Writing Retreats by Joanna Roddy

Whidbey Island Writer's Refuge

I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, 
discover that I had not lived. 

-Henry David Thoreau from Walden

In my post back in July, I mentioned retreats as a helpful tool for writers, especially those (read: most of us) who have full-time responsibilities and day jobs. 

For my part, I've done several retreats, both solo and with other writers, and they have been so life-giving that I now try to do a few a year. Probably the crowning moment was last fall when I fulfilled a huge dream and retreated to a one room cabin in the woods for three days of complete solitude. But there are lots of other ways to find this kind of space and however you swing it, I really recommend adding this to the rhythm of your work.

A woodstove isn't required, but it's a plus.

Solo retreats

You can splurge for a cabin like I did, or wait for a friend to go out of town and offer to house-sit. The most productive thing you can do, really, is to get yourself in a place that you don't have to leave for a few days and can commit the entire time to writing. Here are some tips to make the most of your retreat:

-Do focus. From the moment you arrive, set your intention. Pray, journal, or meditate on your purpose for being there, what you hope to gain from it, and commit yourself fully to the time alone with your work.

-Do set goals. Whether you Pomodoro your way through with timed writes, set daily word goals for yourself, or make a checklist of scenes to finish, you need something to keep you moving forward. On my most productive weekend, I wrote 17,000 words in 3 days!

-Don't invite distraction. Turn off the internet and television. Don't bring a novel to read "in case you get stuck." Except for emergencies, only take calls from loved ones at a set time of the day and make yourself unavailable to anyone else.  Bring simple meals that won't require a lot of prep time. If you need to clear your head, do something that won't lead into a rabbit hole of youtube videos or wikipedia binges. Instead go for a 5 minute walk, do some yoga, or, if you must read, bring a book on craft that will get you excited to get back to the page.

-Do reward yourself. Whether you put stickers on a chart for every 1000 words or bring some worthy chocolate to celebrate making each day's goals, it's nice to have something to look forward to. I'm very motivated by food and I find little goals before each meal help too. 

Even if you don't perfectly execute your goals and expectations for the retreat, remember that every movement forward is progress. The only failure is if you give this time away to something else.

Camp Casey Retreat Center on Whidbey Island

Group retreats

I did a duo retreat with a writer friend and we split travel expenses, groceries, and a barn loft apartment for a writing getaway. Last fall, my writing group rented a large house at a retreat center for a weekend. This same group has also done simple day retreats that begin and end with meals together and have some combination of writing and reading our work to each other throughout the day. Regardless of the size of the group or the format, sharing this kind of sacred space can be so valuable (especially if the idea of a solo retreat intimidates you), but it also requires some structure. 

Dueling laptops

-Do set aside times that are for writing only. Pomodoro a series of small chunks or set aside whole segments of the day. Just remember you came to work and you need to support each other's time to write. If someone needs more time or needs to be alone, there should be a "writing is priority" rule and no guilt if they miss some group time. 

-Do gather again to share, critique, brainstorm, or even to read aloud from authors who inspire you. 

-Do bring earplugs/ headphones or other strategies to ward off distraction, especially if the weather will require you to share space indoors most of the time.

-Do plan at least some of your meals together. Rotate who cooks and cleans up so no single person does it all. 

-Don't travel too far away (I'd say not more than 3 hours drive) so the retreat stays accessible to busy schedules and you can maximize your time together.

Orcas Island, Washington

Residencies

Another option is to apply for residencies. Residencies allow writers and other artists to stay at a specific retreat center, institution, or artist accommodations for a specified period of time. Authors are usually chosen by application and a writing sample. Many residencies are subsidized so that travel and possibly food are the only expenses for the author, while others may have a cost for the stay. Look for writing retreat centers in your area, state and local programs that support artists through grants and residencies, and national residency programs. 

Recently Amtrak got a lot of attention for offering train travel residencies for American writers and received over 16,000 applications for 24 spots. But don't worry, not all residencies are that competitive and if you can carve out the time to go, why not apply?

And here are two posts full of great advice about retreating from Laini Taylor's blog: 

Writing Retreat Redux

Retreat Advice

I'm interested to know, how many of you have gone on writing retreats and what have you found helpful? 

*All photos taken by Joanna Roddy and are from retreats that I have taken!