We’re headed into warmer months, when writers of all stripes take vacations, research trips and attend conferences or retreats.

Writing Tip for Today: What are some tips for writing while traveling?

Organize Your Gear

If you write while away from home, you’ll want to organize your equipment. Be sure that you pack a laptop or tablet and add the power cords for charging. If you are able, a smaller laptop might be less to tote than a 24-inch screen. If you use a case, be sure it’s easy to open if you need to go through airport security.

Thumb drives are a great way to transport your work. Label them so you know what each contains. Or, you could get different ones and color code them. If something bad happens to your computer during travel, your work will still be safe on a thumb or flash drive (USB). Put your most important one on a lanyard and wear it—these things aren’t very big and could easily be lost.

Don’t forget dongles, mouse, or other accessories. If you will be giving a presentation, be sure your equipment is compatible with most HDMI input cables. Ask in advance what the set-up will be—items such as projectors or screens should be available if you’re a presenter.

Prioritize Your Time

If you’re going to a conference, plan your time using the conference offerings. Decide how many pitch sessions with agents, instructional classes or other activities you can sign up for. If you’re hoping to do actual writing while at the conference, block out time to get away by yourself to write.

If you’re researching, a program such as Scrivener might help you stay organized and be easily located later when you need the information. One of the cool things about this program is that you can also keep photos, whole documents and notes at your fingertips. Keep a journal for ideas, taking notes or documenting interviews.

One caveat: Scrivener takes time to learn. I don’t recommend writers download it just as they travel. Instead, get familiar with it a few months before your actual trip. By downloading a program like this one, you can retrieve all the necessary information while you’re sipping a drink on the sidewalk of Paris—or in my case, at a Starbucks in Seattle. Be realistic though–lower your expections around word count production.

If you plan to write while you travel, be organized, plan ahead and pack wisely.

Prepare Your Packing

Many writers who attend summer conferences leave room in their suitcases for purchases of books or materials at the event. With airlines charging fees for bags, a lot of us try to go as light as possible. Invest in the best carry-on you can, and bring a tote or backpack to sit with you in flight.

If you’re driving, you could bring more stuff, but more stuff equals more work. If you bring books to sell, get a sturdy tote box instead of relying on the wilted cardboard box the books came in. Keep your promotional items such as bookmarks or signs with the books they feature, to make unpacking a breeze.

Traveling takes a toll on our bodies, You’re in an unfamiliar environment, so writing may seem more daunting. If you’re traveling with children, you’ll need to plan activities for them so that you can squeeze in that word count. Traveling and writing need not be a disaster if you organize, plan and readjust your expectations.