Gras Publishing

Traveling can help you find writing inspiration and help improve your craft.

Making time to write for at least 15 minutes a day is one of the most common tips writers who want to improve their writing receive, but what happens when you go on vacation? Are you expected to lug your notebook or computer around? Doesn’t everyone deserve some time to R&R?

Well, believe it or not, your job as a writer is not to take your pen and scribble down something just to get it over with. Practicing your craft is admirable, but writing isn’t the only part of your craft. Ideas, inspiration, creativity are all part of what being a writer means.

And traveling helps improve your craft.

Writers sometimes need to get out of their story, out of their heads, and out of their house. You’re stuck in a roadblock and no matter how many times you rewrite a scene, something doesn’t feel right.

When this happens, it’s normally recommended for writers to take a step back and walk away from their project for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, but traveling gives you the opportunity to visit new sights, meet new people (potential future characters) and take your mind off your story.

Traveling not only gives writers time to work out their writer’s block, but it’s the perfect opportunity to work on a part of the writing craft that is sometimes forgotten: ideas.

It happens to the best of us. Sometimes, we’ve got nothing. We can’t seem to come up with any good ideas, for anything. It’s like our creative well for writing inspiration dried up.

Traveling can fix that.

Instead of making time during your trip to write for 15-30 minutes a day, give yourself 5 minutes every day to think of something you saw, experienced or heard that stuck out to you. Why? Think about it. Did you hear a great quote? Did you see a memorable character? Experienced a wonderful setting?

Write down the idea(s) if you want, but this exercise is meant to be like a passing thought: fast and easy, and if you do it often enough, it’ll train you to find a story anywhere and everywhere.

Of course, when looking for some writing inspiration, this exercise can be used anywhere, but traveling is sometimes the most effective time to try it.

After all, what else can you do when you’re waiting at the airport for your flight?

So, what did you think? What other ways can traveling help writers? Share with us in the comments below and if you like what you read and want to see more, subscribe to our email list for more thoughts, quotes and writing prompts or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Featured image courtesy of  Soroush Karimi