5 Reasons to Travel for Your Writing by Beth Barany

Travel & Writing- Flights of the Imagination Blog Series with Beth Barany and Paula Chafee Scardamalia

Second in new blog series that we’re running for the next six months. See all the posts here.

Travel & Writing: Flights of the Imagination Blog Series with Beth Barany and Paula Chafee Scardamalia.

For the next 24 weeks, you are invited to join Paula Chafee Scardamalia and I as we share with you about the magic of travel and writing.  Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, novels, short stories, personal essays or keep journals, we will offer information, tips, techniques and tools for using travel to inspire, inform, enrich and empower your writing. Look for posts from both of us at diviningthemuse.com/blog and https://writersfunzone.com/blog/ every other Wednesday. And get information on our destination retreats, mine’s in Paris, Paula’s is near Delphi, Greece.

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My big dream

My big dream: To take a group of writers to Paris and have a writing workshop on preparing your novel in the beautiful City of Lights.

It’s happening! All the details are here.

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Today’s theme is “Why travel for your writing.” Here’s my take:

Paris Cite metro entrance by Beth Barany c. 2011 All rights reserved.

1. See the world in a new way

Whenever I travel to a new place, whether it’s in my area, in another state, or in another country, I see the world in an entirely new way. I notice different customs, ways of dressing, ways of eating and what people do in their daily lives. I perceive myself more as just a member of a neighborhood or town, but also of a country and of the world. The best part about traveling as a writer is that I get inspired by all I see.

2. Have conversations with new people

When you stay home, you often see the same people or the same kind of people. When you travel you meet people you wouldn’t ordinarily meet. Hearing their stories can spark you in a way you could never get sparked staying home.

3. Feel a new land

When we travel into new places, the earth affects us differently — the desert air of New Mexico, the greenery of Lake Tahoe or super greenery of Quebec, the sea breeze off the San Juan Islands, the feel of ancient stone all around inside of Mont St. Michel, the awe of Bryce Canyon, the sultry sun of Santa Monica. We feel different when we’re in different climes. At the heart of our fiction is powerful feeling. Bring what you feel from your travels into your stories.

4.  Take risks

When you travel, you do things you wouldn’t normally do. You have an opportunity to take risks. Those risks stretch you and make you a better writer. Because good writing is about taking risks.

5. Step into the new

Akin to taking risks, when you do something new, even if it’s not a risk, whole new vistas of life can open to you. Your writing can take new turns, your life can be more than you ever expected, and you can see yourself on a whole new way.

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That’s my take to answer the question: Why travel for your writing.

Here’s Paula’s take on why travel for your writing. Go here to read more.

Do you like to travel to write? Or travel for inspiration then come home and write? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Sign up here to go to Paris in Fall 2015 to prepare your novel.

To be notified when all the details for the trip are posted. Sign up page here. Details for the trip will be there soon!