9 Tips for Writing While Traveling

I started writing this post while flying back from Asia last year, and forgot that I had it. I am excited to have found it.

Airplanes are often not the most conducive places to write. You are often camped, can barely extend you laptop on the tray in front of you (and depending upon the configuration of the airline and aircraft, not at all), have to tuck your elbows so close our body that you feel constricted and tense, and may be exhausted from travel.

So, I write these words, 35,000 feet above the Pacific, about five hours from landing in Taiwan. I just finished a short writing session on a fairly new article, and while it was not the most productive session I have had, I feel about having done it, about staying connected to the piece, and for making this time “count.”

Many of us travel a good deal. For many, travel is not the rare exception in our lives- it is the norm. I thought I would share a few tips on getting writing done while travel.

1)    Have a process goal, or a timed-session goal. Don’t set grandiose outcome goals that you are most likely not going to achieve.

2)    Print out your what you are working on (or at least a chunk of it large enough to be useful). This is a good time to read and make notes in the margin for future writing sessions.

3)    Have multiple entry points that can be worked in in short blocks. Order them prior to your flight.

4)    Focus on shorter writing sessions rather than longer ones. Even fifteen minute blocks can be productive when we have clear entry points, rituals and processes that habituate ourselves to these shorter sessions.

5)    Use this time to edit and wordsmith. Plan for your travels accordingly, saving editorial work for planned travel.

6)    Give yourself a reward for having completed your process goal(s). I am not a huge believer in massive rewards every time you write, but this is a good time to treat yourself.

7)    Get to the airport early so you have time to settle down and have a session or two.

8)    See if you can find a way of getting airport lounge passes so you can have a comfortable place to write. Investigate a wine bar or a place that would be fun for you to write at. By writing in this pleasurable way, you learn to associate writing with joy.

9)    If you are at a conference, consider taking a break from back to back to back sessions for a writing session.