Writing on the go...

Just over a year ago, my writing life radically changed when I purchased a MacBook Air. My old laptop was dying and it was painful to watch, let alone write with. It weighed ten pounds, couldn’t hold a charge and took forever to boot-up, grinding away in complaint. I felt tethered to it and jealous of my daughter as she moved about freely with her Macbook. That was the beginning of making my writing portable.

And there was another reason for it: I was about to fulfill a lifelong dream of taking a trip to Venice and Florence. I hadn’t travelled like that in years and the world had changed, it was digital.

I searched the internet for a computer backpack that would make a good travel companion. I found the July bag and went to some lengths to get it shipped to Canada as they don’t sell directly. (The right bag can be worth it and it has nothing to do with the label.)

I had to figure out how to pack and organize the necessary chargers and converter plugs. And don’t forget the headphones, great for travelling on planes and trains.

But I couldn’t leave home without my trusty pen and notebook. My favourite way to start the day: Coffee, pen, and notebook. These keep me grounded.

I travel alone but with people. The Venice portion of the trip was hosted by, One Week Each Year. I extended the trip for another week with a fellow writer friend and digital nomad. My husband isn’t a big traveller, so I’ve found that I like to travel with other women but have my own room. This works for me. I like my alone time.

The only time I don’t write is if I don’t have any alone time. And then I get grumpy. I can only sustain that for short periods. I do get up early, so sometimes I can sneak a little in before others wake up. I can write if I’m with my husband. We know how to give each other space. And he understands my warning growl.

So I’ve learned how to pack my writing into a bag and go. I had a wonderful trip to Italy, but one of my favourite moments was sitting by myself outside a café: coffee, pen, and notebook. (I think that’s what I love about European cities, all the squares you can sit and people watch and admire the beautiful buildings.)

And now that I have this system, I’m much more at ease with leaving home. Before, it meant not writing. Now I can take it all with me, even on a plane! Recently, we went to Ottawa to visit our daughter. There’s a little motel down the road from her where we stay. Last time, we were busy moving her, but this time we had a more leisurely visit.

I could get up in the morning and write. I brought a little kettle because we like pour-over coffee and set that up, a little of my soy-cream in the fridge and a jar of maple sugar for sweetener, and I was at home! I could enjoy my writing morning, and sight-seeing in the afternoon. Which was good, because I was presenting my first ever writing workshop the following weekend. I had work to do!

I have taught before which was another good use of the backpack. I was teaching at our local college, so I could slip in my computer and whatever else I needed. And same with the workshop. But I also brought a box of books. I’m still partially old school; I like the feel of paper in my hands.

I then went right from the workshop home to pick-up our rented RV. We were going eclipse chasing! We were leaving Sunday and returning Tuesday: destination unknown. Or, wherever we could find clear skies. We were deciding between Sherbrooke, Quebec and Point Pelee. Point Pelee won for being about 5 hours closer, and a place I’ve always wanted to visit.

My husband did the driving. And we camped in the Walmart parking lot—a new experience for sure. As I said, I like to get up early. In the RV, I could make my coffee and I had my trusty backpack and computer, my notebook and a few craft books to go over. I had no problem filling my alone time.

Before, I used to resent leaving home because it meant leaving my writing. But since I’ve learned to condense what I need to bring so that I can travel and write, I’m much happier to hit the road. It also helps that my children are grown!

Writing at home will always be where I’m most comfortable. But I’m glad I’ve found a way to keep my rhythm up. Before, time away meant it took much longer to get back into things.

I’m off to Alberta this summer, celebrating 40 years of friendship with my university gal pals. It’s only a week and we don’t have our own rooms, preferring to stay together. I haven’t decided if I’ll take my trusty backpack. Between hiking during the day, and lots of gabbing at night—I’m not sure I’ll have time to write. But you never know when you find yourself alone with a little downtime.

Stay tuned for more adventures in writing!