The Value in Retreating

         Writing retreats can be invaluable times for a writer. I know they are for me. A writing retreat is just that, a time to retreat from daily responsibilities and focus intensely on writing.

         The time you set aside for a retreat can be as little or as much as your lifestyle warrants. A single writer, with no pressing familial responsibilities could take advantage of an opportunity to spend six months or a year as a writer-in-residence. (A google search will give you plenty of leads for this kind of opportunity.) Most of us, me included, have family responsibilities that make that type of retreat impossible. We can achieve the same benefits, though, by carving out a few days, a week or two, or even just a couple of hours to focus completely and intently on our writing. (NaWriMo is a type of writing retreat, with an intense, all out focus to write a 50,000 word rough draft of a new novel.)

         Another benefit from a writing retreat, and one not really feasible in the frenzy of NaNo, is time to evaluate, assess and plan. Periodically I take a few hours or even a few days to consider what I am writing, what I want to write and any other goals or concerns about my writing. An almost weekly conference call with Kitty and Shonna is a type of retreat, with RFW the main focus and our projects secondary.

         The first time I considered a writing retreat was when Kitty invited me to join her. We chose to go to Las Vegas because it was centrally located and it was a place that would support our efforts to evaluate and improve our writing. Neither of us had any desire to gamble and very little interest in the attractions of the city. We went to see a light show one night and a movie another night, but the rest of the time we wrote, brainstormed or relaxed at the pool and otherwise recharged our creativity. It was the perfect combination of work, brainstorming and social time and I have been attempting to reproduce it ever since.

         So how do you provide yourself with a writing retreat? First decide if you need time alone or if you would benefit more by including one or more (not too many!) companions. I need one or two compatible friends. I think that’s why I haven’t been able to get as much out of my retreat times as that week with Kitty a few years ago.

         Next figure out how much time you want to (or can) take. Can you get away for a few days or a week? That’s probably ideal, but it might not be possible in your case. When Kitty and I went on our retreat, Shonna couldn’t join us in Las Vegas, but she joined us by phone every day for about an hour. If you can’t go away, decide where and how to carve out some extended time. Then guard it! When that time arrives, make sure you use it as planned. I know that was one of Kitty’s fears. She didn’t know if I would actually write or distract her from her writing goals. I think we were both pleased with the rhythm of work and play we established.

         What should you do on your retreat? That is completely up to you, but you should have a clear idea of what you plan to accomplish. (And make sure it’s realistic! You want to come back from the retreat enthused and energized.) Your retreat might be a time of evaluation and planning, with very little actual writing accomplished. Or you might focus only on writing, like in NaNoWriMo, or on editing and polishing a draft. Or maybe you want to brainstorm and create a new project. Whatever it is, have it clearly defined in your mind before your retreat. When you arrive at your retreat, whether it is in a faraway city or your kitchen patio, focus on that project.

         If your retreat is more than a few hours, make sure you map out a reasonable amount of work each day. Don’t try to do so much you exhaust yourself. Plan some fun time as a reward for accomplishing the smaller incremental steps to your larger goal. Let yourself relax. Sometimes your fun time can do double duty, like Kitty and I having a brainstorming session at the pool every morning, but don’t force it. The relaxing, seemingly unproductive times can recharge you as much as the intense work. Consider it “breathing in” (taking in creative entertainment, relaxing) and “breathing out” (producing something creative). You need to do both, in about equal portions.

         So when is YOUR next writing retreat?