Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here. For the past few weeks my 3 sisters and I have been excitedly planning a girl’s trip to Disney World for mid-June. It’s the first time we’ve done something like this and we’re all very excited about not only going to Disney, but having the opportunity to spend some time together. My baby sister, who still works a full time job and lives the furthest away is planning to fly, but the other three of us are going to drive together. So lately I’ve been googling tips for getting the most from a road trip.
To my surprise I found a lot of these same trips can be tied to writing. So here is my interpretation of 6 ways writing is like a road trip:
1. Spend some time figuring out the best route
Like a road trip, when writing a story you need to know your character’s starting and ending destinations. Once you know these two anchoring points, you can explore the many routes you can take to get you there. Some of the factors that will play into your decisions – the amount of time you have available to make the trip ( novella, short work, longer work), the various sights you want to see (character milestones), and the spare time you have for side-trips (subplots).
2. Clean and service your vehicle before you leave.
Just like it’s a good idea to make sure your vehicle is clean and in good working order before you leave on your trip, you also want to make certain you’re starting your new book under the best possible conditions. Clear your workspace, put away all the research and story notes you accumulated on your last project, and if time allows, take a breather between projects to do something fun and restful to ‘refill the well’ of your energy and creative juices.
3. Entertainment
For some people, playlists and eBooks are an essential part of any road trip. Just so, for some writers, having a writing playlist, sometimes specific for each story, is also essential.
4. Have a plan but be flexible
To get the most from your road trip, you want to have a solid plan for how you’re going to get from start to final destination. But you also want to leave some flexibility in your schedule to accommodate unexpected roadblocks and side trips. So too, as a writer we all know that life happens. Our writing schedules can be detoured by illness, family events, major climate events and any one of a dozen other issues. Make sure you leave some room in your writing schedule to adjust for these life events when they happen.
5. Choose the right companions
Taking a long road trip can make or break a friendship. After all, you’re going to be trapped in a vehicle for a number of hours with your travel buddies with no way to escape them – make sure they are folks you can get along with. So too, make certain the characters you’ve developed for your story are ones who can keep your interest (and the reader’s!) for the duration of the ‘journey’.
6. Understand the rules of the road
This may sound basic, but if you’re going cross country, or even into other countries, the ‘rules of the road for these other states/countries can be different than what we are used to.
Relating this to writing, each genre/sub-genre has its own expectations and you need to understand the ones for the book you’re writing.
There you have it - my thoughts on how writing is like a road trip. Do you agree with these? Do you have others to add.
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THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE
Fleeing an arranged marriage, socialite Elthia Sinclare accepts a governess position halfway across the country. But when she arrives in Texas she finds more than she bargained for - more children, more work and more demands. Because Caleb Tanner wants a bride, not a governess. But marrying this unrefined stranger is better than what awaits her back home, so Elthia strikes a deal for a temporary marriage. She says I do and goes to work—botching the housework, butting heads with her new spouse, loving the children.
Caleb isn’t sure what to make of this woman who isn’t at all what he contracted for—she’s spoiled, unskilled and lavishes her affection on a lap dog that seems to be little more than a useless ball of fluff. But to his surprise she gets along well with the children, works hard to acquire domestic skills and is able to hold her own with the town matriarchs.
Could the mistake that landed him with this unexpected bride be the best thing that ever happened to him?
31 Comments on Seekerville: The Journey Continues: How Writing Is Like A Road Trip
And amen to leaving room in one's schedule for interruptions. My kids are grown, I only work part-time, and I STILL get interruptions. Only not this week, as I am still tied pretty much to home still waiting for the home handyman. It is like Murphy Brown's house painter. Or "Waiting For Godot."
Kathy Bailey
Getting a lot done in New Hampshire"
My lack of patience can drive me crazy, both on road trips and in my writing. In both cases, somewhere at the midway point I always find myself thinking, "This seemed like such a good idea when I started out." Instead, I want to be there/have it done NOW. I know it's supposed to be about the journey, but my impatient self seems to show up more often than not. That's when I have to remind myself to savor the journey. Find beauty in unexpected places or try new things along the way. Because it's the journey that makes the destination even sweeter.
Hope you all have wonderful and safe trip!"
To all your good advice I'd add these:
1. if you get lost, don't be too proud to ask for directions (unless you're a guy).
2. don't text or Facebook while you are driving. Pay attention and stay focused.
3. warn any in car distractions that they "better not make you stop this car."
4. tell those asking questions that you'll let them know when you get there.
5. Always know how far away the next restroom is.
6. Don't forget to bring and take your medicine.
Vince
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Thanks for adding to the list."
But once we figured that out, it worked well.
Knowing your companions and them having the freedom to speak up (which is rarely a problem.... sigh.... in our family) is clutch. :)
I'm so excited for you! You guys will have a blast! GIRL TRIP!!!!"
Or an elderly person seeming lost and alone.
So many reasons to veer slightly off-course!"
1. When you get stuck, talk it out with a trusted writing buddy
2. Don't let social media steal your focus when it's time to write
3. Don't let others take advantage of your 'availability' when it's writing time
4. Don't let other folk's impatience for your finished product derail you
5. Know your limits and take breaks accordingly
6. Take time to learn and grow in your craft."
I'm so excited about your trip! I think that would be so fun to have a girls trip like that."
Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"
Do we have to clean our work space if it's always this cluttered? Asking for someone I know."
I need to make a note to clean my office! :("
And how about those signs that say, "Fantastic Caverns 500 Miles Ahead" and then "Fantastic Caverns 400 Miles Ahead", and then every 100 miles until someone in the car notices that 'we drove by it'!
Talk about an anticipatory event!
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