time to write

This is where I teach my Bring Your Book to Life classes in Narragansett. Peaco and I also created a home-grown writing retreat here when working on The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger

The last two posts have been in anticipation of my personal writing retreat next week. Carol posted a comment saying she’d never been on one and can’t wait for her own turn.

This post is for Carol and anyone else who thinks they have to wait for their turn. I will attempt to address every concern that may prevent you from getting your writing retreat…NOW. If I don’t address what’s stopping you, make a comment and tell me what it is. I’ll do my best to find a creative solution for you, so that you don’t have to wait for your personal writing retreat. By the end of this post you should have your own writing retreat planned.

What’s stopping you?

* Money: If money is holding you back, don’t worry. There are tons of solutions for a free or cheap retreat house:

* Hold your retreat at a friend’s house: Is your friend going on vacation? Or do they have a private guest room where you can retreat from the world?

* Turn your home into a sanctuary: Unplug the phones. Disable your e-mail. Clean your office, sun room, guest room, or wherever you plan to retreat, the day before, so it’s conducive to flow. Light a few candles for ambiance. Hang a few affirmations up about writing flow.

* Network: Ask friends and family if they know of nearby vacation cottage that might be available for a day or two at free or low cost for your retreat. When you have a whole lot of people working on the “problem” you’re much likelier to find a solution.

* Time: No one really has time to write their book, but those who succeed find the time anyway. The key is to schedule the time in your calendar and make it sacrosanct. You can:

* Take a weekend away: If you have children, ask a relative or babysitter to help out.

* Take a vacation day: What a great way to spend a vacation day or floating holiday. Your retreat doesn’t have to be long. Even one day once in a while can have an impact.

* Try a mini-retreat: Even a few hours at a time can serve as retreat with the right frame of mind.

* The Right Place: Oh, look. We addressed that one already above. You can turn any space into a retreat sanctuary with a little forethought–post “do not disturb signs” if others will be in the house; use candles and aromatherapy for ambiance and inspiration; go for a walk in nature before writing.

* Afraid of Writer’s Block: Creativity usually comes from a combination of gestation, or quiet time, and creation, or time in the flow. Make sure you create some quiet time with yoga, a walk in the woods or on the beach, tai chi, meditation, dancing or anything else that feeds your right brain. Then you’ll come to the writing refreshed and your mind will have been able to work subconsciously before you even begin the writing. If you still feel stuck, you can find some great tools for writer’s block, including my audio Writing in the Zone.

I hope I’ve helped you see how you can have your own writer’s retreat or mini retreat with just a bit of planning ahead. Your retreat is really a state of mind that will allow you to write with inspiration and ease. Have fun. Schedule it now and start planning. And if I haven’t addressed your concern, post a comment and I’ll try my best to find you a creative solution.

As a writing coach, I think I have one of the most fun jobs in the universe. I love the process of helping people:

Clarify their book ideas
Learn the secrets of good writing
Write a compelling book proposal
Attract a top agent and publisher
Enjoy the benefits of being a published author

There’s just one problem…time to write my own books…I tend to push my own personal projects to the back burner. There’s only so much time in a day–especially when you have young kids.

I often stay up late to read a client’s manuscript, answer e-mails, or work on my writing coach web presence. When I only had one child, who often slept in, I’d write my own work in the mornings. Now, my toddler is an early riser.

I realized there was only one solution if I wanted to make serious headway on my next book.

The writing coach needs a retreat. At first I just blanked out one day a month on my calendar for writing. One day seemed a little skimpy though. And wouldn’t it be nice to add a few perks to my personal retreat and maybe even “get away from it all?” No phones. No meals to cook. No e-mails. No one to take care of but me.

Six days ago I looked at a yoga center website to book my own personal retreat. Then I figured, why not see if there’s a writing workshop that weekend. There is. My mother-in-law, who is practically a saint, changed her schedule to accommodate my writing retreat.

My writing retreat now includes body work, vegetarian meals, yoga classes and a writing workshop. I’m dreaming about my retreat–the fall colors in the Berkshires, maybe even a light snow (it was snowing when I called), time to go inward and think about…nothing.

I have this feeling I need to create some fallow space in my life for this next book. I can’t just go from my nonstop lifestyle to writing this next book.

How about you? Could you use a writing retreat? Your retreat doesn’t need to be costly. You might know a relative or friend with a vacation condo or a cabin in the woods and head out for a weekend. And it could be just a day, or a few days, blocked out in your calendar for writing and maybe a walk in the woods.

But make the time. You’ll be glad you did.

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