Carla Bastos Writing Around the World

       The following is an article I wrote for the expat publication Dispatches Europe back in 2022, when I first moved to Italy. A new acquaintance who is considering relocating to Italy recently commented on some of my old articles, and she said she found this one interesting. She is an artist, and shared similar views about inspiration. After she mentioned it, I went back and re-read the article. I found something interesting. Some of the same lessons I was learning back then, I'm still learning. Different context, new applications, but still learning. The article mentions advice from a few writing greats, and I find that with each new project, those lessons are brand new. I guess the upshot, for writers, artists or in any discipline, is to be lifelong learners. We never actually arrive, but we press on--we grow, we improve, we expand our horizons, continually. We learn. An Expat Writer in Italy      Italy inspires me. Most writers have particular s...

I’ve always believed that placing ourselves in new surroundings can provide inspiration to enhance our writing. Particularly when traveling to different countries, hearing the language, trying the cuisine, taking in the architecture, the culture—anything that is new and different—will jumpstart our sensory perception. This has been my experience, and it’s partly the reason I love to travel. Not that it necessarily makes my writing better, mind you. But a fresh perspective leads to fresh ideas. Or maybe just a fresh approach to an idea I’ve been trying to articulate. A couple of years ago, this penchant for experiencing new places led me to spend fourteen months circumnavigating the globe on a world cruise. The journey took me to 47 countries on six continents. While I can’t say every one of those countries provided that writing inspiration, each one was an eye-opener, even those I’d been to before. Going into any such experience with curiosity on the top shelf of the old toolbox (rathe...