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Free Book Giveaway for March “Travel Writing”
Good morning writers and bloggers. The freebie giveaway for March is “Best of Lonely Planet Travel Writing.” I reviewed this book for the Sacramento Book Review a couple months ago. I LOVED it.
How do GWP’s book giveaways work? About once a month I post the title of a NEW book and ask a question. Everyone who leaves a comment is entered. My awesome hubby then picks a number 1-xx, and that number comment wins! The winner send me their address via email, and the book makes its way to them!
So, today’s question is related to travel. Do you have any tips to keep your writing going WHILE you travel? Do you recommend a journal? Or, do you bring your laptop with? Or perhaps you eschew writing on vacation, and instead recommend reading, reading, reading? Let me know!
I travel with a laptop, and honestly, I shouldn’t. I am too addicted! My main focus when I travel is spending time with the kids and reading as many books as I can. Imagine…starting a book and finishing it within the same week!
But when it comes to keeping my writing going, when I’m traveling I like to carry a small notebook with me to jot down notes and ideas – I try to never leave home w/o one.
I leave my laptop home because I get too worried it’d get stolen/broken. I write about my day in my journal and take lots of pictures, or draw pictures and label them. Sometimes, I have traveled with my sturdy but portable Alpha Smart, which is great for just transferring stuff when I get home onto my laptop.
Well, there’s a difference between traveling and vacationing. When I’m vacationing no computer. On vacation I usually do something I don’t normally do–like poetry. When just traveling I usually use that time to catch up on reading about writing.
Hiya Allena. I went on a cruise in December 2008. I did take my phone and a notebook, but I found I didn’t write much. Instead, I kept the intinerary for each day on the cruise as well as any fliers and brochures from my adventures. I also took tons of pictures. I can use all of these visual aids to jog my memory and then write. I actually bought a travel scrapbook to put everything in it. Just too busy with life to work on it. I don’t have a laptop and would be too anal/scared to take it with me. I did take my blackberry, but I hadn’t really started using it for notes until a year ago. lol Have a great one.
I am usually limited to short day/weekend trips as far as “traveling” is concerned. I usually bring my camera and shoot lots of photos.
I usually just read, read, read while traveling, but I do take along my laptop and plenty of notepads just in case I see something worth writing about. Someday — when I retire (LOL) — I would like to do travel writing as my main form of writing. So, this sounds like it would be a great book to add to my reference shelf!
I do a combination. I bring my laptop to keep up with email and if I decide to work on a manuscript. Before I go, I try to do as much as I can so I won’t have to worry about deadlines, blog posts, etc while I’m gone. And then I try to read in the car, on the plane, by the pool as much as I can. It’s hard to turn the writer off. 🙂
I keep a journal if that’s what you call scribbled notes written on the back of receipts or travel brochures or the hotel stationery (I should really carry a small notebook like Ginny said she does…I’m learning). When I travel it’s with my husband and two young boys so I don’t get any alone time. I don’t mind at all because I’m not looking forward to the day when the boys are older and too cool to go on vacation with mom and dad!
Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I like to write when I get inspired- simple as that. However, I can’t stand handwriting. It’s too slow for someone used to typing. Anyone else have this issue? So, I find myself bringing notebooks, etc, but I just can’t get into it.
Free book winner is Heiddi!!