A lot of writers struggle to get their ideas on paper. They feel the urge to complete a novel or long nonfiction, but can’t seem to concentrate on it. The project calls to them when they’re in the midst of work and kids and plans, but when they sit down to write, they can’t escape the distractions. Through it all, the nagging little critic inside their head says, “Everybody knows you’re a failure.”
Successful writers sometimes describe their solution to this problem as the “butt in chair” approach. With dedication and discipline, they produce a certain amount every day. It takes time and effort to develop these writing muscles, however, and for the writer who didn’t get started at age 25, an extended writing retreat might be a way to jump-start the writing marathon.
What Is a Writing Retreat?
A writing retreat is simply the act of stepping away from everything else to put your focus on your writing. It can be a few minutes, or it can be weeks. It can take you to exotic locales or to your own kitchen table. Those successful writers who advocate the “butt in chair” approach often have set up their lives for a daily retreat to the writing zone: No distractions, no interruptions, nothing but the story
at hand.
Spend a Week Writing in the Zone
If you have a few days or a week, you can revolutionize your writing by getting away from your regular surroundings and focusing entirely on your book. You might be able to go to a quiet vacation spot. Rivers, mountains, oceans, deserts, small town or urban.
Another possibility is to spend some time immersed in your book’s locale. You’ll get a sense of the light, the smells and the sounds in a way that will make it much more real for you even after you get home.
You might be able to stay in a travel trailer, yurt (weather permitting), or resort rental. There are many places dedicated specifically for writers, with fellowships or sliding scales. Don’t be limited by what’s too close or too far away. Any change of setting can shake up your mind and get the writing to flow.
For a Budget Writing Retreat, Go with Friends
To share expenses and increase the productivity, get together with a critique group or some writer-friends to rent a vacation house. They can share expenses and meals, spending the bulk of their days in fruitful writing. It enforces your discipline to look up from your work and see someone else writing. Set a schedule, and make sure participants understand it beforehand. You don’t want to deal with the one person who’s expecting delightful days of uninterrupted small
talk.
A writers’ group I know spends a week at a historic beach house every summer. They provide their own breakfasts and lunches and set quiet times as 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. They take turns making dinner for everybody and gather around a big table where the pent-up talk flows freely. After dinner, they usually read to each other — from what they’re working on, from something else, whatever anyone wants to do.
Participants are amazed at how much they get done, and there’s still plenty of time for companionship.
Keep Running the Writing Marathon
When you come home, bring the writing habit with you. Use the same concept on a smaller scale to create mini-retreats to turn your burst of speed into a marathon.
(First published in Suite 101, April 30, 2010)