Warmer Weather

Warm Weather Ramblings

With the past couple of days giving us a taste of Sydney summer, it can seem like a really tough ask to be inside, hunched over your laptop for hours on end. Especially when there are hundreds of people posting shots of themselves at the beach, driving, walking, having picnics, or simply playing cricket in the sun.

Pull up a big flat rock and get inspired!

It’s often really difficult to remember that writing, although a solitary occupation, doesn’t necessarily have to be done in the same (for me, anyway) windowless nook in the back of the lounge room while everyone else in the house makes a racket and then pretends they didn’t notice you were there.
So, without further ado, here are my picks for writing spots that won’t break the bank, but will allow you a small taste of the great summer outdoors while you write.

1. Under a tree. Cliche? Absolutely. Easy as it sounds? Not likely. Balancing a laptop on your knees can be precarious at best (Trust me, I have experience). Notebooks and pens are great if you are writing a short story, but much less practical for a 120k novel! I actually have a small knee stable table (most likely used for dinner in front of the tv) that keeps everything nice and calm while I write away. As long as your tree is shady and not in a public path, it allows great opportinities for observing life as well as getting your word count done.

2. At the beach. On the sand, I’d have to say no way! That stuff is notoriously bad for electronic equipment. But most Sydney beaches have a large component of rocky outcrops and flat rocks to sit on so you can alternatively inhabit your characters lives and be mesmerised by the power of the ocean. It’s definitely worthwhile finding somewhere with shade though, longs days in the sun equal burnt skin no matter how much sunscreen you have on!

3. Sunday trip. One of the great things about the public transport system around here is the cheap tickets on Sundays for all kinds of transport. There’s something strangely easy about writing on a lengthy train trip or ferry ride, especially if there are hardly any people and a great destination at the other end. $2.50 gets you most types of public transport all day, so its easy to take lunch, hop on a train or ferry and see where it, and your imagination take you.

4. Picnic tables are probably your best friend. There are as many parks around Sydney as there are suburbs, and if you are willing to get there early enough to nab the seat with the shade, there will almost always be a picnic table with a built over shaded area up for grabs. Take lunch and the family and get your writing done in the best way possible.

Inspired yet? Hope to see you there. Or if you have any better ideas, leave a comment below.

Writing’s a part of life – make it great.x