Sky diving? Motorcycle racing? Running without warming up?

Like most things in life, I’m sure the true answer to that question is a matter of perspective.

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My thought, usually, is to err on the side of caution (6 broken bones over the course of one’s life does tend to inspire a healthy respect for safety). I love back-up plans, exit strategies, and an online preview of a food menu.

Yet, when presented with the opportunity to fly 4,400 miles across the world, by myself, to meet up with 13 strangers, share a hotel room with one of those strangers, and spend a full week traveling around with those strangers, I said:

Sign me up and take my money 🤷🏻‍♀️ obviously.

I was desperate to travel internationally, this was my chance.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

I had never seen a stack of Euros that tall. €770 roughly, a mix of whatever denomination everyone had on hand. It felt like playing Monopoly, everyone passing their money to the banker like it was all part of a game. In a way, I guess it was.

We handed the stack of cash to the waiter, settling our bill for the night. In addition to our meal, we had just witnessed the most spectacular Fado show I had ever seen (okay, it was the only Fado show I had ever seen, but I imagine it would have been the most spectacular amongst other options).

Nestled within the hilly Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon, this restaurante pequeno has hosted Fado shows since 1939. If you’ve never heard of Fado, it’s a style of Portuguese music filled with passion and nostalgia. The best way I can describe it is if an Appalachian folk singer with a banjo and a campfire fell in love with an Opera singer and they had a baby who grew up to play music and sings only in Portuguese, that is the sound of Fado.

It’s intense. It’s storytelling. You have no idea what they’re saying but you’re crying anyway.

In between dinner courses, the musicians fill the space between tables, their sound reverberating around the room. No windows, no place for outside thoughts, just emotion.

I still think about how I never would have been in that room had I not found my little group travel trip and taken a chance with a 13 strangers.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

When I was little, I always assumed that when I was grown the only thing that would stand between me and travel was money. No one ever prepared me for how difficult it would be to actually plan trips with your friends. Everyone has different schedules, preferences, and priorities (shocking!!). Eventually, you have to make a choice between going it alone or waiting for all of the stars to align.

I hated both of those options, if I’m being honest. My life feels incomplete without travel, but some of my best memories involve other people.

In my search for a way around this dilemma, I found a group travel company that plans trips for people in my age group. Was it a perfect solution? Probably not. Did it give me hope? Absolutely.

I’ve since been on three trips with this company and loved every single one.

I also have these trips to thank (partially) for this Substack. My main theme with this newsletter is creating an interesting life. I don’t think I fully realized how much of my life I was putting in the hands of other people. (This isn’t to say we don’t need help, I actually have a whole other story about that). Once I realized I can get creative with how I build my happiness, it unlocked an entirely new way to look at my choices and how I spend my time. It’s definitely NOT easy and I’m still learning (struggling) to make the right choices, but I at least have a new perspective.

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

Is traveling with strangers really a risk?

Maybe, maybe not. I think that’s the wrong question though.

I think the real question regarding any risk is,

Is it worth it to chase your dreams?

Or better yet,

What do you risk losing by staying still?

A short and sweet note about “readiness” and changing your approach

Despite being involved in sports my entire childhood, lifting weights is still a relatively new endeavor for me. It’s taken a full year for me to not actively hate a barbell. (Still not a fan, but the emotion has downgraded to a mild dislike).

Yesterday, all the bars were taken, so I grabbed a set of dumbbells with the intent of holding them on my shoulders during my squats. The problem was the weight I wanted to squat with was heavier than what my biceps can curl. I could pick up the dumbbells, but couldn’t lift them up to my shoulders.

My coach saw me struggling and told me to rock back and forth a few times to get some momentum in my arms and then, when my momentum is moving forward, yank the dumbbells up like a clean (lifting term).

Worked like a charm.

It made me realize that I am ready for the heavier weight, I just needed some help and a new approach.

That little win got me thinking about all the other projects that are swirling around in my head that I haven’t been able to articulate just yet. The ideas are ready for action, I just need a new approach and some new perspectives.

Moral of the story: Whatever you’re working on, you absolutely can figure it out (and don’t be afraid to ask for help).

Also, get to class early enough to get a bar.

It’s a little annoying, actually, thinking about how the circumstances surrounding a pastry are nearly impossible to recreate and how the perspective earned from the situation is difficult to remember (even though it’s important).

As annoying as it is, I still think about it 943 days later.

Allow me to set the scene.

Late September, 2023 - It’s approximately 7:39pm and I’m standing on cobblestones in the middle of Praça do Giraldo - the town square in Evora, Portugal. The evening light has softened from golden to blue, casting a dreamy haze over the marble fountain.

I am unable to romanticize much more than that, because in that moment, I was…cranky.

Well, detached may be a better word as I was trying my absolute hardest to not be cranky. I know the first rule of travel is to be flexible and grateful, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.

By 7:39pm, I was at the last stop of a multi-hour walking tour and was fatigued, hungry, and cold. To be clear, I was having a great day (I love activities), but it’s exceptionally easy to overdo it when traveling. This is where a lot of travel blogs do us a disservice by leaving out the little inconveniences. I get it, the money is in the extremes and no one likes a whiner. But in reality, most travel frustrations don’t arise from major calamities, they come from little things stacking on top of each other. It doesn’t matter where you are, novelty and adrenaline will only carry you so far before you crumble. Trust me, “hangry” is the same in all languages. You must pace yourself.

Narrator: I believe you mentioned something about a pastry?

Ah, yes, back to the praça.

At this point, no amount of baroque architecture was going to save my mood. (Which, if you know me, you know I love ornate architecture). Most of the group was getting anxious to leave, when out of nowhere our trip leader appeared with a box from a local bakery. He started passing around a traditional Portuguese pastry called a queijada.

Not to be dramatic, but when I took a bite, time stood still. I was suddenly in a movie scene where dialogue cuts out, the orchestra crescendos, and the camera does a slow motion pan around the main characters while the chaotic action happens in the background.

This queijada was phenomenal.

And complex.

And perfect.

It’s not a cheesecake or muffin or tart, but somehow the best parts of all three? I might even argue that it’s better than a pastel de nata.

Have you ever had a queijada? A pastel de nata? Do you have a favorite?

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I always have strong opinions when it comes to baked goods, but my immediate obsession with this one took me by surprise. Why was this little treat so mesmerizing?

With a renewed energy, we went on to have an incredible night (that’s a different story).

I thought about that queijada for the rest of the trip and decided I needed that little bit of magic at least once more before I left the country. I eventually found one, but I didn’t find the magic with it. It was still delicious, but it wasn’t earth-shattering the way I had hoped.

The reason I couldn’t replicate that first bite feeling I had on the square is the same reason all of the best travel moments can’t be replicated. Part of what makes an experience powerful is the context. Who are you with? How did you get there? What’s the environment like? Do you have the time to truly enjoy it?

It’s never just ‘the activity’ or ‘the food’ or ‘the hotel’ that creates a memory, it’s everything that surrounds it. I know it’s frustrating, because when something incredible happens all you want to do is replicate it. But at the end of the day, it’s not the thing we should be chasing. It’s the emotion, the feeling of joy. No one can tell you how to find it, that’s for each individual person to determine.

If you flip your perspective, it’s also an incredibly beautiful thing about travel -experiencing things that can’t be replicated. You get to create unique memories instead of routine memories.

I may never have another queijada (that would be tragic), but I do know that I love pre-dinner snacks, social activities, eating outside, blue hour, and local stories. If I can find myself in more scenarios that involve at least some those things, I’ll be well on my way to experiencing something magical.

It’s rather poetic,

I think,

How humans often don’t want to believe that the little details matter.

Yet,

it’s often the little details that make things matter.

Mundane to memorable, remarkable against the ordinary.

It’s all in the details.

Which details, though?

How do we know what’s worth it and what’s a waste? How do we focus on the trees without losing the forest? If we do, in fact, choose to believe in the details, how do we escape the paralysis of perfectionism?

That’s a lot, I know.

All of these thoughts are courtesy of my Wednesday night dinner reservation this week.

I walked into a new-to-me restaurant with my friend and immediately knew we picked a good place.

Large windows letting in the light, Earth tones and corner plants providing the serotonin.

After we sat down, the little details kept on piling.

The server poured our water from a green glass bottle. Art and story clippings plastered the wall. The menu held adjectives alongside ingredients.

Crispy, whipped, toasted

What really pulled my attention was my second (not first) bite of duck. (If you’re wondering why I’m ordering duck on a Wednesday, first of all, I split it with my friend and second, it had already been a long week and I wanted something different.)

The first bite tasted the way you’d expect good duck to taste - earthy and warm. For the second bite, though, I scooped up some of the apple and fig mostarda (yeah, I had to Google it too). The slightly sour, candied fruit cut through the fat and brightened the bite - from savory and dense to dynamic and funky. The duck was done well, but the surrounding details are what defined it.

I left the restaurant feeling content and…a little envious. As someone who is currently heavily focused on creative projects, I want to understand how some people are so good at choosing the right details. How are they capturing personality and style without overdoing it? How do they know when they aren’t doing enough?

Thankfully, Thursday was warm and sunny which meant I could walk out all my questions.

I obviously don’t have answers yet, but I do have a theory.

During my walk, I passed by an apartment pool and it got me thinking about swimming laps and that got me thinking about how I learned to swim. In the beginning, my coach wasn’t concerned about how efficiently I could do a flip turn or how much power I could generate off the block. The first order of business was learning how to float (aka not drowning). The details that mattered were the ones that helped build a foundation and good habits. It was only after showing up, day after day, that I learn the strokes, the techniques, the starts, the turns. Eventually, I had a preferred racing suit, a favorite pair of goggles, and a superstitious pre-race routine. Everything came about slowly, and only after a lottttt of work.

This leads me to my theory.

The details that allow us to create something meaningful and powerful shift with time, practice, and observation. In the beginning, the details are less glamorous and more practical. Are we showing up every day? Is our posture correct? Are we saying our affirmations? As we put in more work, we can learn (from others, from observation, etc.) and make adjustments. Then, we can start turning our attention to the details that make people notice.

In short, we’re thinking too much! Just start creating with emphasis on the essentials and never stop learning. The fancy details come after the functional details (like mostarda on good duck).

Lol, all of this just because my friend texted me, “hey do you want to grab dinner?”

Some people speak with such conviction that what they say seems necessary.

Some books are well-researched, well-intentioned, and widely accepted…so they must be right, right?

Some advice is objectively terrible, but it gets repeated enough that it somehow sounds slightly reasonable.

Sometimes we are just so desperate for a change, for a solution, that we listen to any theory that gives even a sliver of hope.

But the world is not a controlled environment!

It is unpredictable and sometimes chaotic. Furthermore, our life stories are full of nuance (I cannot emphasize this enough) and secrets (so dramatic).

!! Because of this, sometimes advice isn’t applicable/relevant/helpful in the present moment even if it is, in general, good advice !!

We have to decide for ourselves what we should accept and what we should ignore.

We must, as they say, take it with a grain of salt.

All of this is my very over-the-top way of saying that I’m ignoring a lot of Substack advice for the time being. If you want a niche newsletter, this might not be for you.

My original plan was to learn about a new lifestyle each month (novelist, travel writing…) all in the name of creating an interesting life. I’ve been reporting on what I’ve learned as well as creating little projects (like my travel magazine 🤗). I had no idea what to expect when I started, and as I’ve progressed on this journey I’ve found a few plot holes.

1. I really loved travel writing, to the point where I don’t really want to move on just yet.

2. One month can pass quickly when trying to learn outside of a 9-5 job, which makes it difficult to really get a good grasp on anything.

3. Part of what makes life interesting, to me, is allowing creativity to wander. While having specific topics is nice for narrowing down what I want to write about, it’s not great for the days that I have unrelated ideas.

Rather than continue down a path that isn’t quite working, I’m going to make a few adjustments. My guiding light is still creating an interesting life, but I’m no longer restricting to one topic per month. I anticipate a heavy focus on travel, food, and creativity, but I’m also going to sprinkle in whatever fun topics present themselves (maybe as a series, maybe as a standalone article, no time constraints).

Also, if you have any topics you want me to cover, I’m open to suggestions!

I hope you’ll stick around for upcoming stories 💙

The advice always seems to live in opposition. Some people will tell you to “say yes to every opportunity, you never know what will come from it,” while others will tell you to “say no to anything that isn’t essential.”

I could write an entire essay on why I believe both statements are wrong and why we need to stop operating in extremes, but that’s not the point of today’s article.

Today is about the good that can come from saying yes to one midweek activity.

I know, I know, you’re tired. Everyone’s tired and the sacred time between work and sleep evaporates quicker than a puddle in July. Have you considered, though, that part of the reason time feels funky and you feel so tired is because you’re bored? Rest is important, but so is play. There’s a time to take it easy and there’s a time to push past initial hesitations and do something enjoyable.

This past Wednesday, my friend had an extra ticket to a concert (The Last Dinner Party, if you were wondering) and invited me to go with her and a few others. My hectic work schedule this week could have been an excuse not to go, but instead I let it be the reason I should go. Life is more than just looking at different screens all day!

The evening turned out to be incredibly energizing and totally worth the late night. Not only did I get to socialize and listen to some great music, but I was reminded of how important it is to love what you do. The lead singer was so captivating, it was hard to look away from the stage. She is evidence that if you’re passionate about something, the energy radiates. I also believe if you’re struggling to find your own positive energy, then surrounding yourself with passionate people will help fuel you. I honestly felt more awake on Thursday than I would have if I’d skipped the concert.

I know this is a rather intense example of a midweek activity, but really anything that gets you out and about is wonderful. Find a garden to walk through, go play frisbee golf (not really my thing but I hear people love it), find a book club, take a cooking class, go for a swim, whatever makes your heart happy.

We have to start giving ourselves permission to enjoy life, regardless of what the calendar says.

P.S. if you are curious about what I’ve been learning this month or about the February lifestyle, you can check out my other articles here

I’m starting to fall into the trap of overthinking my Substack. The more I work on it, the more pressure I’m putting on myself to improve, to be perfect with it.

Am I doing the best I can? Am I writing enough? Could I be more creative?

I’ll spend time thinking up notes only to erase and rewrite them multiple times. I’ll change the tone of my stories, from serious to trying to add humor to being less random or more random.

I want this to remain fun, yet I can feel myself creeping closer and closer to the switch that flips fun to overwhelm and obligation. I REFUSE to let that happen. I want to stay in the happy bubble where writing brings me joy and serves as a creative outlet. I need this to combat my 9-5 burnout, not add to it.

To prevent stress, I almost skipped today’s Flutter Report because I couldn’t decide on a topic. It felt forced and I started to question if it even made sense within the broader context of what I’ve been writing about. After all, the experiment for the month is travel writing, is it not confusing to see a Friday post about a random topic that isn’t travel related?

After some consideration and a deep breath (and some food), I realized that’s just the fear creeping in. The “never enough” gremlins shoving their way into my head. In the end, it does all tie together. Yes, my goal for March is learning about travel writing, but my overarching mission is creating an interesting life. Tracking the small actions adds to both of those goals. Who knows what small action will lead to some epiphany that allows for better writing, better perspective, or better experiences.

I also want to inspire others to create and pursue an interesting life. That means showing up when I’m scared or uncertain or imperfect. So, that’s what this week’s Flutter Report is about: the decision to keep going when everything feels uncertain. If we wait to feel ready, we’ll be waiting forever.

I’m not going to worry about if my point is perfectly clear or if it “fits” with my Substack (okay well I am going to worry a little bit but I’m going to push past it). Creativity is a messy process, and that should be embraced rather than feared. This is supposed to be FUN, remember?

If you’re struggling with what to create today, I’ll leave you with this quote from Dr. Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly:

Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don’t exist in the human experience. We must walk into the arena, whatever it may be…we must dare to show up and let ourselves be seen. This is vulnerability. This is daring greatly.

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The lesson? The power of perspective (aka figuring it out when the story plan goes out the window).

This past weekend, I had a quick road trip planned for my friends’ wedding and thought, “what a perfect opportunity to practice some travel writing!”

I was staying in a themed hotel and I knew the wedding was going to be an epic party, what more could I want for inspiration? I figured I would even check out one or two other locations in the city.

Narrator: Shocker! She is terrible at estimating time!

Thanks to road construction, the drive took WAY longer than it should have and I had about 25 minutes to get ready for the wedding (I did make it on time 🤗). The wedding was positively wonderful and I didn’t leave until the venue played Closing Time. The next morning, I immediately ate breakfast and wanted nothing more than to get on the road to prevent another chaotic drive, which meant I did zero exploring.

This left me with a lot of questions on the drive home:

1. Do I still write about the hotel even though I didn’t get a chance to fully observe? I saw my room, the hallway, and the breakfast nook. That doesn’t feel like enough to write anything other than some fluff.

2. Do I just write about the wedding? Maybe I could write up a mock Newspaper article, 27 Dresses-style, and give it to my friends. (I might still do that, but that’s not really something I want to post on here).

3. Do I want to write about “the downside of travel that no one wants to talk about.” Honestly, not really. I think most people understand that things change, but at the end of the day you still have the joy of being on a trip.

4. How do people do road trips alone? I hate driving alone.

I grew tired of asking myself questions and just let myself zone out for a bit (safely, of course, I was driving after all). I switched back and forth between listening to music and an audiobook, hoping that something would spark a story idea.

Nothing.

I wish I could say one particular line gave me an epiphany, but I can’t. The ideas were a slow, iterative process of question/idea/question. (or maybe it was idea/question/idea?)

How do people do this full time? I thought.

Does the constant travel skew reality or just train you to get the story no matter what?

Maybe it’s all a matter of perspective?

That’s when I realized that is the point of it all - perspective.

We can never truly know what to expect when traveling (or in life tbh). When things happen, can you take a moment to regroup before making a decision? Can you find a new angle or a new lens to turn any situation into a story? I’m not talking about lying to make something unrealistic, but finding that silver lining. Can you change your mind?

Travel writing, at its core, is art imitating life. You have to decide what kind of person you want to be and that will shape your writing. Maybe some of you think it’s not that deep, but I believe life is a lot more beautiful when thought of as an ocean rather than a puddle.

I want to be the type of person who allows change to fuel creativity rather than hinder it. So, rather than write up one particular travel story, I decided to a) write this article and b) write a list of potential topics as a way to practice finding unique angles.

What story ideas did I come up with?

• Is it worth booking a fun hotel if you won’t have much time there

  • Pros, cons, and my personal stance

• Time-based decisions vs experience-based decisions

  • Cite research and talk about how we behave when using the clock as a key factor or using the experience and emotion as a key factor. Tie in the decision to get back on the road vs exploring the city

• Solo experiences vs social experiences and how that impacts travel decisions

• If I was going to create a themed hotel, what would it be and why

  • Include a round up of themed hotels I want to visit

Honestly, I’m more interested in these topics than my original story plan. Maybe someday I’ll learn that it all works out in the end 🦋

When I have to wait weeks for a dinner reservation, and even then can only score a spot on a Monday night, I typically have high expectations for the food.

What I didn’t expect was for Anjin to provide a culinary adventure in my own backyard.

From the moment I walk in, it is clear I am entering an escape for the evening. (I did learn afterward that “Anjin” translates to “pilot,” so that’s on me for missing the foreshadowing).

The tiny, izakaya-style space only seats 20 guests, counter style in a flattened U-shape contouring the kitchen. No tall barriers, no behind-the-scenes, there is only the scene.

And, oh, what a scene it is.

Hardcover books stacked in the corner (Fish Butchery to name one), tile (somewhere between the shade of emerald and jade) splashed against the back of the kitchen, liter-sized bottles of sake lined-up and ready for a stiff pour into mis-matched ceramic cups, logo-branded ice cubes (how??), and a rubber puffer fish floating in a glass of water.

My excitement for the food is now flying higher than when I walked in.

A savory, warm scent fills the air as we sit down. It’s the kind of scent that’s hard to distinguish, but indicative that something good is definitely cooking. To me, the noise is a comfortable level of hustle and bustle. It’s loud enough to keep conversations private, but not so loud that I can’t hear my friend tell me about her latest painting experiment.

After a *cheers* to living life to the fullest on a Monday, my friend and I are handed a paper menu that lists a mere eight (8) dishes, yet the task of selecting our meal for the evening proves near-impossible (they all sound impeccable). I’ve never known a pencil to hold such power.

I’ve also never known a custard to be savory, but let me tell you, I’ve been enlightened. Paired with catfish, tobiko, and a list of other goodies, Chawanmushi is the creamy, crunchy, savory treat of your dreams. It’s one of those dishes that is plated cautiously, but you devour it ruthlessly, ruining all aesthetics to ensure you get each ingredient in a single bite. Thankfully, my friend and I refrain from battling it out with our spoons. (I’m not that skilled with chopsticks, okay!! Have you ever tried to eat custard with anything other than a spoon??)

For the next dish, I owe the chef(s) a debt of gratitude. Not (just) for the quality of the dish, but for granting me the opportunity to use a highly coveted noun. The juxtaposition of a crispy exterior and a velvety interior made the Takoyaki a textural delight. Bite-sized dynamite. I don’t even particularly like octopus, but apparently I’ve just been eating it incorrectly. Regular octopus? Meh. Octopus mixed with garlic sauce and fried? Spectacular.

I do feel slightly biased talking about our final dish because we got the last one. Our server heard us lamenting that the pork collar sandwich was no longer on the menu and was gracious enough to mention there was one (1) left.

I look at my friend.

She looks at me.

“Should we?”

We turn back to the server.

“Lock it in.”

We aren’t letting go of our chance to have that sandwich. It’s the kind of sandwich that’s comforting enough to tame the whisky bouncing around your bloodstream, yet dynamic enough to keep the party going. It’s the friend you only get to see on special occasions, but you still swear they’re your best friend. The friend who gets the spotlight, not by choice, but by merit and you couldn’t be more supportive.

Overall, Anjin is a masterclass in personality.

It stands out, not in a “I’m not like other restaurants” kind of way, but in a “I love what I do, I’m good at what I do, and I’m going to have fun doing it” kind of way.

I’ve never seen such quality and attention to detail served with such humility. My friend and I joke with the servers and we watch them joke with each other. They are wearing t-shirts. There’s a tiny frog figurine on the counter. It’s effortless, casual energy, all while serving up some of the most creative dishes I’ve had in Kansas City.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated - Confucius

If you’re new here, each month I’m choosing a new lifestyle to pursue (trying to make life interesting). This month (March), I’m learning about travel writing! Catch up on week 1 here.

When I picked travel writing for my March experiment, I had no idea how vast of a topic I was choosing. Honestly, I didn’t put much thought into the choice other than “okay cool, I’ll learn about how to write up my travel experiences.” My main point of reference was the travel blogs I’ve read to find trip inspo and restaurant recommendations.

The more I dig, though, the more I’m reminded that the field goes wayyyy beyond travel how-tos and must-dos (it’s not that I didn’t understand that travel writing is more than that, but when blogs are always front & center, it can be hard to visualize other styles).

Outside of top-10s and hidden gems (lol I know, I know, stop with the low hanging rhymes), we’ve got spiritual awakenings, journals from cycling/walking/hiking/sailing across the globe, in-depth travel journalism (complete with interviews and investigations), history lessons, geography lessons, and travel-inspired fiction writing. The niches know no bounds.

Furthermore, the day-to-day of travel writers appears to be very different from person to person. Some people only write for themselves, whether that’s a blog, a book, other socials, etc. Maybe they live the ex-pat life and write about life in their new city or maybe they just travel frequently enough to have things to say. Other travel writers work freelance and write for magazines. These stories, based on what I’ve read, can stem from press trips (more on this below, I have THOUGHTS), magazine-specific requests, or from personal trips and they cold-pitched the story to a publication. Some people are also full-time employees for a newspaper/magazine.

In my hypothetical world of being a travel writer, I’m more interested in writing for myself; however, I am very curious about the world of freelance and what some of this stuff even means.

(This “stuff?” Oh, I see. You think this has nothing to do with you…in fact you’re vacationing in a city that was selected for you by the people in this room [pause] from a pile of “stuff.”)

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What exactly is freelance writing?

I read this incredibly detailed, informative article by Natalie Compton (Continental Breakfast) that explained her journey of freelance writing.

Continental Breakfast

How to become a travel writer

When I was trying to figure out how to become a journalist, it seemed impossible to break in without going to journalism school — or at least going to a university with a big journalism program…

Read more

a month ago · 36 likes · 10 comments · Natalie Compton

I also read this blog post (Lindy Alexander, The Freelancer’s Year) about some of the unspoken truths of travel writing.

My key takeaways from research and the aforementioned articles:

• You can still choose what you write, but make sure people care. You don’t necessarily have to get a topic from a publication, you can find a cool story angle on your own, the key is to write something that other people want to read and publications would be willing to pay for

  • This doesn’t appear all that different from blog writing. Ideally, people want to read your blog. HOWEVER, I think the main difference is the personal connection. If you build a community around your blog, people begin to care about you as much as the stories, so you might be able to post something on your blog that your readers will love, but people who don’t know you wouldn’t really want to read in some random travel magazine

• You have to put in the reps. Write and write some more and send pitches to multiple outlets - especially smaller ones in the beginning! It seems the more bylines you get, the more likely you are to get recognized for bigger and bigger projects.

  • Which seems logical. Honestly though, I think it would be really cute to see something I write in a local publication. Obviously, a large publication would be an earth-shattering achievement, but idk something about seeing my name in a small magazine is equally as thrilling???

• It’s exhausting, but you do see a lot of places. The trade off to seeing the world for work seems to be forfeiting the right to savor experiences. In order to make a trip profitable, freelancers are often cramming as much into a day as they can so they can report on multiple angles.

  • I’m all for efficiency and, as an activity person, I don’t mind a full schedule; however, sometimes I just want to wander or spend 2 hours at a meal. I don’t know that I would enjoy the time constraints and pressure. Plus, if I don’t get to enjoy where I am, is there still a point in being there?

• The income is super variable and uncertain. Sometimes writers get recurring gigs and sometimes they don’t. It seems that rates vary across publishers as well. That’s not to say that it can’t be lucrative, it’s just a more risky position.

  • I’m not sure my nervous system could handle the uncertainty, but I also realize that nothing in this life truly is a guarantee or a “safe” job.

• You might be on the road A LOT. When income is largely based on the number of stories you write, that typically means you need to be on trips frequently to keep your portfolio stacked.

  • I waffle on how appealing this is to me. On the one hand, I love to explore. On the other, I do love a home base. I like going to my gym and hanging out with friends and being present for big life events. I’m guessing being on the road for a majority of the year would start to take a toll. I used to travel for work quite a bit (corporate setting, not travel industry) and that was exhausting and rather lonely. Even if I’m somewhere beautiful and doing what I enjoy, I imagine those same feelings would eventually creep in.

• Press trips are an option to help cover travel expenses. These aren’t always allowed and can be difficult to get.

  • In my opinionnnn, press trips seem a tad sus. I’m giving them a whole subheading.

What is a Press Trip?

According to various travel blogs, a press trip is an event organized by a tourism board/brand/business/government/etc. that allows journalists/writers/content creators/etc. to visit a particular location (expenses paid) with the expectation the journalists/writers/content creators/etc. will generate content about the location. I found this article that explains a bit more about the types of press trips and how invites work.

As a worker bee, I can absolutely see the appeal of an all-expenses paid trip to an exciting destination, and I’m not judging anyone for wanting to get an invite. The networking, the hopeful paycheck, the ability to see a location that might otherwise be inaccessible to someone who is just starting out, all of these are very legitimate reasons to go on a press trip. (Plus it just sounds so ✨fancy✨)

A big ~however,~ I don’t love the idea of writing a story that is the product of a sponsored trip. Obviously, ethical writers will find a way to remain objective, but I still have a lot of questions. Is the trip organized in a way that lends itself to a particular opinion? How much time do you get to explore your particular area of interest vs time spent on a specific itinerary? If it’s a group trip, how does the group mindset or chemistry impact the result of the trip? Are the planned activities realistic for the average person or do they require special access? Is there any type of contract that stipulates what/how much content you have to produce? On top of that, not all publications will accept articles that come from press trips. So could you give a week of your time to this trip only to have unsellable stories?

Again, I’m just learning about press trips and I’ve never been on one, so I can’t say if they are good or bad. I’m just a little suspicious of the true cost of a free trip. Is it worth it?

Okay, so you did a lot of Research. What about the writing part of this travel writing experiment?

What a journey writing has been this past week, thank you for asking. I’ll admit, I used several forms of procrastination, including the research, but I’m slowly making progress toward my end goal of publishing a lil magazine at the end of the month!

What has that looked like?

• A solo dinner date to practice writing about food (a key part of travel)

• A second restaurant, this time with a friend, to help gain perspective on what’s interesting/valuable to write about (thinking of actually writing up a “serious” article about this restaurant as practice!!)

• I drew a magazine storyboard and picked my topics! I plan to have 3 stories, plus a “letter from the editor” to really dive into why travel means the world to me.

• As it turns out, most of what I learned from my month of being a novelist is really helping out with my stories for my magazine. Mostly, I have to write some rough, rough drafts before I can get to anything of substance.

• So far, the hardest part of writing for my travel magazine is telling the story in a way that’s meaningful to me but also interesting to the readers. If anyone has any stellar articles they’ve read that would be a good source of inspiration, please drop those links in the comments!

That’s all for this week - more to come from Silver-Studded Blue on Friday from the Flutter Report 🦋

If you’re considering trying something new, let this be your sign! You don’t have to wait for an external opportunity to present itself, you can create your own opportunity. We have the power to explore what makes us happy!

One little flutter of your wings and your whole life can change 🦋 Friday Flutter Reports are a way to reflect on one action from the week that made an impact. It serves as a reminder that change doesn’t always come from something grand.

I’ve never particularly enjoyed dining alone. At best, I feel neutral about it. As someone who loves food, I want my meals to be a memorable, shared experience. I don’t want to sit in silence, I want to discuss the best part of your day while we split sweet potato fries and wait for our entrees. I want us to obsess over the divinity of the dessert and reminisce about it 3 months from now. Remember when we had that life-changing tiramisu at that one place after that really wild week?? When I eat alone, I don’t have anyone to back me up when I want to hyper-fixate on the meal. Plus, I usually feel bored, even restless while I wait for my food.

Despite this stance, on Thursday I decided to take myself on a solo sushi date. I wanted to go alone so I could try a writing exercise (the restaurant also had happy hour pricing and I had an unshakeable craving for some sushi, so that helped motivate me).

The mission was to approach dinner through the lens of a travel writer. Meaning, if I was traveling right now and this was a new-to-me local restaurant, how would I write about it? How would I describe it? What would I notice?

Not to sound dramatic, but this gave me a sense of purpose during my time at the restaurant. I wasn’t just staring at my phone or shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I was a detective studying the space around me. I was perched at the second floor bar, which gave me a perfect view of the movement below. I took notes on everything I saw - the fish scale tiles (blue, if you were wondering), the plethora of plants clinging to the ceiling (not a botanist, no idea what kind), the teenager playing on an iPad while the parents chatted (trying not to judge!!), and the well-crafted whisk(e)y bottles lining the bar (I will be googling the prices later). I wouldn’t say that I walked away with enough for a riveting travel story, but it was fun and it was good writing practice. Honestly, it even gave me a few ideas for metaphors and style choices that I can use in other types of writing. Plus, my sushi was delicious.

While I still prefer sharing meals with others, I now have a new mindset when I have to dine alone - treat it as an opportunity to observe, learn, and appreciate. Approaching the meal with a sense of purpose and not as an unavoidable necessity makes it wayyyy more enjoyable.

Happy Friday and I hope you do something that brings you joy this weekend 💙

I love to dream. I’m also a hopeless romantic, which is a pretty lethal combo (although, can you be a hopeless romantic without being a dreamer?).

I often dream of the multitude of paths I can follow in this life and recently decided it was time to take a test drive on some of these paths. I want to create an interesting life and I want to actually give myself a chance to explore what I love.

To build this dreamland, each month I am picking a new lifestyle to explore. How am I selecting the lifestyle? Well, I’m really just going with what feels right at the beginning of the month. I’m starting with areas of high interest and I’ll move into the unique and unexpected once I get my feet wet.

For March, I am choosing the life of a travel writer (outside of my day job, of course. A girl’s gotta eat)! If you’re curious about last month, you can read more about February’s “novelist” journey here. This is only my second month experimenting, so please be patient with me as I learn how to do this (and learn how to keep myself motivated to do this).

Why Travel Writing?

Primarily, traveling lights my soul on fire and I’d love to try writing about it. I’ve had the privilege of traveling a fair amount in the US over the past couple years and finally made a few international trips, each of which taught me quite a bit. I’d love to share what I learned with others in the hopes of connecting with fellow travelers or soon-to-be travelers. Travel writing also ties in some of my other interests, like food and culture, so I have even more reasons to (hopefully) love it.

How am I going to do this?

That’s the tricky part. I considered just turning my Substack into a full travel blog for the month of March, but that felt confusing because I’m not currently planning to only write about travel past the month of March (never say never, but I don’t want that kind of niche just yet). Plus, part of my mission is reporting on processes and ideas to create an interesting life, not just the life itself. My solution? A very large project that I’m super nervous about actually completing.

I am going to write a few travel articles and edit them into a digital “magazine” that I will publish (for funsies, for free) on the last day of March!! Which also happens to be a Tuesday (normal pub day for Silver-Studded Blue) so that feels like a sign.

Narrator: She will almost certainly underestimate how much time this will take and will regret her life choices.

Despite the daunting time commitment, I am really excited about the idea of revisiting my favorite travel memories and anchoring them on a page.

As for the “learning” part of this process, I’m leaning heavily on reading. I’ve already found some incredible travel blogs and authors who have great advice.

Check out this article on seeing like a travel writer! (No, it’s not sponsored lol. I don’t know her I just liked the article)

Laura McVeigh

Learning to See Like a Travel Writer

If you’re new here, every week I share insights and actionable ideas on writing, travel writing and green travel through the lens of a novelist and travel writer (Lonely Planet, DK Travel, etc.) in three newsletters: Storycraft, Write Your Way Around the World…

Read more

3 months ago · 167 likes · 44 comments · Laura McVeigh

I’m looking forward to trying some writing exercises in places around my hometown to get the ball rolling.

I’m also curious what a career looks like in the travel industry, so I hope to find some answers on how full-time travel writers actually live their lives. I’m also planning to ask for feedback on early drafts of my stories from friends or possibly even Substackers if I’m feeling particularly brave.

I hope you’ll learn along with me as I navigate travel writing in attempt to create an interesting life 💙🦋

If you have any travel stories that changed your life, please drop them in the comments! I’d love to read them.

This week has been incredibly random. Do you ever spend a few weeks out of your normal routine and then when it’s finally time to get back to your normal routine you forget how to function? That has been me all week. What groceries do I need? Do I have any social plans? I have a full, 5-day work week??

Thankfully, with the disorientation, I felt randomly motivated to go for a run. Have I ran at all this year? No, no I haven’t. Did I run much last year? Maybe twice.

I ran for 3 minutes and 27 seconds.

Why does this matter?

It matters because it was enough to get my energy up. It was a reminder that something is better than nothing. Also, it was a reminder that I need to stick to my stretching goals.

Sometimes I doubt my actions during the week. I lie to myself that I don’t do enough and that my actions aren’t grand enough. However, that’s why I want (need) to write this column. I need the reminder that we don’t have to do something grand and impressive all the time. Sometimes, we just need that 3 minutes and 27 seconds on a treadmill.

I hope you do something that brings you joy today! Have a lovely weekend, friends 💙🦋

I don’t want to be a full time novelist

Yeah, this surprised me too.

I like writing. I want to write my book. What I don’t want is to sit for hours at a time writing one thing, allowing my entire life to be consumed with writing the book. I do much better writing in smaller, random splits and switching between fiction and non-fiction (blog-style) writing. This goes against so much advice (e.g. focus on what’s essential! Have a routine and write for a set time every single day! You need to sacrifice all other things if you want to write!). Howeverrrrr, I don’t care what everyone else says. I’m okay with slow progress if it means I’m still able to enjoy the process rather than feeling resentment towards a project I chose (I mean, seriously, this is an optional project lol). I will write this book at my own pace and I’m not going to put a time constraint on it. Plus, I write much better when I live a little life first, when action leads to new ideas.

I have to remind myself it’s a first draft

The only way I made any progress during a writing session is if I constantly reminded myself that I’m writing a first draft and not a finished product. Otherwise, I just sat and I questioned every single thought before it went on the page. I had to remove judgement from my writing and tell myself that anything that is “bad”’ can be made better later. Also, “good” and “bad” are SUCH subjective terms!!!

Write down every random idea

I keep a notes app on my phone and any time I think of a fun word, a line of dialogue, or a possible plot point, it goes in the note. Even if I don’t use everything, there is usually some nugget of information that is the perfect fit for a part of the story.

Don’t be too attached to your ideas

If you acknowledge you are writing a first draft and you acknowledge you are writing down every idea, you also have to acknowledge that not all ideas get to stay. This is easy for the “bad” ideas. It can be tough to scrap “good” ideas though. I had the most difficult time with this when it came to my main character’s name. I was so convinced I had the perfect name and then, as I wrote, it didn’t feel right for the character, so I changed it. I hope I now have the perfect name, but I’m trying not to get too attached in case I have to change it again.

The best strategy is the one you follow

Many people have said it and I’m going to say it again: The best way to write is one word at a time. You can try every single strategy in the book, but at some point you have to admit that you’re procrastinating. Just write.

My favorite part of the month was writing for Substack

While I did enjoy moving my novel from my head onto paper, and reacted giddily when I found a perfect plot point, I felt most connected to the writing I’m doing here. I’m sure there are a number of reasons for this (I’ve made a commitment to posting every Tuesday so it feels more serious, I’m writing about lived experience rather than inventing a story, so it feels easier to write, I’m writing as me rather than as different characters, I have a more immediate finished product rather than bits and pieces of a story, etc.), but the reasons are ultimately irrelevant. What matters is what brings me joy. My feelings toward this column for the month of February have encouraged me to keep going with this plan of choosing a new lifestyle each month and writing about the process. I will continue to work on my novel, but I’m not going to obsess.

This brings me to my next point…

March will be the month of living as a “Travel Writer”

!!!! Wait wait wait, give me a chance here. I shall explain:

I know it might seem redundant to pick another writing lifestyle (I promise I will throw in some variety in the upcoming months), but I loveee travel and food and my last vacation really solidified that I would very much enjoy writing about my experiences. I don’t want this to be simply “I went here, you should check it out.” I want to write about why travel evokes such emotion and why I don’t see travel as just something to flaunt as a status symbol. I want travel stories.

What is going to be tricky is how to accomplish “being a travel writer” and “writing about learning how to be a travel writer.” I have two ideas on how to accomplish this:

Option 1: Keep Tuesdays as the days I write about what I’m learning, keep Fridays as the random Flutter Report, and add in a third day where I post a travel article

Option 2: Keep Tuesdays and Fridays the same, use Notes to write shorter bits about travel, and at the end of the month post a “magazine” with my travel stories

I’m leaning toward option 2, but I’ll admit that is a much larger commitment. This first week I will use to research and I’ll let you know next week what I officially decide.

For week three of living like a novelist…

I had to get a bit creative. I was on vacation and knew I wasn’t going to be writing, but I didn’t want to fully give up on the plan. Thankfully, my novel is going to have a fair bit of adventure so I figured this trip (dreamy Belize 🏝️🥹) was a perfect opportunity to put my characters in the jungle or the ocean and capture some authentic emotion. I was a bit worried that thinking about my book was going to take me away from truly experiencing my vacation, but it actually had the opposite effect. I felt more present and more aware of my surroundings.

On the mainland, as I walked through the jungle, I took some deep breaths and tried to savor the scents. I looked from a branch to the canopy to tiny pools of water to collect the varying colors. When I was on Caye Caulker, I shut down my eyes and listened to the sounds all around me. I realized I was truly noticing and remembering my environment rather than just going through the motions. I also paid more attention to how people talked and wrote down a few vocabulary words that I absolutely adored and want to use in my book.

When people talk about romanticizing life, I think this is what they mean. How fortunate that it doubles as work for my book 🦋

What I’ve learned

• Living like a novelist really means whatever you want it to mean as long as you’re making progress with your novel

• Part of what makes writing easier (at least, easier for me) is having good experiences on which to draw. It doesn’t have to be travel, but it needs to be something that pushes you out of your daily comfort zone

• Paying attention to life is more challenging than it should be, but the little details really are delightful

• I am no match for Belizean sun (I need SPF 200)

Have you used travel to shape your writing? Drop your favorite travel location/source of inspiration in the comments 👇

Now, if we were defining a midpoint the way Save the Cat! Writes a Novel defines midpoint, I should be on my way to some serious progress…

MIDPOINT (50%): Literally the middle of the novel, where the Fun and Games culminates in either a false victory (the hero has thus far been succeeding) or a false defeat (the hero has thus far been floundering). Something should happen here to raise the stakes and push the hero toward real change.

…but the jury is still out on whether I’m currently in a false victory or a false defeat. Is it possible both can be true at the same time?1

On the one hand, I have (slowly) been writing and learning for my book and I’ve also been writing about writing. The other hand is still reaching for answers. Am I even close to being on the right track?

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Where I stand 2 weeks into the process

To recap for our newbies (hi, welcome!), each month I am picking a different lifestyle to pursue. My goal is to build an interesting life and inspire others to do the same. For February, I am pretending to be a novelist 🤓 Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1. Past a certain point, I have to stop strategizing and just start writing (more on that here)

2. I thought I would be a “morning writer” because I love mornings, I already do my journaling in the morning, and idk all the advice says you should. What’s surprising me the most is I actually get more writing done LATER in the day. By the time I finish journaling, I feel primed for the day and want to move about. Continuing to sit and write just hasn’t worked. If you’re struggling with your current writing schedule, consider switching to a different one and see if that helps. Ultimately, the best time to write is the time during which you actually put words on the page.

3. Another surprise: Siting at my table is my least favorite spot to type. I hand write at the table, so I assumed typing would work just the same. NOPE. I have had some of my best writing sessions propped up on my couch. It’s the same place I read so maybe that means something, maybe it doesn’t 🤷🏻‍♀️

4. I thought I would see a much larger change in how I spend my time. After all, I am supposed to be writing a book in my free time and channeling my inner author (I’m sort of picturing Ratatouille here but for writing). However, my life has stayed largely the same other than slowly making progress on the book idea I hadn’t touched in months. I’ll write for 5 minutes one day and maybe an hour the next. I think this is a really important lesson, though. We can define “novelist” multiple ways and slowly snowballing into one rather than changing everything overnight is way more productive than burning bright for two days, then crashing out.

5. The only way I can make true progress during a writing session is to constantly tell myself “don’t overthink it, it doesn’t have to be good yet.” Otherwise, I want to edit every line as I write. (Although, when I do write a stellar line, I am on top of the world)

6. I still have a lot of self-doubt. I wonder if I truly enjoy this and if this is something I’ll want to continue past February. I wonder if my approach to writing is at all reasonable. I wonder if I’m doing enough and putting in enough effort. However, I will not allow the negativity to win. At the end of the day, this is all one big experiment and I’ll find answers soon enough 💙 (like I said at the beginning of this post, it’s only been two weeks lol).

   Would you do me the honor

   If you’re currently writing or have written a novel, what’s your favorite part of the process?

   If you haven’t written a novel but are thinking about it, what’s one thing you want to know about starting from scratch?

I love a good theme. What I struggle with is the ever-growing expectation that each event needs the fanciest, most complicated dessert you’ve ever seen. We see it all over social media. If it’s not the design, it’s the ingredients. If it’s not the ingredients, it’s the quantity. Even the names of these dishes are getting out of hand!

Don’t get me wrong, I relish an opportunity to create in the kitchen. To push the boundaries of what we know and create something exquisite. I also love to see how creative people are and gain inspiration from other artists.

HOWEVER, as baking gets more and more intense, it can be hard to see it as a source of enjoyment and not see it as a source of stress. The second home baking becomes stressful, we’ve lost the intention. Baking is supposed to RELIEVE stress, not the other way around.

Case in point: Last Sunday, I was deciding what to make for a Super Bowl party and my thoughts were sprinting around the corners of my brain, trying to think of what to bring that screamed SUPER BOWL!! I wanted something so cute and so fun that I started to lose steam all together and considered just buying some fruit from the store and calling it good.

Thankfully, I remembered to take a breath. I told myself it’s not that serious and I should just make something classic. No one asked for a themed dessert, that was all an expectation I put on myself. So, I put my expectations in the cupboard and I pulled out the chocolate. For what? Brownies. Not layered brownies or brownies with mix-ins (don’t you dare mention walnuts and brownies in the same sentence). Just classic brownies.

Guess what? Everyone loved them.

I loved them. I had fun making them. Have you ever melted chocolate and butter together? It’s immensely satisfying.

The lesson I’m taking away from this is that things don’t have to be complicated to be good. There is a time and place to experiment and challenge yourself creatively, and then there is a time to just create for the fun of it.

Also, when in doubt, go with chocolate.

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My brain all week:

Oo this could be a fun strategy! What if I tried this routine? This would be a good Substack note. Should I learn more about writing novels before I write my novel? Let me change locations so I can really focus. I want to build my life outside of writing too, so I can’t give up on my other ideas and commitments. How can I do this more efficiently (flawlessly)??

My mind was playing a perpetual game of Plinko this past week. Ideas kept popping in and bouncing around until they landed anywhere but someplace productive.

If I am going to actually write this book, I need clarity.

Last week, I wrote about my plan to study routines of famous writers, find advice columns, nurture my creativity, etc. I was SO convinced that was the best way to produce good writing.

I wrote..one paragraph this week. Lol (although, that is better than zero paragraphs)

I have to accept that I cannot do everything all at once (brutal, I know) and I have to block out the noise.

I need to remember the objective and start eliminating the fluff

What is the objective?

• My ultimate objective is to build an interesting life and inspire others to do the same.

• The current building block is to write a novel (something interesting to me) and document the process (a way to inspire others that it is possible).

What is NOT the objective

• Perfection.

• Developing the most efficient routine ever

• Writing the entire book in one month

• Creating 100s of posts or videos to document the process

What can I eliminate

• My ego.

• My expectations

• Studying niche writing concepts*

• Searching for answers during “writing time”*

• Thinking about what happens after I finish writing the book

• Access to my cellphone during “writing time”

*At this point, learning new information is a form of procrastination. I’m not saying that I know everything I need to know about writing (farrrrr from it), I’m simply saying that I know enough to put words on a page and that needs to be the focus right now. If I have questions as I’m writing, those questions go directly onto the page and I’ll come back to answer them when it’s time to edit. If I keep stopping to look things up, I’ll never make it more than ten words without shifting gears.

As the saying goes: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

I need to write one sentence and then the next without worrying about the book as a whole.

Action Item (singular) for the upcoming week

Protect the writing time!!! I honestly don’t care how long writing time is, but when I sit down for writing time, I am only allowed to write for my book. No strategizing, no reading articles, no googling, no phone, no snacks (beverages are allowed).