Why travel makes good writing better

New sights and sounds can combine with existing thoughts when you travel, and reality clashes with your preconceptions.

As a journalist and writer, my love for my work makes it hard to separate my professional and personal pursuits, especially because being a journalist is as much of an identity as it is a day job.

Even when I’m not at work, much of my time I spend writing — here on this website, working on a book, or other projects. 

I’ve written before about how I was able to write a fiction collection without taking any time off work, as well as why I believe side projects can prove complementary to a career. 

But now, sitting to write after unplugging in the Caribbean for a week, I’m feeling rejuvenated. Closing my laptop for an entire week allowed me to be where my feet were, observe, enjoy, and recharge. 

I now have a better grasp of why travel and time off matter for writers. 

Stepping away from work is what allows ideas to simmer. When you travel, new sights and sounds combine with existing thoughts, and reality clashes with your preconceptions. 

I first learned the importance of travel when I moved to Hong Kong after graduating college. There I ventured to a new country every few weeks, and it was as productive a stretch of writing as I’ve ever had. 

Travel makes writer’s block evaporate

The more you come into contact with different corners of the world, the better you can capture it with your words. Real people and places, combined with your own perspective, present themselves like organic writing prompts. Stories materializing from the air wait to be transferred to the page. The bustle of a foreign street or the nostalgia of a moody speakeasy are places that beg to be immortalized in ink.

Taking in new experiences is a boon for creativity, but combining that with the rest and relaxation of a vacation makes travel even more worthwhile.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break, but poolside margaritas or binging a Netflix show doesn’t provide the same return on investment as travel, as far as a recharge or source of inspiration. Travel affords the chance to unplug while also revitalizing your source material, base of experience, and cultural insight. 

If you allow it, travel can remove you from your comfort zone, away from your usual work environment, and force you into the unfamiliar — all of which are further ammunition for a wordsmith.

“The bad news is time flies,” author Michael Altshuler said. “The good news is you’re the pilot.”

Compliment this reading with the joys and fundamentals of travel writing, Henry Miller’s timeless advice for writers, and Gertrude Stein’s lessons from living abroad as an author.