The Power of a Writer’s Retreat
Today is August 11, 2023 and about five minutes ago, I finished my third book!!!! Nearly three weeks ahead of schedule too.
How I did this is the topic of today’s post – the power of a writer’s retreat!
On and off for the past 20+ years, I’ve tried to go on retreat for a few days at least once a year. The longest I’ve been away was a week. I haven’t always been successful, especially when the kids were little because doing the mom thing doesn’t always lend itself to getting days off. I always return a bit more refreshed, less anxious and motivated to continue whatever.
At first, most of my stays were at local hotels less than an hour from home because you know, the mom thing and guilt and the what ifs – like God forbid there was a catastrophe and I wasn’t around!! Once I did venture across the country, toting the breast pump and all – yes, I got stares – and had a glorious time visiting a friend in Colorado. In the years since, I’m migrated to VRBO homes, bed and breakfasts (BnBs) and even monasteries for the true experience of a silent retreat.
This year, I decided to head to a BnB about 40 miles from me, The Inn at Westwynd Farm. This is a gorgeous horse farm/inn in the countryside near the “Sweetest Place on Earth” aka Hershey, PA. My stay was blessed and productive from the moment I arrived. So productive in fact that I nearly finished writing my book. I spent the whole day writing, writing and writing and when I looked up, it was nearly dinnertime.
Why is there so much power in a retreat? Well, for one, you are alone with no distractions, if you plan it right, that is. How did I minimize mine? I kept my phone locked away in my room while I worked in other areas of the BnB. I turned off notifications on my smartwatch. And most of all, I kept remembering the why behind attending this retreat. I was here to relax and write, not waste time endlessly checking emails and social media. I knew I had a finite time in which to accomplish my goals, so I just stuck my nose to the grindstone and did it.
Another reason this time away was so powerful is because I actually had time to just be and think. I had no real agenda other than to write. I had no desire to check out the numerous attractions around me. Of course, it helped that I’ve been to Hershey numerous times and have gone to those attractions. This space allowed me the freedom to focus on the direction for my writing life and personal life, and I came to a number of decisions that perhaps I’ll share in a future post.
If you’re looking to go on a retreat, especially if you’ve never been on one before, I will be doing a post next time on retreats, but in the meantime, here are some considerations:
· Think about your why. Why do you want to go? What do you hope to accomplish? Having a firm idea on your why and what will help you stick to your writing goals.
· Think about what type of retreat you’d like to attend. There are numerous kinds out there. It’s important to make a decision on this so you’re not disappointed later on.
· Think about your budget. If you’re low on cash, you have other options, such as doing a retreat from home. Or you can do a house swap with a writer friend perhaps. Again, more on this later.
· Think about where and when you’d like to go. Your decision is dependent upon your time, money and resources.
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And now an update on the book I just finished. It’s tentatively titled, Seeking God in My Grief: Prayers and Verses for the Journey. Over a year ago, I methodically went through my bible and found verses that I believed can be applied to the grief experience. I took those verses and wrote meditations, prayers and reflective questions. It’s kind of like one big grief devotional.
The next step in my process is to let the book marinate for a few months before I go back and do a read-through and edit. I will also be reaching out to a few trusted friends for feedback. Why do I do this? To give me perspective and space. Every time I do this, I return to the work with fresh eyes and I always end up making changes, sometimes significant ones.
While I’m letting this book rest, I will be thinking about how I want to approach my next project. On my retreat, I got some clarity on this. I don’t want to share much more as I’m still fleshing it out, but I can say that it will be another work of nonfiction.
Regarding my upcoming book, Writing Through Your Grief, I have not heard anything from the publisher about what production stage it is in. So, also during this break, I will be reaching out to her to see what’s up.
All in all, it will be a very exciting time for me! I can’t wait to share with you more news as it comes in. If you would like to reach out and let me know about your writing project, please feel free to email me at lori@loriapeterswriter.com.
Write & Rise!
