Jump-Start Your Writing While On Holiday

By Anne C. Varia

It’s that time of year. After months of querying, researching, writing, and rewriting, you’re ready to pack it in. If you think a fortnight in Tuscany will do you any good…well, you’re probably right. But a vacation is more than just a break from your work. Follow these tips, and you can actually use your holiday to boost your writing career. Don’t believe me? Read on.

1) Charge your creativity with a change of scene. 

You know what a walk around the block can do to clear out the cobwebs. Imagine a walk around Notre Dame. Now, I’m not saying you have to travel halfway around the world to reap this kind of benefit. After all, a long weekend at a bed and breakfast on the other side of town can do wonders to get the creative juices flowing.

There’s something about being ‘off the clock’ that stimulates the senses. Colors are more vibrant, sounds more subtle when you’re on holiday. Learn to become a keen observer. Note the sights and smells of the market, the sounds of a crowded café. You might even be moved to jot some notes down in a small notebook. If you aren’t, that’s fine. Don’t force yourself to do any “work.” Just let your inhibitions drop. Open yourself up to your surroundings, and wonderful things will follow when you return home to your typewriter.

2) Get a crash course in dialog.

People say the darndest things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in a crowd, on a bus or in a restaurant, and have overheard the richest conversation. Maybe it was particularly funny. Or heartfelt. Whatever it was, it made me wish I could have tape-recorded it. Take advantage of the extra time you have while on holiday, and use what you hear.

Depending on how far you’re traveling, you just might hit the jackpot. You could find yourself surrounded by a completely different language, or at the very least, a new dialect. You might catch a great new phrase, or accent. Glean what you can from everything you hear while you’re traveling. Because you might not ever hear it again.

3) Learn to keep a journal. 

You don’t have to work for National Geographic to write about your travels. Do it for yourself. Splurge a little on a notebook you’ll really enjoy using. To make it even more special, you can buy it once you first arrive at your destination. By keeping a journal of your trip, you’re practising the first two skills I’ve already outlined. And you’ll learn not just to appreciate details, but to document them.

And who knows, you may actually be able to sell a piece about your trip. After all, there are lots of e-magazines out there that would love to hear about your rafting trip, shipwreck diving, or your winning haul at the casino. Knowing you’re going to try to sell your piece before you go on holiday will help you organize the facts quickly while you’re there, so there won’t be any manic attempts to remember minute details later on.

4) Scout out a location. 

Maybe you're planning a gothic novel set in the Scottish highlands, or a cookbook showcasing Chinese regional cuisine. What better time to soak up the essence of a place than when on holiday? If you're organizing a significant work such as an historical novel or screenplay, you should really plan on spending at least some time in the setting.

Of course, you may find yourself on vacation without an ulterior motive in terms of an assignment. Believe it or not, you can still profit from the experience. For example, let's say you spent a week in Boise, Idaho USA visiting your grandmother. You did a little horseback riding, met your granny's friends at the civic center, and spent some time at the local watering hole. Not exactly a night in Havana. How could your writing career possibly benefit from these seven days?

It just so happens that Boise Magazine, a quarterly magazine dedicated to Idaho's capital and its surrounding neighborhoods, is 90% freelance written. If you paid attention to what was going on at that civic meeting, if you bothered to buy a few beers for the locals, you might have enough material for an article, essay, or photo feature. Plus, you made your granny smile.

5) Network. 

Putting words on paper is only part of your job as a freelance writer. You also have to sell your work. You should always, always be prepared to promote yourself and your writing. And that's true whether you're at an international freelancing seminar, or the dry cleaners. You'd better have your business cards handy, and one or two samples.

It's no different when you're on vacation. In fact, sometimes it's easier to strike up a conversation with someone on a beach in Mexico than on line at the grocery store. People tend to be in a good mood when they're on vacation. And face it, your job is fascinating to other people. Every time I tell someone I write for a living, they get a distinct gleam in their eye. "Really?" they exclaim. "Wow." I remind them that I'm not Tom Clancy, but they don't seem to care. Take advantage of people's interest and generosity when you're on holiday. Hopefully, you'll get more than a paying gig - you just might make a friend.

There now. You've just picked up 5 solid tips on how your holiday can boost your writing career. And you don't have to be a staff writer at Conde Naste to make it happen! So what are you waiting for? Bon voyage.

 

About the Author

Anne Varia is a freelance writer and author of the course, "How To Start A Home-Based Business," at the new Barnes & Noble.com University site, www.bn.com . 

 

By Anne C. Varia © 2000 Anne Varia

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