A Retreat, At Last by Jana Richards

At the end of June, I had the opportunity to go on a writing retreat with three of my writing friends. This retreat was a long time coming. I missed a retreat due to family commitments in the fall of 2019, and of course, a little thing called a global pandemic happened shortly after that. That meant I haven’t been on a retreat since June 2019. I can’t tell you how much I missed it, or how much I needed this retreat. 

St. Michael's Hall at St. Peter's Abbey, Muenster, Saskatchewan

 

Even though I’m now retired and I should be able to write at home all day long, it doesn’t work that way. There’s always something at home to distract me. Another load of wash, a meal to cook, the cats to feed. But a retreat away from home guarantees that for a short time, I can put aside any other responsibilities and simply write.

From Friday afternoon to Monday at noon, I had uninterrupted and mostly distraction-free writing time. What a treat! In the evenings and at meals the four of got together to catch up with each other’s lives. But the time in-between was devoted to writing.

Peaceful countryside walks

In many years of going on retreats, I’ve learned a few things about making the most of this precious time. Here’s some of my thoughts:

1. We had excellent wifi but I recommend staying away from social media while on retreat. Nothing sucks up writing time like scrolling through Facebook/insta/twitter/you-name-it.

2. This retreat was two full days and two half days. I would have liked three full days, but it wasn’t in the cards. But perhaps it’s just as well. I’ve been on longer retreats and sometimes I’ve been burned out after three full days. A long weekend usually works well for most writers. It’s enough time to accomplish something without getting tired and losing momentum.

3. Clear the decks as much as possible. By that I mean take care of other jobs ahead of time so that they don’t disrupt your writing. To be honest, I broke this rule on this retreat. Before I could start writing on Friday, I had to take care of some marketing business. Annoying, but it needed to be done. But as much as possible, devote this time solely to writing. It’s over before you know it, and you want to feel good about how much you’ve achieved.

4. Have a plan for your writing before you go on retreat. If you’re going to work on fleshing out your characters, bring a character sketch profile you can fill out or a list of questions you want to ask your character. If you’re going to edit an already written manuscript, make sure you have your feedback from beta readers or editors with you, either in paper form or as a document on your computer. Personally, I like to concentrate on adding new words to a work-in-progress when I go on retreat. It’s one of the only times I can truly immerse myself in the story I’m working on, and I find that so helpful for a new manuscript.

5. Don’t forget stuff! I speak from experience. I once drove all the way to a retreat only to discover when I got there that I had forgotten my laptop bag (with the laptop) at home! Luckily, I was able to borrow a computer. My point is, bring with you whatever you’re going to need to have a successful and frustration-free retreat.

6. Related to #5, bring whatever you’ll need to be comfortable and productive. For instance, on this retreat I brought a fan because it was warm, and I’m very glad I did. On other occasions, and other seasons, I’ve brought a portable electric heater. Slippers and warm socks are always great. You can’t write if you’re physically uncomfortable.

7. Make time to move. I made sure to go for a nice long walk each day. On other retreats I’ve brought my yoga mat and made sure to stretch it out. I believe exercise helps fuel my writing. I get some good ideas while I walk.

I recommend a retreat for any writer. I promise, you’ll come away energized and excited about the project you’re working on.