What Traveling to Italy Taught Me About Writing… and My Suitcase

Writers are observers.

We notice things. We collect details. We quietly file away moments that might someday become scenes, characters, or entire novels.

What I didn’t realize when I packed my suitcase for a 2018 trip to Italy with the St. Mary’s of the Lake choir from Skaneateles, New York… was that I was also packing the seeds of my next book.

I also didn’t realize how much my suitcase would suffer in the process.

Packing for Italy: The First Plot Twist

There are two kinds of travelers:

1. People who pack exactly what they need

2. Writers

Writers fall into a third, more chaotic category:

“I might need this… for research.”

So into the suitcase went:

• Clothes for warm weather

• Clothes for cool weather

• “Just in case” formal clothes

• A notebook

• Three extra pens (because you never trust one)

• A book to read

• A backup book to read when you finish the first book

By the time I zipped it shut, I had enough material for a month-long expedition… and we were going for just over a week.

Lesson learned: a writer’s imagination weighs more than luggage limits allow.

Speaking Italian (Badly) Is a Character-Building Exercise

One of the fastest ways to understand your characters is to put yourself in their shoes.

For example, imagine being in a foreign country where:

• you don’t fully understand the language

• you’re unsure of the customs

• you’re trying not to accidentally offend anyone

Now imagine doing all of that while trying to order dinner.

That’s what Frank experiences in Frank Abroad—and I got a small taste of it myself trying to speak Italian.

Let’s just say there were moments when I was fairly certain I had ordered one thing… and received something completely different.

From a writing standpoint, it was a great reminder:

Confusion creates vulnerability.
Vulnerability creates tension.
Tension creates story.

From a dining standpoint, it was a great way to expand my palate.

Getting Lost in Venice (Also Known as Plot Development)

If you’ve ever been to Venice, you know it’s essentially a beautiful maze.

You don’t walk in straight lines. You wander. You turn corners. You discover things you didn’t expect to find.

At one point, we set out to go somewhere specific.

We did not arrive there.

We did, however:

• find a quiet canal with no tourists

• discover a small shop tucked away on a side street

• experience the kind of moment you can’t plan

That experience made its way directly into Frank Abroad.

Because sometimes, getting lost is exactly what your story—and your characters—need.

Choir Rehearsals and Plot Twists

Traveling with a choir means your schedule includes rehearsals in some truly incredible spaces.

Imagine standing in a centuries-old church, music echoing off stone walls that have heard voices for generations.

It’s powerful.

It’s moving.

And for a writer, it’s also fuel.

Because in the middle of those rehearsals, my brain would occasionally whisper:

“This would be a great place for a dramatic scene.”

Suddenly, I’m not just singing—I’m mentally staging a moment of suspense.

This is what writers do. We are never entirely off-duty.

Every Trip Becomes Research (Whether You Plan It or Not)

One of the biggest takeaways from that trip—and one that directly influenced Frank Abroad—is this:

Writers are always gathering material.

You don’t have to set out with the intention of writing a book.

You just have to:

• pay attention

• notice the details

• remember how things made you feel

Those impressions become:

• settings

• character reactions

• emotional beats

• plot possibilities

In other words, your life becomes your research library.

The Suitcase Comes Home… But the Story Stays

When we returned from Italy, my suitcase was just as full as when we left.

But my mind was fuller.

Full of:

• images

• conversations

• impressions

• emotions

Those eventually became Frank Abroad—a story that blends travel, mystery, and the experience of being out of your element.

Final Thoughts (and Packing Advice)

If you’re a writer and you’re planning a trip, here’s my advice:

• Bring a notebook

• Bring a pen

• Bring an open mind

And maybe… bring fewer shoes.

Because you’ll want room in that suitcase for all the story ideas you’ll be bringing home.

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If you’ve ever taken a trip that sparked a creative idea—or if you’ve had a travel mishap that later became a story—I’d love to hear about it.

And if you’re curious how my own Italian adventure turned into a mystery, you can check out Frank Abroad, available now.

— Don Massenzio