TIME AWAY...
I just spent a glorious few days away with a writerly bunch of folks. My writing group and I headed off to Sorrento for a writing retreat.
It was a very typical wintry few days. We had wild winds (branches down and lights flickering), rain, lots of rain, very cold, hail, and more rain.
But there were moments when the rain settled to a drizzle or an almost stop and we ventured out.
The writing retreat is never a straight forward - go to your corners and write. NOW!
There is the settling in period, the which room is yours, what's for dinner, how have you been etc but then there are the discussions.
About life in general, but more specifically the writerly life. We discuss our goals and aims for the year, we chat about works in progress. We read and reread our work. We edit, we discuss.
Sometimes we do find a corner of the kitchen table or set up on a chair in another room and write.
It's amazing the stillness that comes over the house then. It's an almost palpable creative spirit that roams. Even those reading (filling up the reservoir) can feel it.
I took some knitting (deadline for someone little's first Christmas in July) but while my needles clicked and clacked we talked writing. We discussed approaches and the vast emptiness while waiting for responses from editors and publishers.
And when we weren't talking, I was knitting and thinking.
This led me, when I put the needles down, to get right into the chapter I wanted to work on.
The thinking about what I wanted to do led so easily to the first draft of a short story being written as well as two poems and nearly 2000 words in my WIP.
Not only was I leaving with work accomplished but a nearly finished jumper.
We discussed children's books, reading several then amicably arguing over what worked or didn't.
Several of our members have great insight into the publishing world, and I offer my thoughts on what is being borrowed from the library.
The few walks we went on were very 'invigorating'. This translated to walking very quickly in the icy winds, get the blood pumping then head back with a clear head.
It's a chance to surround yourself with like minded souls. There is talk of the latest novels over breakfast, a chat about our writing processes over coffee, an indepth Q and A over a wine at night when we discussed why. WHY...haven't we done that? WHY...haven't we met that goal? WHY....have we given up on that idea? WHY WHY WHY.
I came away, not only relaxed and ready with notes for my WIP, but with a huge appreciation of the writers in my group. They are an amazing bunch of supportive and encouraging people, and I feel very lucky to call them friends.
Vicki
It was a very typical wintry few days. We had wild winds (branches down and lights flickering), rain, lots of rain, very cold, hail, and more rain.
But there were moments when the rain settled to a drizzle or an almost stop and we ventured out.
The writing retreat is never a straight forward - go to your corners and write. NOW!
There is the settling in period, the which room is yours, what's for dinner, how have you been etc but then there are the discussions.
About life in general, but more specifically the writerly life. We discuss our goals and aims for the year, we chat about works in progress. We read and reread our work. We edit, we discuss.
Sometimes we do find a corner of the kitchen table or set up on a chair in another room and write.
It's amazing the stillness that comes over the house then. It's an almost palpable creative spirit that roams. Even those reading (filling up the reservoir) can feel it.
I took some knitting (deadline for someone little's first Christmas in July) but while my needles clicked and clacked we talked writing. We discussed approaches and the vast emptiness while waiting for responses from editors and publishers.
And when we weren't talking, I was knitting and thinking.
This led me, when I put the needles down, to get right into the chapter I wanted to work on.
The thinking about what I wanted to do led so easily to the first draft of a short story being written as well as two poems and nearly 2000 words in my WIP.
Not only was I leaving with work accomplished but a nearly finished jumper.
We discussed children's books, reading several then amicably arguing over what worked or didn't.
Several of our members have great insight into the publishing world, and I offer my thoughts on what is being borrowed from the library.
The few walks we went on were very 'invigorating'. This translated to walking very quickly in the icy winds, get the blood pumping then head back with a clear head.
It's a chance to surround yourself with like minded souls. There is talk of the latest novels over breakfast, a chat about our writing processes over coffee, an indepth Q and A over a wine at night when we discussed why. WHY...haven't we done that? WHY...haven't we met that goal? WHY....have we given up on that idea? WHY WHY WHY.
I came away, not only relaxed and ready with notes for my WIP, but with a huge appreciation of the writers in my group. They are an amazing bunch of supportive and encouraging people, and I feel very lucky to call them friends.
Vicki
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