Does Place Change the Way We Write?

If you spend any time in writing circles, you’ve probably heard the advice: build a writing routine. Show up every day. Buns on the bench. 1000 words a day. Write, even if it’s crap.

It’s good advice. I’m a big believer in the power of showing up and I am fiercely dedicated to routines.

My morning routine has changed very little in the last five years. I plan my weeks, map out my days, and—for the most part—stick to that routine. (I’m not a complete monster, though. If you read Flow, Don’t Force: Creating a Routine That Works, you’ll see there’s plenty of flexibility built in.)

It would be easy to assume my writing life looks the same. That I write every morning at 8:00 a.m., just like I eat the same breakfast almost every day.

But it doesn’t.

For some reason, the habits that come so naturally everywhere else in my life have never quite translated to writing. Instead, I find myself attending writing conferences, events, and self-induced retreats, hoping that changing where I write will somehow change what I write.

And it usually does.

There’s something about being in a new place that makes me notice more, see things from a different angle, or discover something entirely new.

So I've been wondering: why does changing things up make writing so much easier?

At home, most of us don’t just have routines—we are also a part of a larger system. So even if you carve out time to write, part of your attention is still given over to the need to respond to emails, your role as a partner or parent, walking the dog, even making dinner. You know, the stuff that keeps life running.

In a new place, that system changes. Responsibilities don’t disappear entirely, but they do become less immediate. You’re no longer moving through a space shaped by familiarity or obligation. You’re paying attention in a different way—at least temporarily.

Writing depends on attention more than it depends on routine.

Routine helps us produce. It helps us show up, get things done, go through that checklist. But writing isn’t only about efficiency. It’s about noticing what didn’t need to be noticed before. It’s about creativity and inspiration.

New places can help us tap into beginner’s mind. They allow all other things to fall away.

When I am away for a writing event, a residency or conference, I never make from-scratch dinners like I do at home. I eat sardines from the can and devote all my time to thinking about writing, writing, and reading. The place, and the writing, become my highest priority.

I’m not saying you need to attend a writing event to be inspired. Try writing while on summer vacation and see what happens.

You don’t even need to go away to write. Try making small changes and see what happens.

If you normally write at home, try writing at a cafe. Go for a hike and take voice notes as you walk. Switch from writing on your laptop to writing by hand. You might be surprised at what surfaces.

What are your thoughts? Have you noticed this, too?