Traveling by desk

Isn't it great how writers get to go places we've never been? And, we do it by never leaving our desk!

Last year I was working on a story that involved a pilot. Naturally, in a story like that there will be travel. I got to research Greece, Italy, France, and I didn't realize before I started this story I would need to know a bit about planes.

It wasn't the easiest of stories I could have attempted. I don't fly. I'm not saying I've never flown, I did over 20 years ago, but with the stories I hear of what people deal with at airlines, I'm not going to buy a ticket without just cause. So, I had a lot of research to do.

My favorite part of the hours and hours of research came when I decided my characters were flying to Skiathos, Greece. It took no time and I started planning a trip, a real trip. I had to go to that place. The pictures of the beaches were breathtaking.

So, naturally, I start thinking about what it's like to actually stand on one of the beaches. The sun would burn my pale skin. The sand would get in my shoes, which would be irritating, so I would decide to take them off. Shells would be rough on the underside of my tender feet. As much as I may like my hotel room, I'm in Skiathos, I can't go back to my room and read. I would walk everywhere, so I would be exhausted and aching. I would stay right there on the beach as long as I could. With the sand and the sun, I'd quickly feel the effects of the environment--my body burned, tired, aching, thirsty, probably hungry too. How fun is that?

Now my writer brain realizes one thing. It is just like when you were a kid in a store. You see the shiny object on the shelf, and automatically reach to touch it. As you do, Mom is right there. Pop! Don't touch! This isn't acceptable. You are growing up, you know not to break it, so you wait, and wait. The moment of truth, you reach out, pick it up, and...  You find it isn't as great as you thought for any odd kid reason.

In our research we get that moment of expectation, the moment of 'what if'', the possibilities are endless. Our minds show us the best of what it can be. Our minds(at least mine does) really have to work on showing us the negative side of any given subject.

There may be a point in time when I don't want to write, but I don't see it. But I know one thing, I wanna travel. And the best way to do that is right here at my desk!