This week: A Writing Retreat Edited by: Lilith of House Martell  
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"A writer's retreat is a pilgrimage to the sacred space within oneself,
where creativity flourishes".
~ unknown
"When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature."
~ Ernest Hemingway
"I was not going to use writing for advertising or journalism. I would tend bar, load trucks, chauffeur - do whatever it took. But from the moment I took my first writing workshop, I was a writer."
~ Dennis Lehane |
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Writing retreats can help writers live in the world of their story, have a positive effect on their writing, and make breakthroughs in their writing. Writing retreats can be held in person with a group or online; both encourage participants to concentrate on writing without distractions.
What happens if you don’t have the money to travel for a retreat or to pay for an online session? Have you considered creating your very own little getaway at home? This week we will discuss ways to do just that.
 Plan ahead. Give yourself a few days to get ready, both mentally and physically. Let the important people in your life know that you’re going to be holed up in your room/house all weekend and that they might not hear from you as regularly as they usually do.
Clear your schedule. Catch up on the chores and errands you can do ahead of time so you can focus on your writing instead of mentally updating that to-do list. If there’s something unavoidable on the days of your retreat, try to fit it into the least intrusive time possible.
Stock up on your favorite snacks and beverages. Do a grocery run the day before your retreat to replenish your favorites. Plan meals ahead of time and prep them so you don’t have to take huge cooking breaks if the writing is going really well. Some easy meals are pasta or soup in the slow-cooker.
Set goals. Depending on the number of days you are planning, there are a limited number of hours you’ll actually be working, so it’s important to know what you want to accomplish in that time frame. Do you want to finish drafting a short story or revise the last part of your book? Be as specific as possible, and break the goals up into smaller, more manageable chunks that you’ll tackle during each session you work. Try setting separate morning and afternoon goals for each day of your retreat.
Limit your time on social media sites. Decide what sites you want to ignore and figure out whether it would be best for you to cut back or block them entirely. The great thing about social media is that it’ll still be there waiting for you when you return after a very productive retreat.
Have an accountability buddy. Coordinate with a critique/writing partner (or a sibling, close friend, significant other, etc.) and find a time when you can call or text them with an update on your progress. Having someone else to cheerlead and celebrate your victories can be a wonderful source of motivation.
Take regular breaks. Stepping away from your desk can be really beneficial, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Try to schedule brief breaks every hour and longer breaks around meal times. Maybe taking a hot shower or walking around your neighborhood with some relaxing music will work for you, but find something that works for you.
Reward your progress. A break to be a mini reward. If think about something special to get at the end of the day or for reaching a specific goal. You’ve hopefully put in a lot of work and should celebrate your accomplishments. Treat yourself to whatever brings you joy, whether it's a bowl of ice cream or an episode of a TV show you love.
Have fun! Remember, at the end of the day, this is about setting aside time to give your craft everything you’ve got. Even if you didn’t do as much as you wanted, you’ve spent a lot of time focusing exclusively on creating art you love. That’s pretty amazing.
Reflect on your accomplishments. Evaluate how the retreat went, and plan for what you can improve next time. Make a game plan for how you’re going to continue when you’re back to your regular schedule. |
In case you need ideas or motivation,
some exciting things are going on around WdC!
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For Authors: March 06, 2024 Issue [#12442]
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