Operation: Vacation

Vacations are defined as periods of time that you spend away from something—something that is usually tedious in nature, or that classifies as work.

This past week, I had the opportunity to go on a road-trip with my mother and brother for a little “vacation” of my own.

We ended up driving all the way down to Panama City, Florida where we explored, hung out with friends, and ate an unhealthy amount of delicious ice cream.

I had been looking forward to this trip for weeks. 

The idea of dropping almost everything, getting out of the house, and having some fun in the sun sounded amazing!

But looking back, I didn’t really get away from anything.

Leaving The Baggage Behind

After all, I couldn’t exactly leave my brain behind, so just like I packed my bags, I also ended up packing up all my worries, thoughts, and feelings—bringing all of them with me to the beach.

On top of that, there were still a couple other things that I needed to do for my work, like attending meetings or answering emails. 

And when I feel inspired to write, I’m not going to say no just because I’m on vacation.

There were also plenty of unplanned adventures and events that sprang up out of nowhere.

So even though I had planned for this trip to be a good way for me to unwind and de-stress, it ended up being just as busy and chaotic as if I had stayed home and continued my normal routine.

The Value Of Vacations

If I’m going to be completely honest, I’ve never thought of vacations or trips as particularly relaxing. 

Now, that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy going on vacation…

Whether I’m doing some hiking up in the mountains, exploring a historical site, or sitting down at the beach while reading a good book, I always have a lot of fun when I travel!

But if my ultimate goal is rest or relaxation, then packing, traveling, and all the other things that go into taking a trip—is just not going to help.

In fact, I often find that I’m more tired after a “vacation” than I was before.

So does that mean that taking a vacation or attempting to take a break from writing and work is a useless waste of time, money, and energy?

Definitely not…

In recent years I’ve learned that I don’t need breaks or vacations to “get away” from my writing. I need breaks and vacations to revitalize my writing.

Living A Life Worth Writing About

If I’m feeling discouraged or burnt out, it’s usually because my well of inspiration is dry and I need to take the time to refill it.

Luckily, I had plenty of opportunities to refill my well during this trip.

From meeting new people and having fascinating conversations, to exploring new places and learning how to ballroom dance, this trip helped me gain new perspectives and inspiration.

In the six years since I first began writing, I’ve noticed that the more new experiences I have in the world around me, the more my storytelling skills improve.

But just experiencing something isn’t always enough to help me improve my writing. 

So here are a few methods that I use to make the most out of a valuable writing experience…

How To Make The Most Of A Writable Experience:

#1 Document

As a fantasy author who enjoys writing royal intrigue with romance mixed in, I write a lot of dancing/ballroom scenes, so one of the most helpful adventures from my trip was when we went dancing.

Since I had my phone on hand, I was able to video some of the more experienced dancers as they waltzed and spun around.

Now, I can go back and watch those videos to help me with my writing. 

But if videoing or taking pictures hadn’t been an option, then taking detailed notes about the dancers’ movements, the overall feel of the room, and anything else I noticed would also be helpful.

#2 Ask Questions 

Another great way to make the most of a valuable writing experience is to ask as many questions as you can.

The “what” may be obvious (dancing, in this case), but what about the “why” and “how”?

I have very limited knowledge of dance terminology and history, so it was nice to hear from people who had made dancing their entire lives.

They could tell me the subtle differences between various styles of dance, why some music worked well with certain steps, while other types of music wouldn’t—or why they preferred one style of dance over another.

#3 Try It Out (If Possible/Safe)

It might not always be possible to try out a writable experience for yourself depending on what it is, but if you can, do it!

In this case, I did get the opportunity to dance. 

I’ve done ballet, English country dancing, and a bit of tap dancing in the past, so that definitely helped me look like I knew what I was doing (even though I definitely did not).

Thanks to the help of my partner, I learned about the rock step, how to count the steps of the dance properly so that I stayed on rhythm with the music, how to position and move myself while dancing so that I would be more balanced, and even how to predict my partner’s next moves without him speaking a word.

#4 Write From Your 5 Senses

Since I was able to try out this experience for myself, I have a lot to work with for the next time I write a dance scene.

I can write about what it feels like for someone to see you from across the room and walk over to ask you for a dance.

I can write from the perspective of someone who has never danced before and is feeling insecure, only for that insecurity to slowly fade away as the dance progresses and confidence builds.

And I can also write about how it feels to learn from a good teacher and partner.

This personal experience—these feelings, sensations, and observations—will make my writing far more realistic, even if it’s set in a completely fictional world.

So after trying an experience out for myself, I’ve found that it’s helpful to journal everything that I can remember thinking, feeling, or seeing so that I won’t forget it later.

#5 Use What You Got!

And finally, after I’ve documented the experience, asked good questions, tried the experience out for myself, and journaled anything that could be helpful, the most important way for me to make the most out of a writable experience is to actually write something based on the experience!

In this case, I’ll be working on a few ballroom scenes featured in my current novel project.

Before You Go…

It might not be the right season for vacations just yet, but what kind of adventures/experiences have you had lately, and how could they help you with your writing?

Let me know down in the comments!