Inspirational Vegas

I Win, originally uploaded by Kevin Labianco.

When I learned that I would be taking a two-day business trip in the midst of novel-writing season, I was concerned that the distraction would adversely affect my word count. In fact, it did quite the opposite. This was due to a combination of two factors: long, uninterrupted time in the air, and inspiration from being in a strange environment.

I don't have to explain the benefits of working on the plane. With nothing to distract me and a three hour flight stretching out ahead, I just turned on my laptop and plugged away. I typed over 5,000 words on both flights combined. That's 10% of my novel right there!

Then, the atmosphere in Las Vegas was tremendously helpful for stirring up my imagination. Everything on the strip was bright and sharp and designed to get a reaction. Plus it was a great place for watching and meeting interesting people. On the taxi ride to the airport, I told my driver I was from the Twin Cities, and he told me that he served with the founder of Groth Music. There are stories everywhere.