DIY Writing Retreat Set-Up

I designed my week-long writing retreat to focus on three areas that are important to my personal development: writing, (revising my current WIP or “work in progress,” a horror novel in its sixth draft); learning, (reading and writing exercises from a workbook on writing horror); and reading comparative horror novels. I also included down time, exercise, and breaks for meals in my daily schedule. 

My hubby found an AirBnB we could retreat to and vowed to prepare my meals over the week-long retreat that coincided with my birthday, joining me and supporting what I was trying to do. 

Nourishing the Body 

No matter what writing space or position is most comfortable for your body, it’s important to remember to move around. Get up, stretch in place, change positions. The older I get, the harder it is to recover physically after being in a particular position for long stretches of time. I need to remind myself to sit comfortably and to move!

When I get into a groove while writing, I don’t want to get up and out of my chair to go to the bathroom, let alone prepare a meal. But I know that if I don’t feed and water my body, I won’t be able to work at my peak level of performance no matter what I’m doing. 

I scheduled three meals a day during my retreat, and when I took those breaks, I moved to the dining table. I didn’t panic thinking I was infringing on my writing practice, because those breaks were accounted for in my schedule.  

If you’re lucky to have a significant other who is willing to prepare your meals, I can now say from experience that it’s wonderful. Especially if they’re a good cook. But even if you’re on your own, don’t skip feeding the body! Do some preparation ahead of time. Order in. Bring prepared meals you can microwave. Utilize restaurants or grocery stores nearby. Whatever you decide, just schedule enough time in your day to limit anxiety and maximize the time for your writing practice. 

One other note about setting up your space. It’s nice to get away, but staying at home you know what you’re in for. Our AirBnB was a place we’d never been to before, more rustic than expected, and with some surprises we were well-prepared for. The anxiety that arose from being in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable place was not helpful. Which leads me to the next point. The importance of sleep to nourish the body. 

One of my birthday wishes was to have my cat with me during my retreat. I miss him when I travel. Unfortunately, during this retreat, I learned that he is NOT well suited for travel. He spent nights crying, pacing, and running over the top of me while I was trying to sleep. One of the unwelcome surprises at the retreat location was the serious rodent action that drove our cat crazy. By day two, I was suffering from sleep deprivation. That led to napping during the day, screwing up my schedule. 

Nourishing the Mind 

I’d designed my retreat to get the maximum amount of work done on my writing practice. I operate well within a schedule. I like routine. It was a good lesson that even the best laid plans can go sideways. Some deviations are outside our ability to control. Just as in life, in our writing practice, we must be aware and ready to accept these changes, and not let it mess with our heads, or move us away from our goals. 

The week of my DIY retreat, some of the worst storms in Californian history took place. There was torrential rain. There was flash-flooding. Gale force winds whipped trees out the ground. And there I was, hunkered down in a cabin in the woods, in the mountains, with an anxious cat, but we were fine.

Until the roof started leaking. 

Then the power went out. 

After a day without power, the caretakers provided us with a generator and a camp stove to cook on. I could recharge my laptop, cell phones, and power one lamp. I continued working. But by then, I was sleep deprived from cat and rodent shenanigans at night, dealing with a tarp-covered roof to keep the rain out, and the bricks that held the tarp down kept flying up and landing hard on the already compromised roof . . .

Then the scratching began. 

High up on a wall with a weird little door, too high for even a ladder to reach.

As a horror writer, it was inspirational. As for the retreat, it was not as motivating as I had planned.

I forged on, pivoted and shimmied my way along. I read about writing during the day and did my writing by hand when the laptop ran out of juice. I kept reading horror novels to regain some inspiration and wrote about my cabin experience. I tried to be kind and understanding to myself and took a nap when I needed one. Sure, my schedule went kerflooey, but I adapted and pressed on with my original goals, reminding myself that adversity builds strength for living life to the fullest.   

Nourishing the Soul

The real lesson? This DIY writing retreat was my doing. I planned it, and my experience and take-aways were ultimately up to me and me alone. When things didn’t work out according to the all-mighty schedule, there was no need for blaming or shaming myself, because I’d done the best I could to plan for what I wanted to accomplish. NOT everything that might happen. When one’s DIY retreat schedule goes topsy-turvy (some aspect almost always will), just go with it. Ride it out. Or change it. Or end it altogether if you’re not getting what you want out of the experience. 

On the next to the last day of our rodent-infested, cabin-in-the-woods, in-the-soggy-mountains experience, the sun returned, and the rain and the wind stopped raging. I was looking forward to having a “normal” day, with power for my laptop, and the afternoon walks I’d scheduled and missed because of the inclement weather. My husband looked at me and said, “we could leave today, if you want to.” I blurted out, “yes! Please!” feeling a rush of relief like never before or since.

It hadn’t even occurred to me until that moment that I could leave. I was planning to tough it out until the bitter end, by golly. It was a wonderful feeling knowing it was okay to head home, to end my DIY retreat a day early, get our cat back to his comfort zone and finish my retreat with maybe a day of horror movies on TV and a good night’s sleep. We immediately started packing up the car and the cat and got the heck out of there.

It’s okay to give yourself what you need to nourish your soul. Leave the retreat or take a day off from your writing practice if you need to. Do some yoga, meditate, listen to music to give yourself a break and to wind down from daily living, or just your writing time. It’s all good. Yoga is soul-nurturing for me, but it was hard for me to focus on my yoga practice while I was at the cabin. I was freaked out and on my guard most of the time. I listened to music, meditated, and ultimately departed the cabin completely. I lived well and wrote later.

Putting the Writing Retreat Experience all Together

What did I learn from my retreat experience? I learned a lot about what I want in my regular writing practice. I love putting words on the page. Making time for writing isn’t hard for me. What I discovered was that learning about writing motivates me. I was also inspired by reading books written by authors in my genre. Most of all, I learned to give myself some space. To feel free to fail. To remember to fill my body, my mind, and my soul so that I can keep doing what I love, what I need (I can’t not write, it’s in my blood).

My writing cup is now spilling over, and a full cup has plenty to go around. So, stay tuned!

A.H. Plotts writes and watches horror and dark sci-fi stories. She also likes playing in her garden, catching the waves, and eating delicious food on the California coast. Find her rantings all about it at www.ahplottsthecoast.com.

You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The post My DIY Writing Retreat: What it Taught Me about My Writing Practice appeared first on DIY MFA.

I recently went on a trip to Manchester, Vermont, where the leaves were changing, the air was crisp, and I got to ride a horse for the first time in years. I went with a friend who also happens to be a writer. We’ve gone on writing retreats together in the past. When we were planning our excursion, we had a discussion about whether or not to treat this trip as a writing retreat. We decided not to. In fact, we made a conscious decision to forgo writing for a few days, and focus on just being. Slowing down. Enjoying the moment.

Spoiler alert: it was amazing. But taking an actual vacation for the first time in years made me realize something–rest is good for my writing. Taking a break is good for my writing. Filling the well is good for my writing. And it’s also good for, well, me. This may seem obvious, but it’s a hard truth for me to put into practice. I’m guessing it is for other writers as well.

Perpetually Plugged In

Writing is an all-encompassing occupation. In some sense, writers are never not writing in some form or fashion. When we’re not actually at our desks, our minds are still percolating, still filing away, still working on our stories. Inspiration can come at a moment’s notice. Most writers I know at the least have a notes app on their phones, or a notebook and pen handy. And because most of us write on top of social obligations, jobs and other hobbies, we’re fitting writing in at odd times, waking up early or staying up late.

This is true of many jobs now, too. With smartphones and email, we can be working essentially around the clock. We never really “turn off.” Social media–especially if we’re trying to use it to build a platform–can exacerbate this. We’re never really at rest. And it eeks away at our ability to concentrate. I recently read an article that postulates that attention–the ability to concentrate on one task for an extended period of time–is becoming a competitive asset. The benefits of it are well-documented, but it’s a skill that–thanks to smart phones–fewer and fewer people are capable of cultivating.

One of the reasons I think I love writing retreats is because they allow me to truly unplug, something I don’t do in my day to day life. I’m able to sink into that deep work space and concentrate for hours. It’s invigorating and encouraging, rather than draining.

I’ve recently been trying to find ways to build these habits–rest, and intense concentration–into my daily, weekly and monthly routines. Here are a few things that have worked particularly well.

1) Create an Un-Plugged Space

One piece of advice I see quite often is scheduling time away from social media, the internet or email. In some ways, this is good advice. It means we’re scheduling concentrated time, whether we’re using it for writing, reading, entertainment or work. However, it also assumes that our default state is to be online, to be connected, to be responsive to everything from emails and text messages to Facebook notifications and Twitter updates.This is a recipe for stress, scattered thinking and reactiveness. We’re not members of the Borg. We’re humans. And, maybe, rather than letting information come to us, we should be the ones who come to it, when we’re in a state of mind to consume it.

Think about it: when I open a book, I am making a conscious decision to interact with a certain author, a certain set of characters, and a certain type of story. I know what I’m getting into. Likewise, when I open a document on my computer to start writing, I know that I’m entering a certain type of work. I’ve signed up for it. But when I log onto Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, even email, I’m choosing to let other people create content that can influence everything from my mood to the next product I buy. I’m stepping into a flow of information I cannot control. Is that really where I want to spend the majority of my time?

It isn’t. But of course, during the work day most of us need to stay connected. But there is one thing that I’ve found that really helps with building in a habit of rest and retreat into my day: I made my room a no-internet zone.

Just the simple act of deciding that I was going to not check my phone or have the internet on in my bedroom makes walking into it an immediate relief. This is a place where I can read, write or just relax without having to worry about what’s in my inbox. Of course, there’s going to sometimes be times when I can’t stick to this rule, but for the most part, it’s hard and fast. It makes my room a place of rest and retreat. It’s almost like when I come home, I go into vacation mode. Or, at the very least, I’ve unplugged.

2) Maximize the Morning

Not everyone is a morning person– it’s definitely not my default. But the morning is the ideal time to carve out rest and retreat time in the day. It’s time I’m in command of, before the workday and other people start making demands on my time and attention. Until recently, I’ve filled every minute of my morning, so that it’s as productive as possible. My phone is off, my alarm is set, and the minute I get out of bed every second is precious. That’s my writing time, and nothing messes with it.

But I’m now trying to build rest into my morning, as well as intense concentration. I have found carving out even just fifteen minutes to do something restorative — whether it’s a quick yoga video, meditating or praying, reading a book or just staring out the window — can make my whole day feel a little less hectic. Building this type of rest into my day as well –whether it’s a walk around the block, or sitting on a park bench reading for twenty minutes at lunch–makes a huge difference.

3) Prioritize an Evening Routine

Another key to building rest into our days is, of course, actual rest. As in sleeping.  While of course we’re all getting some amount of sleep (hey zombies!), we might not be setting ourselves up for the best night’s sleep by checking our phones, Netflix-binging, or even writing in the hour before bed.

I used to write right up until I crashed. But now, I’m trying to set aside half an hour to an hour to just sit and read before bed. I use a soft lamp. I’m in my room, so my phone’s off, and I dedicate that time to winding down. Sometimes a cup of tea helps I sleep better and I’m ready to write come the morning.

4) Plan for Days Off

Writing is work, but it’s also fun work, and it’s work most of us are doing on top of jobs and other obligations. So, it often gets left to the weekend. This, in turn, means no weekend. I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely had months where I look up and realize that, between writing and work, I haven’t taken a single day off. It’s easy to do,  but the cost is high. Even with little breaks during the day, we need to take extended time off to be productive and happy.

Take a look at your calendar, and make sure that you’ve scheduled at least a few days off–really off, as in no writing or work off–a month. Go for a hike. Spend a day with a friend. I’ve even planned reading days. That time away from the computer will help you be more productive when you return to it.

On the other hand, you can also schedule mini-writing retreats. Even if it’s just for half a day at a coffee shop, building in intensive writing time will help build those concentration muscles. Then, when you only have an hour or half an hour to write, you’re ready to dive in and be fully present.

What about you? Do you schedule rest and retreats into your writing life? If so, what are your tips and tricks?

The post Building Rest and Retreats into Your Writing Routine appeared first on DIY MFA.

Want to know more about the Iceland Writers Retreat (IWR)? Here are five reasons why I enjoyed it so much – and why you might want to go in 2018.

1) A Wide Variety of Workshops, Led by Internationally Acclaimed Writers

Whether you write novels or shorter pieces, fiction or nonfiction, you’ll find all kinds of writing workshops at IWR. This year’s offerings balanced technique-strengthening (point of view, characters, research, etc.) with exploratory classes on topics like empathy, slang and dialect, and family narratives. Each attendee took five 2-hour, small-group workshops that blended instructor-led discussions with in-class writing exercises and, in some cases, pre-retreat assignments. My two personal favorites were Esi Edugyan’s “Writers on Artists,” where we practiced the objective and subjective aspects of writing about visual arts, music, and other creative mediums; and Nadifa Mohamed’s “Music and Literature,” where we delved into the influence that music can have on our writing.

Speaking of the instructors: This year’s faculty was impressive long before the workshops were announced. Besides Edugyan and Mohamed, it featured Bret Anthony Johnston, Madeline Thien, Chris Cleave, Meg Wolitzer, and several others. And with the list of past faculty including Barbara Kingsolver, Cheryl Strayed, and staff writers from The New Yorker and National Geographic, it’s clear that IWR’s organizers are intent on bringing high-quality instructors to their event.

2) It’s Smaller Yet More Global Than Most Writing Conferences

Before IWR, I had attended Writer’s Digest Conference in NYC twice and Muse & The Marketplace in Boston once. Both events draw hundreds of writers annually from across the United States, with a handful from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. This year’s Iceland Writers Retreat, on the other hand, hosted over 100 writers from North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific. It’s therefore more global yet more intimate, giving attendees the chance to broaden their worldview while really getting to know their fellow writers. I mean, how often do you have the chance to have dinner with writers from Brazil and Kenya? (I also met a writer who lives about 30 minutes away from me. Go figure!)

3) Excursions in Reykjavik and the Icelandic Countryside

IWR’s “home base” was a hotel within 20-minutes walking distance (or a short taxi ride) from downtown Reykjavik. This made excursions into Iceland’s capital city very convenient. Writers could visit the museums, restaurants, coffee shops, and other attractions in their spare time. And as part of the retreat, we were invited to take a “literary walking tour” of Reykjavik and attend receptions at Reykjavik City Hall, the Whales of Iceland Museum, and even the presidential residence of Bessastaðir. (Fun fact: Eliza Reid, a Canadian-born writer and one of the retreat’s founders, is the wife of Iceland’s current president, Guðni Jóhannesson.)

Another highlight was our choice of two full-day countryside tours. I opted for the Literary Borgarfjörður tour, which shed light on Iceland’s literary roots with visits to the homes of late Nobel Prize winning author Halldór Laxness and 13^th century writer Snorri Sturluson (who authored the Prose Edda and the Heimskringla, two of Iceland’s most important historical texts). We also went to the War and Peace Museum, the waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, and the hot spring Deildartunguhver. Other attendees went on the popular Golden Circle tour, which included stops at the Geysir geothermals, the waterfall Gullfoss, and Þingvellir National Park.

4) Immersion in Iceland’s History and Culture

When you attend the Iceland Writers Retreat, you aren’t just a writer. You’re also a tourist. And even with the full schedule, participants had lots of time to soak up Iceland’s rich history and unique culture. Reykjavik is home to several art galleries and museums, from the Northern Lights Exhibition to the National Museum of Iceland. The history geek in me especially loved spending 2 hours at the latter’s “Making of a Nation” exhibit, a comprehensive look at Iceland’s heritage and history dating back to the 800s. And the FOOD. Whether you love lamb, seafood, or vegetarian dishes, or have a sweet tooth for kleinur (twisted donuts) or skyr (Icelandic yogurt), you’ll have no trouble finding new dishes to try during your stay.

Let’s not forget about the language, either. Icelandic might be challenging for English speakers to learn because of its diphthongs and certain vowels pronunciations, but it’s fluid and intricate, like listening to one of the country’s waterfalls. I studied basic Icelandic phrases before my trip; and while the only one I used was takk (“thank you”), it still deepened my appreciation for a language that’s actually closer to Old Norse than modern Norwegian or Swedish, despite having the same origins.

5) The Camaraderie and Shared Understanding Between Writers

There’s something magical about attending writing retreats and conferences. Everyone who’s there has something essential in common: a passion for writing. Our backgrounds, preferred genres, and intended paths might differ. Yet that one intrinsic commonality makes it easier for writers to open up to each other and to support one another in our creative endeavors. No wonder I heard my fellow attendees say “It’s so good to be with other writers” or “I feel like I can truly be myself, even though I’ve just met you” over and over again. And I felt very much the same way.

I could go on about other reasons why I loved the Iceland Writers Retreat. But the point is, I came home from this trip inspired, clear-headed, and ready to return to writing after a month where my confidence in my craft had pretty much shattered. And for that, I am profoundly grateful for the IWR experience… and I’m already considering going back in the future. Maybe I’ll see you there?

Have you attended a writing retreat or conference outside your home state or country? If so, which one(s)?

Sara Letourneau is a fantasy writer in Massachusetts who devours good books, loves all kinds of music, and drinks too much tea. In addition to writing for DIY MFA, she is a Resident Writing Coach at Writers Helping Writers and is hard at work on a YA fantasy novel. She also freelanced as a tea reviewer and music journalist in the past. Her poetry has appeared in The Curry Arts Journal, Soul-Lit, The Eunoia Review, Underground Voices, and two print anthologies. Visit Sara at her personal blog, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The post #5onFri: Five Reasons to Attend the Iceland Writers Retreat appeared first on DIY MFA.

1) Set Goals

Research has shown that visualization is a powerful tool for achieving a goal. Before you begin your retreat, take a few minutes to think about what you want to accomplish, and also what’s realistic. Ask yourself what you’d like to have done at the end of this retreat. Set concrete, ambitious but achievable goals and then picture yourself attaining them. It will put you in the right headspace for getting sh*t done!

2) Be Forgiving On the First Day

A lot of times, when I start a writing retreat, I’m actually exhausted. Generally, that’s why I need to go on one in the first place! Work has gotten super busy. Life is hectic. I haven’t had a weekend in forever to really just sit down and write. So, I’m not usually starting the retreat with a lot of momentum already established. It can be hard to go from writing on my phone while standing on the subway to butt-in-chair for eight hours straight. So, if you’re having trouble on the first day really getting into the groove of writing, try to go a little easier on yourself. Break up writing time with other useful activities like going for a walk, stretching or brewing a second cup of coffee. You’ll be at full-speed in no time.

3) Create Ambiance

Whether you’re in a cabin in the woods, a work conference room, your home office or a hotel room, setting up the space for writing can help you put words on the page. A few things that I have found useful for creating a writing atmosphere include lighting a candle, loading up a writing playlist or favorite movie soundtrack, shutting the door, opening the window, bringing a few little desk decorations that remind me of my book and setting out a bouquet of flowers. Oh, and turning off the internet and putting my phone away!

4) Dress for Your Success

I know plenty of writers who prefer to stay in their pajamas all day when on deadline. I’ve found that putting together an outfit– even if it’s just jeans and a sweatshirt—and doing my hair and makeup makes me feel more put together and ready to work. When prepping for your writing retreat, ask yourself what dressing for success looks like for you, and pack accordingly!

5) Take Breaks – Including Sleep!

Marathon writing sounds awesome, but it’s not usually sustainable. If you’re writing for eight, ten or fourteen hours a day, it’s important to get away from your desk at least for little breaks. Getting up to go for a walk, and letting your eyes rest away from the computer’s glare will make the time in front of it more productive. It’s a chance to recharge, re-focus and be ready to go in the morning . . . maybe with a cup of coffee

What do you do to make the most of a writing retreat? Let me know in the comments, or on social media, using the hashtag #5OnFri!

The post 5onFri: Five Tips for Making the Most of a Writing Retreat appeared first on DIY MFA.

I just returned from 32^nd Washington Romance Writers’ Retreat. In the Company of Writers was the title of the event.  In the company of family was more like it.

I don’t know what it is about writers. Maybe at our core we just have the same dreams, the same goals, the same struggles. But it always feels effortless to connect. People are warm, gracious, and welcoming. And the Washington Romance Writers’ retreat was no different.

As I packed my bags for Westminster Maryland, I wondered how a writers’ retreat compared to a writers’ conference.  I never attended a retreat before. The schedule showed workshops, agent/ editor panels, and pitch opportunities, just like a conference. So what was the difference?

At the WRW retreat the difference was the vibe– friendly people, relaxed atmosphere. Here are the five things the retreat helps atendees accomplish:

1) Build a Community

The newcomer orientation from author Lisa Dyson and the inspirational send off from author Angele McQuade were great bookends for a conference that valued community. Even the keynote speakers, who often seem absent from conference events, participated in the retreat-related activities. No pretentious nametags distinguished between the pre-published and published. If I weren’t already a member of the chapter, I would have joined in order to see these amazing people again.

2) Hone Your Craft

Classes and on-the-spot critiques were available.  Craft lessons taught by NYT bestselling author Sarah McLean, and sessions by former Harlequin Editor Mary-Theresa Hussey focused on ways we could improve our writing. The American Author Panel offered great feedback as well. Attendees had an opportunity to submit the first pages of their WIP (up to 250 words) for an anonymous read in front of an agent/ editor panel. On the spot critiques were provided. I learned a lot not only from the feedback on my submission, but also from feedback on the pages of others. Some participants even received submission requests.

3) Focus on Your Career

Small town contemporaries are waning, romantic suspense is on an upswing, paranormal is on a down swing, and dark heroes are popular. Sales statistics were bandied about. One interesting factoid that was shared: if a reader likes an author’s first book and it is part of a series, they are 65% more likely to buy the second book, and 80% more likely to buy the third.

4) Work in Comfort

Everything conference participants needed was at the facility: meals, rooms, events were all covered in the conference fee.  There was even a refrigerator in the room. If you are thinking about attending next year, register early if you want a single room. The facility is small, and the conference fills it completely. Only a few single rooms are available.  If you register late, the conference organizer will pair you with a roommate.  Have a friend who wants to attend too?  The conference organizer will make sure you are assigned the same room. Interested in slipping away for a massage or morning yoga?  Both are offered. And the morning Yoga is free.

5) Engage in a Little Craziness

What is a romance retreat without a little ‘crazy’? Saturday night participants dressed up in their favorite twenties regalia, formed teams, and played romance jeopardy.  The questions weren’t all literary in nature. Anything related to the twenties was fair game. People sang, they paraded, and danced to get points. And the only rule was that the game was not fair. First time conference-goers were encouraged to participate too. Thinking about attending? Dust off that old bridesmaid’s dress, ladies. Next year’s CRAZY theme has already been announced: Weddings.

Have you attended a writers’ retreat? What was the most memorable experience for you?

Stacy Woodson is an Army Special Operations veteran and mother of two. She writes suspense and loves a good conspiracy. On the weekends, you can find her in a local coffee shop plotting her next story.

The post The Five C’s of the Washington Romance Writers’ Retreat appeared first on DIY MFA.

Back in June, I went on my first mini writing retreat right here in my hometown of New York City. I didn’t go far from home–just a couple of miles–but I left the house, went to a hotel and spent about 24 hours immersed in my writing.

In those 24 hours I managed to knock out around 7000 words of the manuscript I’ve been working on. To give you some perspective, on a good week at home I’m happy if I get 4,000 words. That’s in a whole week! I discovered I could hammer out almost double the number of words in a 24-hour writing retreat than I do on a regular week at home. What a huge return on investment! This writing retreat taught me that occasionally putting my life on hold and immersing myself in my writing (even if just for a little while) can have a huge impact on my manuscript. Especially since my first deadline is only a few weeks away.

In this episode, I share some tips so you can create your own mini writing retreat.

How to Create Your Own Mini Writing Retreat

1) Book a hotel.

Until I booked the hotel and actually put the date on the calendar, my mini writing retreat was just a nice idea. Once the hotel was booked, it was a reality. Make sure you find something that is comfortable enough that you could spend lots of time writing there, but not so comfortable that you don’t get anything done.

2) Pack thoroughly.

Even though you’re only going for 1-2 days, packing can be complicated. Basically, bring everything you think you might need and more. You never know what you might wish you’d brought and you want to make sure you make it as easy as possible for you to focus on writing. Bring back ups of your writing, and multiple ways to back it up once you’re done. Bring your chargers (all of them). Print out your outline and anything else you think you might want in hard copy while you’re working. Headphones and snacks are a must.

3) It’s all about early check-in and late check-out.

To give yourself the most time possible to write, see if you can get an early check-in and late check-out at the hotel you’re staying at. Most places are happy to oblige if you give them enough advance notice. Make friends with the concierge, too. You’d be surprised what you can get with very little trouble if you only ask. Bottom line, though, give yourself as much time to write as you can! That’s what this little retreat is for, after all.

4) Make yourself a retreat schedule.

As soon as you check into the hotel, take yourself out for coffee and create a schedule of every minute you’ll be on this retreat, and then stick to it! My schedule included 1-2 hour blocks of writing. In between each writing block I would schedule either a nice walk, a meal, or bedtime. I scheduled time to write in different locations (the hotel lounge, the nearby coffee shop, the hotel room, etc.) because changing scenery helped me recharge.

Remember to make the schedule reasonable, but also challenging so you get the most out of your time. And the stick to it. When it’s time for a break, stop and take your break. When it’s time to write, turn off the internet and write. (In fact, I strongly advise not getting the hotel WiFi password.)

5) Keep a log. Then take stock

During my retreat, I also logged how long I wrote during each session and how many words I produced. Then, being the Type A person I am, I calculated my words-per-hour (WPH) pace. This gave me some interesting insights about my writing habits and patterns. For instance, I discovered that my best writing time was from 8-10:30pm. During that session I hammered out almost 2500 words, giving me a 973 WPH pace. My early morning session, on the other hand, only gave me a measly 440 WPH pace but that rate kicked back up to the 800’s by lunchtime.

If I didn’t keep a log and track my writing patterns, I’d have no idea of what was working. Now I know that even though I would love to be a morning person, I can’t string words together in any coherent way until the morning hours hit double-digits. This means I’ll be rejigging my writing habits and scheduling more afternoon and evening blocks.

Also, now that I know what I can expect of myself on a writing retreat, I can use the iteration method to improve on my results for next time. This time I wrote 7000 words, so next time I’ll raise that goal by 10% and shoot for 7700. Finally, make sure you take stock of what you’ve done when your retreat ends. It’s important to celebrate your wins (both big and small) and challenge yourself to do better next time.

Have you done a writing retreat?

If so, what was it like? How did it go for you? Do you have any tips or insights? I’d love to hear about your experiences so please share them in the comments.

Thanks for letting me share with you about my first writing retreat. If you’re interested in seeing some pictures , check out the DIY MFA Instagram account for images of my writing retreat as well as other writing related images.

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 50: How to Create Your Own Mini Writing Retreat appeared first on DIY MFA.