April 19, 2010

What could be more fun than meeting up with a writing friend to spend a few days researching the setting of your new manuscript? Nothing I can think of!

That’s what I did last week, and no other experience has left me so “pumped” to write in years. We started in Charleston, South Carolina, then drove up the coast to North Carolina, logging over 1,200 miles. The azaleas were in bloom everywhere we drove (see above). Talk about beautiful!  I’ll share a few photos below, and then get back to the usual “Writer’s First Aid” column on Wednesday.

Breathtaking!

I needed to visit a plantation for research, but first we explored downtown Charleston. We started in the Historic City Market, and you can see a mini-slide show here. There I found a hand-painted card that is now framed on my desk. It says: “Today I will translate the reality of my dreams into my ordinary day…in order to achieve extraordinary results!” Doesn’t that sound inspiring? A great quote to read each morning before I start work.

We walked to the wharf next, past some very colorful houses!

The next day we visited the Boone Hall Plantation, which is still a working farm. This link has an entire video and photo gallery, if you’re interested.

As we walked down the long avenue of giant oaks dripping with Spanish moss (behind me above), I could easily imagine myself as Scarlett O’Hara arriving at the infamous  Twelve Oaks picnic. Turning 180 degrees (below) gives you a glimpse of my dear Australian friend Sherryl and the plantation house.

I took hundreds of photos last week–one of the benefits of digital cameras–and I’ll post more of them on Facebook this week. Most of the time, this Writer’s First Aid blog deals with the tougher side of the writing life and how to persevere despite everything. So today I wanted to show you the “fun” side of writing that can be yours. Sherryl and I both have novels set on the coast there, so the trip was tax deductible (a big consideration!)

And now, off to “translate the reality of my dreams into  my ordinary day…”

9 Comments »

1. 

   1. I love azaleas.
   2. I love trips.
   3. I love trips that involve azaleas, and studying history!

   I hope your trip was as productive as it appears beautiful and soul-healing!

   Comment by Yvette — April 19, 2010 @ 9:09 pm

2. 

   Yvette, I love all three things too! And it was surprisingly soul-healing, as you put it. It was like a mini writing retreat, and getting to be outside in beautiful weather for several days was fabulous. It showed me I need to get out of my office a lot more often! It also showed me the tremendous advantage to having someone to “talk shop” with. Writing can be an isolating profession if we aren’t careful.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — April 19, 2010 @ 10:19 pm

3. 

   Thanks for sharing the pictures Kristi. The flowers are really beautiful. Looks like you had fantastic weather for your trip. I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I’m definitely going to have to copy down that saying you shared and hang it where I can see it everyday!

   Susanne Drazic
   http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/

   Comment by Susanne Drazic — April 20, 2010 @ 7:01 am

4. 

   Susanne, thanks for your post (AND for your link to this blog from your own blog.) Yes, it can be amazing how reading something inspiring every day a few different times can impact your thinking! All we have most times are “ordinary days.” Time to put our dreams into those days!

   Comment by Kristi Holl — April 20, 2010 @ 7:23 am

5. 

   Beautiful!
   Looks like you had a fabulous time! And those are the largest azeleas I have ever seen!

   Thanks for sharing =)

   and I love this = “translate the reality of my dreams into my ordinary day…”

   Comment by Liz — April 21, 2010 @ 6:16 am

6. 

   Liz, that card really caught my mind and heart too. I find myself, since coming home, asking myself, “Today, how can I translate the reality of my dreams” into something practical and do-able today. All we have 99% of the time are “ordinary days!”

   Comment by Kristi Holl — April 21, 2010 @ 12:34 pm

7. 

   Kristi:

   What a special experience. Great pictures. Thanks for sharing the details.

   Warm regards,
   Donna

   Comment by Donna McDine — April 22, 2010 @ 6:08 pm

8. 

   Kristi,

   Thanks for sharing your pix of one of my favorite cities. I’ve enjoyed several of the historic homes and gardens tours, Ft. Sumpter, the mansions south of Broad, and beautiful Kiawah Island with its miles and miles of beaches. These pictures made me “homesick” for it all.

   Comment by Dorothy Love — April 28, 2010 @ 9:24 am

9. 

   Donna, you would have loved it. I left feeling absolutely inspired.

   Dorothy, I understand your love for the area. I had never been there before, but everyone I talked to said I’d fall in love with it. Now I know why!! There was something magical about Charleston–and it takes you back in time to such a gracious era.

   Comment by Kristi Holl — April 28, 2010 @ 10:26 am

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