Finding Your Creative Spark Through Travel

Often I find that the daily routine needs a jolt to get the creative juices flowing. The day-to-day chores of laundry, and grocery shopping can put you in a rut. Even talking to the same people, seeing the same streets, and eating the same food day after day, can be a bit mind-numbing. Our lives can get too comfortable and easy. Our minds need to be challenged to fire them up.

Travel can turn everything on its head. Not only do we experience new places, cultures, and life-styles, but our routines get disrupted. We have to work hard to problem solve, and communicate. We are sometimes challenged with the simplest things like where a light switch is in a dark hotel room. How the shower works. Figuring out how to get from point A to point B can become a major undertaking.

I remember once trying to travel from Walnut Creek, a small community in California to downtown San Fransisco on the BART system. I had to figure out the map at the station, and if my trip was going to be one zone or two, and how much that would cost. Then, it turned out I didn’t have the exact change required. I had to walk to a store and buy some gum to get the correct amount. This whole process took close to half an hour. The next time I took the BART it took only a few  minutes to get my ticket.

I find I don’t do much writing when I am traveling, I am too involved in doing other things. But I notice that when I come back home, and sit down at my laptop to pick up where I left off on a project my approach is fresher and more energized. I have a new perspective on my work. It’s more than having just taken a break from work, my creativity has had a boost. 

Trips don't need to be long and exotic, or expensive. Changing even small things in your daily routine can help to kick start creativity. Take an entirely different route to the grocery store. Take a bus instead of driving. Walk. 

Just do something different. 

Connecting With Other Writers

Last month I gave a workshop on Gabriola Island about writing children’s novels. It was part of the Gabriola Isle of the Arts Festival. Nine people signed up and, interestingly, they were all women and at least half of them were retired school teachers. They came with a variety of writing experience. Some were at the early stages of formulating an idea and eager for tips about writing a book. Some had experience with self-publishing. One woman was a seasoned (and award-winning) writer of non-fiction books. All of them were gracious and generous in sharing their experiences and enthusiasm. 

The workshop was a four hour afternoon session. I brought materials on the writing process, tips on the publishing world, and some writing activities to have fun with. But it was what the participants brought to the workshop that really rounded it out. We heard about the process of self-publishing: where to go to find resources and how much it costs. We heard about writing organizations, and applying for arts grants amongst other things.  

Writing, by nature, is a very isolating endeavour. We can toil away at our projects for months on end, but connecting with other writers can be invigorating and rewarding.  

It brings to mind the saying, We all have something to teach and something to learn. 

How Reading Helps my Writing

I’ve always loved to read. When I was a young girl reading was the first thing I did when I woke up in the morning and the last thing I did before I fell asleep at night. I always have a book by my bed. In fact I have a stack of books because I never want to be caught without one. I read almost every genre: non-fiction, children’s books, short stories, biographies, novels. I’ve just finished the four part Neopolitan novels by Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant Friend. Now I’m reading On Writing by Eudora Welty. 

But I don’t read just anything. I pick critically acclaimed books and award winning books. I chose books with merit. Reading is an investment of time, and I want my time to be well-spent. I want the experience of reading to elevate me in some way, or transport me. The book must provide something to intrigue me, or offer things I can learn from.

Not only does a well-written book provide a wonderful reading experience, it is also an example of “how it’s done”. The craft of writing is a skill that comes slowly and over a lifetime. It requires years of practice, of observation, and study. Reading good books is a delightful way to study the beauty of a well-crafted sentence, different ways of telling a story, style, and structure. You can immerse yourself in the intricacies, not only of the story, but of the craft. You can be inspired. 

And hopefully some of it wears off. 

Making the Time to Write

I started writing seriously about 30 years ago. I had a young daughter and a full time job as a physiotherapist in a hospital, but I knew I wanted to write. I didn’t have a lot of free time so I decided to write on my days off from my regular job. First thing in the morning I would sit down and carve out at least half an hour. I thought that was a reasonable amount of time. I told my family that was my writing time and I never felt guilty about it. Many weeks, it would amount to only an hour. That doesn’t sound like much, but, over time I made slow but steady progress. For me, writing is a pleasure, not a chore. I knew if I tried to do it everyday at that point it would become just another task to fit into the day. I didn’t want to interfere with the magic and joy of writing. I wanted it to always feel like writing was a special time, one that I looked forward to. It was a nice counterpoint to the things going on in the rest of my life. So for many years I stuck with my plan. I’ve had three books published and it took me about five years to write each book. I kept telling myself, it’s not a race. It’s about making something of quality, something I can feel proud of. And it’s something I wanted to enjoy every step of the way.

About a year ago I retired from my job at the hospital (I was the coordinator of Rehabilitation Services at that point) and now I am able to devote much more time to my writing. It feels like an incredible gift to have the time to write every day. I still write first thing in the morning - when I’m fresh, and before I even think about the demands of everyday life. (I don’t even write my daily to-do list until I’ve finished my writing for that day). I have tried writing in the afternoon and evening - but, somehow, for me mornings are the best times. I do at least an hour a day now but it’s easy to get caught up in the process and more time goes by. I try to schedule appointments for afternoon hours when possible to preserve my morning writing time. When I travel, or when we have house guests, I find I have too many distractions to be able to focus properly on my writing….so I don’t worry about it those days. I give myself a break from writing. And when I get back to it, it’s wonderful all over again.