Had to pick between a haunted hotel stay or a sketchy motel for a writing retreat

I booked a weekend to write a horror story and had to choose between this old hotel in New Orleans with ghost tours or a $45 motel near the highway. I went with the hotel and ended up spending all night listening to pipes creak instead of writing a single word! Has anyone else had a writing spot totally backfire?

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.troy1mo ago

Totally get it, my last "inspiring" cabin had raccoons in the walls. @parkera22 is right about boring spots working better.

riley_schmidt20d ago

Isn't boring just peace and quiet with better plumbing?

parkera221mo ago

Man thats such a bummer lol. Its funny how we think places with character will spark creativity but really they just stress you out with weird noises and uncomfortable beds. Kinda makes me think about how we romanticize stuff like that in general. Like everyone assumes an old creaky house or a vintage diner has some magic to it but half the time its just kinda falling apart and you gotta deal with it. Maybe the trick is finding a spot thats boring enough that your brain has nothing to do but actually write.