This week's guest blogger is from author and fellow New Yorker, Mark Torres. Mark is not a full time traveler but rather a lawyer and an author. However, he finds inspiration from hopping in a car and going for a drive to the country of Long Island or maybe a quick weekend escape. We asked him to share how traveling inspires his work as a writer and here is what he says!
By: Mark Torres
As an author, I am often asked what inspires my work. Like many, my work is influenced by a variety of sources, but without a doubt, one of the greatest and most unlimited sources of inspiration I receive is when I travel.
Here are my top five reasons why traveling inspires my work:
1. Visualization
First and foremost, I have always been a very visual writer. For me, I have to “see” it before I can write it. In fact, the very first scene in my debut novel was created after sitting in the middle of an open field for hours just taking in the scenery. The subtle sound of the waves from the nearby bay, the chirps of the birds nesting nearby and the slight breeze and scents of the area had to be experienced before I can put it into writing. While traveling, we often see and “feel” many locations which inspire our minds, hearts and souls. For me, this is the greatest inspiration I can have and it directly translates into my work.
2. Getting in the zone
It is often said that vacation is a state of mind. Even if you travel anywhere, the concept of being on vacation is usually satisfying enough. But let’s not fool ourselves; traveling to places we have never been before is a thrill we all crave. When I travel, my mind and senses explode with anticipation and amazement and those experiences provide a never-ending source of inspiration. Thus, as a writer, the mere act of traveling is, in a way, its own form of research. Seeing the sights, engaging with the local people and absorbing the customs of those places only reinforce that.
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3. Putting in the work
Of course, as a writer, it can’t always be fun and games and work has to get done. Yet, in the midst of such beauty and inspiration, coupled with the fact that while on vacation, I can remain as free as possible to write without distraction, it really doesn’t feel like “work”.
4. Memories
Yes, authors are always working and our research data should be stored in some hard drive somewhere, but the inspiration I derive while traveling gets locked in my heart and mind and whenever I struggle to capture a particular feeling, all I have to do is recollect that moment spent while on vacation. The warm air from an ocean breeze will inspire me far greater than any written words or pictures which try to capture that same feeling and this greatly enhances my writing.
“Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is.”
5. A gift that keeps on giving
The inspiration I receive while on vacation is not limited to that one moment in life. Whether I read a passage I have written or return to the same vacation spot I wrote about, that special feeling lingers on and when it does, it makes me forget all the hard work I placed into writing a novel and instead reminds me how much fun it really was. The best part is that this will always be true wherever I travel!
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Does travel inspire your work? We would love to hear how!
For more inspiration on writing, traveling, or to contact Mark Torres be sure to reach out to him via Twitter or check out his book, a Stirring in the North Fork here!
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Meet Mark
Mark Torres is a husband, father, attorney and author. His debut novel entitled “A Stirring in the North Fork” is a gripping crime thriller and is available on Amazon.com and other area bookstores. For more information, visit Mark’s author page at https://www.amazon.com/Mark-Torres/e/B00LZ6J37E
