As a writer, you probably do most of your work at a desk in your house or perhaps in a local library. You might even venture outdoors on occasion to sit in a park or at a café table. But the common factor of all these locations is that they’re stationary. At Writer’s Relief, we know you can find great writing opportunities and inspiration while on the move—even 30,000 feet in the air! Fasten your seat belt, writer: Here’s why you should write on a train, plane, or bus.

Top Reasons To Write On A Train, Plane, Or Bus

See life from a new perspective: As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” Traveling lets you see new sights and scenes just by looking out the window. Whether you’re enjoying a drive through the suburbs, a train ride through the countryside, or flying over mountains and canyons, try to nab a window seat: The scenery is constantly changing, and there’s always something unexpected to see. You’ll also be able to observe people you wouldn’t meet locally and who might serve as inspiration for your characters.

Get out of your comfort zone: Being on a train, plane, or bus typically means dealing with new people, places, and things. These new experiences can be channeled into your writing. You may even find the confidence to step outside your comfort zone and try new genres or styles of writing.

Use downtime to your advantage: When you’re traveling via bus, train, or plane (and even when dealing with layovers across multiple airports), you’re going to have time on your hands and limited distractions. With the possibility of spotty Wi-Fi or no Internet connection at all, you won’t be able to scroll through cat videos or the latest TikTok dances in your social media feed. Instead of watching the inflight movie you’ve already seen, use this uninterrupted time to focus and edit your work, take notes, or work on something new! Traveling can be the best time to devote to distraction-free writing.

If there are distractions you can’t avoid (crying babies are at the top of this list!), be sure you’ve packed earbuds so you can listen to creativity-inspiring music instead of the tantrum happening in seat 12B.

Make connections: If your seatmate glances at your laptop screen and asks, “What are you writing?” you can take this opportunity to drum up interest in your work using one of the most effective sales tools—word of mouth! You might gain new fans you never would have had access to when the people from your row disembark and exclaim to waiting friends and relatives: “Guess who I was sitting next to?”

And keep in mind, you never know who you might meet while traveling: You could be seated next to a literary agent or editor (or someone who knows one). Don’t ramble on, but if you’re asked about your writing, be sure to network and share a few moments of your time.

Writing while traveling is a great way to expand your horizons and develop ideas you might never have thought of at home. Just remember to keep your writing materials packed away in a handy carry-on or bag and have your seat in an upright position—especially during takeoffs and landings!

Question: Would you prefer to write on a train, plane, or bus? Why?