Writing is a lonely process. Every thought, every ounce of energy is funneled into a piece, whether it be a manuscript, blog, short story, article, etc. without regard to the outside world. It’s an internal affair that can last for weeks and months on end, doggedly searching for that perfect draft. Writers retreats are an excellent tool to combat the loneliness of the experience.
Writers Retreats
There are a variety of different methods to this. There are meetups with a writers group. These can be weekly, monthly, quarterly affairs but involve an intimate group of friends and colleagues. Writers retreats are of the same vein but tend to be more sporadic in schedule, maybe annually or semi-annually. Writers conferences, the third variety, are usually more general with events planned and speakers lined up in a motivational capacity rather than a workshop.
All have their benefits. Each gives a writer a nice break from the internal to refuel and recharge. Writers groups are nice because of their intimate setting with friends and the ability to dive deep into someone’s work to iron out the kinks.
Writers retreats offer the same, but since they aren’t as regular, there typically isn’t enough time to really dig into the meat of a manuscript as others need their time in the spotlight. These also come with more of a price tag, in most cases, as travel is required or accommodations for a larger group. Still, the friendly atmosphere is present and allows for some hearty discussions.
Writers conferences are costly to say the least. Ranging in the hundreds of dollars range, these involve travel, accommodations and almost always are in the heart of a bustling metropolis. There are advantages to conferences. Better opportunities to network with agents, editors and publishers. But the amount of prep time required and the limited scheduling for each component – workshop, speakers, interviews, pitching, etc. – tends to work against most people.
Digital resources
Welcome to the future, right?
Facebook groups are a new avenue to workshop your latest masterpiece. Dozens exist and provide a nice beta reader atmosphere to try out your story and see what connects and what falls flat.
Nanowrimo offers groups in their forums and can even open the door to local contacts. Another nice step toward reaching out and getting some feedback on your work.
For me, e-mail still works best. I haven’t been able to take full advantage of the process yet but next year I am hoping to open the door for everyone on my list to test out a new series and see what they think. I’m hoping it leads to some great conversation and a stronger work in the end.
The Importance of Writer’s Retreats
New perspectives.
That’s exactly why you should take advantage of one, if you’re lucky and able to, in your area. Even a local group found on Meetup.com or through Facebook might open the door to a new way of looking at your writing.
Readers bring their own lives to the work. This might steer them off the path you’ve laid out in your writing BUT it can improve your writing if they have the opportunity to ask questions. New questions you’ve never thought of or considered but never followed through.
Those are the key to improving your craft. New perspectives, new readers, new colleagues and contacts provide these questions and allow you to expand the tunnel vision you’ve developed for your month’s long endeavor.
My experience
I recently attended my first writer’s retreat in a decade. I loved it.
Now I’m not big on sharing. Part of my problem is that I enjoy treating everyone like a reader. I want everyone to come in fresh with the finished product so I can see their reaction to the twists and turns in each book. Even my wife (the poor soul) has to put up with this secrecy.
I shouldn’t.
It’s easy for me to see why I do it. To me, each book has a specific vision, an outline or a script, or a path I HAVE to take to reach a certain point. It doesn’t mean the journey has to be locked in stone. It doesn’t mean the people around me, the incredible writer’s I am able to call friends, can’t help shape that world.
Why the hell would I stop them from making it a better book, a better series?
This retreat reminded me of that. Each person asked questions, they poked holes in my logic (or lack thereof) and pushed me for answers. Being challenged to stand by your story shows you the weaker points. Places that need to be tweaked and upended in order to strengthen the overall narrative.
Doing it alone is great. Working with others, like-minded souls on a similar path, is a helluva lot better.
I want to thank the fine folks with K-Arts Collective for listening to my work. It is a project I can’t wait to dive into more next year. Their thoughts were invaluable and a wonderful motivator, for sure.
Thanks for reading.
