Getting Away From It All by Jana Richards

I’m a firm believer that getting away from it all now and then is good for the soul. And I believe that when you’re a writer, it’s essential.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a writing retreat with four writing friends. From Friday afternoon till Monday at lunch, the only thing I had to think about was my writing. I had a wonderful time.

I’ve been going to St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, Saskatchewan for retreats and other writerly events for over thirty years now. They have a long-standing tradition of hosting guests, and have welcomed writing groups for many years. The accommodation is basic but comfortable. We get our own room with a twin bed and a desk, with shared bathroom facilities down the hall. This retreat, like most, we spent our days writing in our rooms, then gathered for meals and get-togethers in the evenings. One of my favorite parts of retreating is getting three meals a day that I don’t have to cook myself or clean up after.  

But the absolute best thing about being on a writing retreat is having nothing to do but write. It’s such a luxury to have the time to think about what I’m going to write, to plot stories and flesh out ideas. Sometimes at home there are so many distractions, and my head is so full of things I need to do, that it leaves little time to dream. 

Having time to dream was especially important this time. Usually when I go on retreat I try to be prepared. I come with a very clear picture of where I’m going with my work in progress and what I want to write. But this time I was beginning a brand-new story and I hadn’t fully plotted it out. I didn’t know exactly where I was going with it. The retreat gave me the time to come up with ideas. And being able to brainstorm with fellow writers helped immensely.  

This year five of us retreated together. Two were friends I’ve known for many years and two were brand new friends who recently joined our writing group. But after a very short time, it felt like we’d known each other forever. We plotted together, and we laughed. A lot. It felt very good. I can’t wait till the next retreat!