In Retreat...

No, I'm not advocating quitting writing, I thought I'd talk today about writer's retreats and the need to refill your inner well. For some reason winter (even though winter here is not particularly winter-ish) fills me with a desire to find a quiet cabin somewhere or a place on the seaside, preferably somewhere that is beautiful, isolated and free of bears and mountain lions. (I don't ask for much, do I?)

Of course, the problem with most retreats is that they are targeted to the "serious" author, i.e. the literary writer. Popular fiction authors need not apply. I'm not really bitter. I can't imagine finding fellowship with people whose writing is the polar opposite of mine. I just wish we popfic-ers had some options for retreats, that's all.

Now, when I picture a retreat, it is a place of beauty, peace quiet and like-minded people. A place where I can get support, but also be alone when I need to. A place to write without the distractions and imperatives of my real life, like not forgetting to pay bills, a place where I only do my own laundry. (grin)

I can trace this longing back to a particular moment in time, though I don't have an exact date. It was when I read Anne Morrow Lindberg's Gifts from the Sea. The book is about her retreat to a seaside cottage and a time to reflect on her life. It's a small book, but one I still pull out when my life seems out of balance. The book I pull out when I can't retreat from my real life.

As writers, we have to do a lot of stuff, much of it not actually writing. It is important to take a step back and ask yourself, am I keeping my creative well filled so that when I have the time, when the moment is right, that I am able to put words onto paper? Because if you're not writing, then all the other stuff is just sound and fury and flailing about.

If you let any part of the peripheral of writing overshadow the actual writing, then your writing life isn't in balance. Sometimes that means cutting out the "tremendous triffles" that litter your daily path. Sometimes that means giving in to the tremendous imperatives that are part of living in the real world. But it also means realizing which are trifles and which aren't.

You won't be perfect at this, but if you thinking about it and assessing it, and taking steps back when it's not clear where you are, then you're probably 80% hitting your target and that's not bad. At least you're not giving up. :-)

If you're interested in finding "real" writers retreats, do a search on the term. You'll be surprised what you find. If you can afford it, just find a cabin or go to a hotel room. If you can't afford it, don't forget your great imagination. Mental retreat is better than nothing. Just don't forget to come back and get back to work. :-)
Perilously yours,
Pauline