Friday, February 21, 2014

Top Five Reasons to go on a Writing Retreat


My writing group recently returned from our third or fourth retreat. We go twice a year, once in the summer months and once in the winter. Every time we do this I return home rejuvenated and excited about my writing.....I strongly encourage everyone to find a way to go on a retreat at least once! Once you start, you'll be hooked!



 Why are retreats a great idea?



  • Sometimes we all just need a break from routine.  Whether our routine is sitting in the local Starbucks or writing at the kitchen table, getting away can spark new ideas. 
  •    On a retreat you do not have chores calling to you from every corner of the house. Yes, you might need to cook or load the dishwasher (if you choose to eat in) but you won’t be tempted to vacuum the house, do laundry, or clean the rain gutters. At least, I hope you won’t!
  •  Most of us don’t have unlimited hours to devote to writing. We have day jobs, household tasks, family members who need us, and dogs who need to be walked. Going on a retreat presents us with many open hours and compels us to fill them with writing. After all, isn’t that the purpose of the retreat?
  •   If you go with writing buddies (strongly encouraged) you have a built in support system. Whether you want to whine, write, or celebrate, you have partners who will do so with you. And if your buddies are also critique partners, all the better.
  •   And finally, the word “retreat” has quite a few meanings. As a noun it is a place of refuge, privacy, or seclusion. As a verb, it can mean to “treat again”. What better gift for a writer than to treat yourself to a private time for writing? 

View from the deck at our rental home....La Conner, Washington


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