Where do you write?

I'm definitely a homebody, so when it comes to writing location, I can get into a rut. When I mix things up, though, I never fail to find inspiration. By taking my writing out of my normal workspace, I provide my mind with new people, places, sounds, smells, and tastes to weave into my writing. Changing location can also help me focus when the call of laundry (or children or painting) becomes especially loud.

Where have you written lately? Here are a few places I've found inspiring:

• The beach (not lately, unfortunately!)



• My local coffee shop (of course)



• My local library (also of course)



• On a mountainside, mid-hike (I carry a small notebook in my pack and a story problem in my head)



• A restaurant (trickier--the waiters tend to worry you're grading the restaurant)



• A bench on the downtown mall (great for people watching)



• A hammock in my back yard



• My sons' schools/school playgrounds



• A hotel room

Next week, I'm going to write in a brand-new location: Peru! I have the amazing opportunity to travel to Peru with my son and my parents, to spend a week teaching English as a second language. When I'm not stressing about trip preparations (and which books to take,) I look forward to capturing my impressions of another culture and country in my writing. I'll fill a notebook with inspirations for later stories and characters--because that's how I'll best delight in the trip. Maybe that's why I'm a writer :).

Sometimes it's the place that matters; sometimes, it's just getting out of the house. Try it this week--take your writing on the road!

:) Cheryl