Portable Career
One of the many things I love about my career as a novelist is that I can take it with me. I can write just about anywhere–and have. Years ago when I was scribbling my novels in spiral notebooks, I could shove the notebook in a backpack, briefcase, or a large purse and take it with me.
That way, I could squeeze in my writing during those stray spare moments during the day—while commuting to work, on lunch hours, in between classes, sometimes even during seminars. If the speaker was really boring (and they often were), my imagination would kick in and I’d be gone. Body was there, but I was gone.
In fact, I’ve gotten some great story ideas while some of those speakers droned on and on. I’d grab a sheet of paper and start writing away. Speakers actually love it when you do this. They think you’re writing down every pearl of wisdom they’re dispensing that day. I’d look up and stare straight ahead. They thought I was looking right at them. But I was off in some distant land. Armies could be marching across that screen filled with graphs and charts. Swords were clashing, villains and heroes were slashing away (those were the days when I wrote big, sprawling medieval sagas).
I was far away and having a heckuva good time writing it down. The speaker was happy because I was paying attention. And I was. Just not to him (or her). <g>
Now, I no longer have to sit in those kinds of meetings or seminars if I don’t want to. But I still take my writing everywhere. Thanks to laptops I write on planes, in airports plugged into a stray outlet while waiting to board, on shuttles, on buses. In fact, career demands make it necessary to grab those moments so I can stay on schedule.
But I also love the portability because I get to find a pleasant spot and plop down and write. Like coffeeshops, in parks, sitting beside the river, on decks overlooking the mountains. And one of my favorites—sitting on the patio or under the trees in my yard. I’m usually in my back yard, but these past couple of weeks I’ve shifted between both.
I’m lucky to have beautiful trees in front and back, and these last two weeks have been glorious with the color. And I’ve spent most of my writing time under those trees, letting the golden leaves fall down on me as the breeze loosens them. Just beautiful.
It’s getting chillier now since Fall is moving toward Winter, but I’m still out there whenever I can be. Even though I’m now wearing a jacket and sometimes wrapping a scarf around my neck. I’ll stay until Winter’s cold drives me inside.
What about you? What are some of your favorite outside places to write? And have you ever zoned out a business speaker and “disappeared.”
