Regan Ralston is an offline marketing intern at Author Solutions, the world leader in supported self-publishing. Regan recently graduated from Indiana University, Bloomington with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She also received an honors level certificate through the Liberal Arts Management Program: an interdisciplinary program that incorporates Kelley School of Business courses with a liberal arts education.

A Writer’s Retreat

The summer sun approaches and with it comes plenty of sunshine-filled days. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about warm weather retreats for you and your writing. There are more places to write than just the closest coffee shop! Below are six inspirational locations to take your work and a pen.

Delve into the creativity of a new spot, or return to an old favorite: from natural retreats full of grass, wind, and water to industrial settings like cramped subway stations. Variety is the spice of life. Get up, be bold, and dare to write away from the computer and overly-sweetened cappuccino!

The Park:

Though a standard venue, it’s always inspiring. Visiting the park is a great way to get back to the basics. Because sunshine can interfere with viewing on a screen, the park provides a unique incentive to work the old fashioned way with paper and pen. Nature has provided countless authors with inspiration; visit your local park and join in on a centuries’ old trend.

“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’”
― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

A City Center:

Noisy, hot, and crowded – this is the perfect location for people watching. Usually large cities have bustling central locations, such as NYC’s Times Square or London’s Piccadilly Circus. Even small towns often boast a downtown square. Grab a seat, or notate on the go, and soak up all the bustling action for later use in your teeming city scenes.

Water:

A lake, ocean, creek, or puddle – water always has a way of evoking something desperate in us. The way the sunset casts inky silhouettes on the water, the sound of rhythmic waves: water is fresh ink to any author in a rut.

“Life in us is like the water in a river.”
― Henry David Thoreau

Under the clouds:

If you’re lucky, the clouds may puppet you a story – if not, just enjoy the view and relax your mind to rejuvenate idea space.

“A Haiku: Midday
Cloud ribbons on wings
Dramatic cerulean sky
A feast for the eye.”
― Tara Estacaan

On a train:

Trains are unique, peaceful, and full of old-fashioned romance. Ride the rails into your own writing world.

“The restlessness and the longing, like the longing that is in the whistle of a faraway train. Except that the longing isn’t really in the whistle—it is in you.”
― Meindert DeJong

Museum:

Art, history, and science can act as fuel for the whirling mind. Not only does this environment promote creativity, but museums are often equipped with cafes, plenty of seating, and wifi. Where better to build your legacy than under the gaze of the greats?

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