Ever had a story flavored by new surroundings?

[EmilyMiller]

Ever write something when abroad, or in another part of your country, or even city? When on vacation, or traveling for work? And was your story colored by your new surroundings?

Em

 

[EroticCupcake]

I had a professor who said that she didn't need to quiz us on whether we did the assigned reading, because she would be able to read the influence indirectly our other writing.

As I write more, I'm realizing the time I was most alive was when I lived and / or worked in China. I'm probably going to put it in novel form (hopefully this month) and then I may be done with Romance once and for all.

Edited to be even MORE indulgent. First I wrote a short piece about love and loneliness of travel. Then a longer one that was a love letter to Shanghai. Now I'm writing a novel about a specific woman who I (probably) loved, but who also was terrifying in her brilliance. When I get this done, then I can quit Romance.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That must have been an amazing experience.

Em

 

[joy_of_cooking]

First I wrote a short piece about love and loneliness of travel. Then a longer one that was a love letter to Shanghai. Now I'm writing a novel about a specific woman who I (probably) loved, but who also was terrifying in her brilliance. When I get this done, then I can quit Romance.

Yeah, totally. Just one more. You just need one more to finish things. I get it.

(I'm making fun of you but hopefully not in a mean way. I really liked your Shanghai story and I hope you keep writing about China.)

 

[MrPixel]

Gosh, Em. My “Barstow” series is all about road trips and experiences, some personal, some virtual, intensely colored by local flavors and quirks. It’s been fun, and continues to be fun.

And I write while up at our summer cabin, which usually results in a decidedly different perspective.

 

[Blind_Justice]

My first complete fantasy story came about when I was skiing in Bavaria. I'm from the northern half of Germany, flat farm country, and the sheer amounts of snow and mountains were awe-inspiring. I scribbled notes on anything - napkins, beer coasters and a few el cheapo notebooks I managed to beg, borrow and steal. It ended up being a cute "adventuring party vs. Ice dragon" tale. The writing process was cooler than the end result.

 

[EmilyMiller]

My first complete fantasy story came about when I was skiing in Bavaria. I'm from the northern half of Germany, flat farm country, and the sheer amounts of snow and mountains were awe-inspiring. I scribbled notes on anything - napkins, beer coasters and a few el cheapo notebooks I managed to beg, borrow and steal. It ended up being a cute "adventuring party vs. Ice dragon" tale. The writing process was cooler than the end result.

That sounds like a fun memory to capture.

Em

 

[StillStunned]

I've spent quite a bit of time in Spain this year, and did a lot of writing while I was there. Not sure whether it influenced my stories, but it was more fun than writing at home.

 

[samhasstories]

Absolutely. The more novel the place, the more it stirs up my imagination and gets ideas moving.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I have written a few stories about living in Hong Kong and China. "Just Roomies" was a story about two people being stranded together in a typhoon. It did pretty well, and it's nominated for a Reader's Choice Award in Mature. So, I think the readers enjoyed my take on what it's like to experience a horrible storm like that first hand, especially in a place like Hong Kong.

 

[Euphony]

Ever write something when abroad, or in another part of your country, or even city? When on vacation, or traveling for work? And was your story colored by your new surroundings?

Em

Isn't everybody? I'm genuinely asking.

Unless I'm in a real funk, I see all travel or even new spaces as fertile story fodder.

Sometimes it's a real problem b/c I'm not mindfully experiencing what I'm supposed to and more in my imagination for new story tools to play with.

I'd probably do better to let the experience wash over me and then mine it for thoughts but sometimes I'm all about cart before horse.

 

[NoTalentHack]

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[Blind_Justice]

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As little as possible. If I had the cash for regular food delivery, I'd gone total hikikomori years ago. I'm sick of being run over, yelled at and threatened by assholes in traffic who don't know why I'm carrying a fucking white cane.

 

[EmilyMiller]

As little as possible. If I had the cash for regular food delivery, I'd gone total hikikomori years ago. I'm sick of being run over, yelled at and threatened by assholes in traffic who don't know why I'm carrying a fucking white cane.

Sounds so awful



Em

 

[Gamblnluck]

I once wrote the intro to a story (in my head) while leaning on a bar with a drink in my hand on a cruise ship watching the other other passengers. It was the exact intro I used in my story 'Double Trouble'.
Then I had to write a story to fill it out.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I always have a very clear visual picture of my story location in my head. It's either towns and cities I've lived in or know (even though I always fictionalise street names and places), houses or buildings I know. Cafés, obviously (even if they're in a Canadian forest).

One day I'll write something set in Russia, which I've travelled across by train. That's the biggest location I've not used yet.