Authors might find inspiration in some really unique places. Many writers have their favorite writing “spots,” places where they are distraction free and the muse just speaks. Others plan writers’ retreats where they can take their supplies to a new location and write during a planned time frame. Now, a new dimension in the writer’s retreat concept is not only captivating to a number of authors, but also a great PR move in the form of free offerings.
Amtrak, at the request via Twitter of a writer, has established free writers’ retreats that let authors write while riding the rails in a roundtrip journey. The romanticism of train travel coupled with the lure of working in a space that doesn’t have the daily interferences that many working people face is a great chance to accomplish a lot.
What started out as a tongue-in-cheek Twitter exchange between Jessica Gross and Zach Seward morphed into reality when Amtrak saw their tweets and offered them the first writer’s residency aboard one of their trains, offering them free roundtrip travel to Chicago. The success of the concept has led Amtrak to now consider expanding the idea into a more widespread offering, with the goal of still keeping it free or low-cost.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.
