Do writers write while on vacation? To write or not to
write, that is the question! No, I’m not Shakespeare! I’m Leola, and that was my question while on
vacation this past week.
Vacation was lovely. We escaped the 110 plus temps in
Phoenix for the lovely, cooler 90 plus temps in Stephenville, TX. Hm, did I
mention Phoenix is a dry heat? And Stephenville’s humidity is as high as the
temp? Yep, give me dry heat with air conditioning everywhere I go. My hair was this creepy, damp, sticky mess
for a week from that humidity. There’s got to be a secret that we dry heat
people aren’t aware of for keeping curl in your hair.
Before leaving I printed out my WIP so I could proof/edit and
got quite a lot done on the plane ride there and back. And those squiggly
lines…that’s really not any secret code marks or anything like that. It was from
those “bumps” you encounter while in the air. Ah, but lying in bed in that cozy,
charming Bed and Breakfast in Stephenville, TX every night gave me ample time to read, proof and
edit.
And airplanes? I’m still fascinated by how that huge, heavy
metal monstrosity can stay in the air. I mean, seriously? And then on the flight
home…let’s just say that the man next to me who slept the whole time sprawled
way over into my space. Way over! I flipped my
manuscript open and managed to make corrections/notations despite his left leg practically
being in my lap.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I found so much more red
ink from proofing a hard copy than I did while reading it in the computer.
Perhaps that is just me, though. The in-hand visional was easier for me. And
truthfully, I wrote enough notes and comments on the margins of my manuscript
to fill up a novella. Just sayin’
So to answer my original question about writing while on vacation…I
say go for it! There will be plenty of down time. If you don’t want to write,
take a book or books and read. Study the author’s style of writing. It’s all
about learning.
We should never stop learning!
Yes, yes, yes! Writers must write every chance we get. I can't imagine going on vacation and not taking my lap top to write. Makes me shudder just to think of it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a good time. Oh, and that man with his leg in your lap...two words...straight pin.