It’s summer, which means time to break out and do something new.
Imagine how free, creative and happy you’ll feel as you soak in a nice, long ribbon of time away from the daily hustle back home. Time to read! Time to write!
Aaaaahhh…
Now, imagine the possible reality:
- Time spent rushing.
- Time spent waiting.
- Departing time.
- Arriving time.
Perhaps also, an ambitious itinerary. And a hotel room with little privacy.
How and when to write, then?
I’ll bet I’ll have more firsthand tips to share after I return from my 3.5-week roadtrip with my husband and daughter.
For now though, let’s get this conversation started by looking at my answers to the top 2 questions I get most from writers re: writing in the summer:
Question #1 – “Do I take my laptop with me on vacation?”
Truth is, there are benefits to deciding to take the computer and deciding to leave it behind. I wrote a blog post for freelancers on just this topic. You can find it here.
For you creative writers out there, who don’t need to stay in touch with work, you may want to opt for a hybrid travel-and-writing journal, instead. More than a few of my clients have rediscovered the joys of pen-to-paper while away, some even continuing this practice after they’ve returned.
Question #2 – “How can I (tactfully) excuse myself from the crowd, so I can get some writing time in while I’m away?”
This simple question is really two important questions packed in one. The questions seem quite similar at first glance:
“Is it alright that I want time alone on my vacation?”
“Is it okay that I think that a fun to do on vacation is…write?”
Short answers? YES and YES.
I’m guessing you want to hear a bit more, though, so let’s take these questions one-by-one.
“Is it alright to want alone time?”
First, many writers I meet are introverted or somewhat-introverted by nature. It’s a way of being that may seem at odds with others or with cultural expectations of what’s “normal.” To that, I say: oh, well.
For introverted people, solitude is no luxury – it’s a necessity.
You have no choice but to be yourself. If you need a shot of alone time, take it, and do so without apology.
“Am I weird because I want to write on vacation?”
Don’t be silly. You’re “weird” if you try to be somebody you’re not.
If you want to write, WRITE. Get up before everyone else, find a hotel lobby or excuse yourself for a half-hour (or sumptuous, hours’-long) writing session in a café.
If it helps you, think of me and countless other writers on vacation everywhere around the world. There we are, sitting with our coffees on the table and pens in our hands too, scribing our stories all around this big world of ours because we simply must to feel good and right and happy.
