Like many writers, I get stuck. I can sit and stare at a keyboard for hours, or at least be near the keyboard, blocked, trying to get something written, and either nothing happens, or I keep tossing out what I have done because it isn’t what I consider acceptable.
But once I’m on vacation, I can write. No problems at all.
For years now, I have blogged our family vacation without fail. It’s the one time of year that I know I can get something written, even if it isn’t one of the projects that I always have on my back burner. I write a daily update on what we are doing, what we are seeing, and it’s really pretty good.
So why the difference?
I asked myself this as I came back from our last vacation. How can I translate my relative ease of writing about my family to the other work that I want to get done? Looking back, I can see myself doing the following things:
Set my Gear
On every vacation, I have a laptop of some sort (usually something older) that is specifically setup for my writing. I prep it with blogging software, something to sync photos, and connectivity so I can post online. More often than not, this is a slower device, or even a tablet and external keyboard. It doesn’t have all my regular computing junk, mostly just what I need to get my writing done.
Have a Goal
On vacation, I know that I have to write up what we did every day. No more, no less. I pick one, maybe two photos, then I write about what we did. This is fast, hammering writing. I don’t clean it up much, I don’t edit it. I just let myself go, get it done, and push it live. I figure I can always fix it later. (and sometimes I do.)
Take Notes
During the day, as we are walking around, I always have a Field Notes notebook and pen in my shoulder bag. (I also always have a shoulder bag with various travel supplies. Not really sure if that makes a difference, but it’s on my list to examine.) I take notes of what we did during the day. I don’t try to pick out the most interesting things we do. I’m not trying to judge or rate it, but just get a quick line on what’s up and what we did so I can remember later.
Plan to Write
I go with an expectation that I will need some time and space each day, or every other day, to sit and get my writing done. My wife expects it. My daughter expects it. If I don’t do this, I get funny looks, and a reminder to go do my writing. My head naturally falls into this space.
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I look back and compare this to my home setup for writing. I write when I get time. It isn’t a top priority. I sit down and try to think of things fresh off the top of my head. I don’t regularly make notes of ideas when I get them. I have no set times to write. My main computer is a desktop in my home office that has all my other work, mail, games, and my desk is stacked with all the work that I need to get done at home during the week. An easy distraction.
Now that I look at it, no wonder I can’t get anything done.
So now that I am back home, I have set myself a challenge to see if I can adapt my vacation skills to the rest of the year. So far here is what I’ve done:
Gear:
I have a desktop computer for my games and general stuff, so I setup a writing kit. I have a messenger bag with a Notepad, Pens, needed cables, and now a permanent older laptop dedicated for writing. (I now use a Surface. Pretty advanced and light. also cheaper now that new ones are out.) I can grab this bag when I am out and about, keep it in the car, and be prepared to write in my downtime. Or I can take it somewhere dedicated as well.
Goals:
Do something every other day. If it isn’t writing, it should be organizing my writing. Reading about writing. Outlining my ideas, something. Focus on keeping pace for now. I have also set a goal-for-a-goal to make a block of time for a writing stretch. Do NaNoWriMo, pick two weeks for editing old work exclusively. Pick a topic/event and do a week-long blog series on it. Then cycle back to smaller goals for a bit and reflect.
Notes
At work, I put a journal on my desk with the intent of writing what was work at the end of the day (a suggestion from Lifehacker.) That’s a start of regular notetaking. There’s no wrong way to do it, other than not doing it. I put smaller Field Notes in both my briefcase for work, and in my writing bag. I need to make the habit to take ideas down when I have them, and reference them in my writing times.
Plans
The harder part is carving out the time. I’m grabbing a little time in the evenings when everyone else has gone to bed. Taking the bag along when I wait for my daughter at dance. Eventually, I need to set specific days for bigger work, but I’m not there yet. I just need to set the momentum rolling to start.
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The planning is easy, now I need to write…
Cognitive Dissonance 