How a U.S. Holiday Could Inspire Your Next Book

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Image Credit: Mario Schmidt from Pixabay.

As much as people dream about writing a book, few actually take the plunge to do so. Those that try often find that it’s more complicated than they thought it’d be. There’s a reason people call it a craft, after all.

One of the main things that can get in the way is a lack of inspiration. While some people have a broad enough imagination that this isn’t an issue, others need something from the real world to help them along.

If you fall into the latter category, then you mightn’t know what to do. As it turns out, there are multiple ways that you can do so. If you’re in a position to, going on a holiday may be the perfect approach, especially if you choose the right place.

One of the best places to consider doing this is America. While you’ll need to think of the requirements for ESTAs and other things, it could be a worthwhile option. If you’re not convinced of this, there are multiple reasons why you should think about it.

Why A Holiday In The U.S. May Inspire Your Next Book

It’s A Melting Pot That Can Inspire Characters

The United States is one of the most diverse countries in the world. That could make it one of the best places to go if you’re looking for character inspiration. If you visit specific cities, then that will be especially true.

New York City may be the most obvious example of this. People from all backgrounds and walks of life live and visit here every year. Coming across and listening to these people may prove to be more than enough for you to start developing your characters.

Museums Add A Sense Of History

Many writers choose historical dramas or other history-focused areas for their books. To properly represent this, you’ll naturally need to use history as your inspiration. It’s one thing to read about this online, while it’s something else entirely if you’re able to experience some of it in person.

The closest you might be able to get to that is with museums. When it comes to certain artifacts and historical items, few places can outdo American museums. That’s especially true of some of the larger museums.

If you’re focused on historical-driven narratives, then you might want to consider a holiday to America for research purposes.

Scenic Views Can Provide A Setting

The United States has one of the most diverse landscapes on the planet. From deserts to forests and lakes, alongside everything in between, there’s almost nothing that you can’t see here. While that might mean a bit of a road trip, nothing is stopping you from taking this in.

By doing so, you could come up with ideas for your book’s setting. It could be worth traveling to some of the less-traveled through places. If you’re planning on setting your novel in a specific city, such as New York, then you’ll want to visit there.

That will help you get a better feel for the area, which will let you represent it much better on the page.

Big Cities & Small Towns Provide A Contrast

The different states and areas across the United States all provide their unique flavours. As much as the scenic views can inform your settings, so too can the cities and towns. That’s especially true if you’re looking for some contrast in your novel.

A lot of this can depend on the plot and story of your book, alongside your characterizations. If you’re planning on having characters from the big city interacting with those from the small town, then it could be worth doing so with inspiration from American cities.

The differences in outlooks, backgrounds, and much more can be more pronounced here than elsewhere. That could help you develop a more detailed background while contrasting characters and places much better.

Wrapping Up

Inspiration for your book can come from a wealth of places. It can be worth going through as many positive experiences as you can to help with this. One of the more useful ways of doing so is by visiting another country.

Seeing things as an outsider gives you a unique perspective on things. You can use that to help with your book. Drawing on these experiences and fictionalizing them could be more than enough as inspiration for your book.

You could find that it’s more than enough to help you overcome your writer’s block. It could also be one of the more relaxing ways to write your novel.