a more entertaining way.
4. Recharge Your Battery
Above all, vacationing gives you ample opportunity to rest and relax. If you want your writing to really flourish, sometimes you just need to take it easy for a while.
After you’ve recharged your batteries, then maybe you’ll be ready to hit that novel with some gusto.
Check out the Top 10 Ways to Find Inspiration for more ideas or, perhaps, you’d like to look at some of my vacation photos to learn more about what inspires my writing.
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