{"id":8588,"date":"2016-07-25T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=8588"},"modified":"2016-07-21T16:22:46","modified_gmt":"2016-07-21T21:22:46","slug":"need-more-time-to-write-plan-a-diy-writing-retreat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/?p=8588","title":{"rendered":"Need More Time to Write? Plan a DIY Writing Retreat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finding uninterrupted time to focus on your craft is tough. That\u2019s why attending a writing retreat or residency is often a highlight of a writer\u2019s year. <\/span><\/p>\n

Writing retreats<\/span> <\/a>and <\/span>residencies<\/span><\/a> alike can be a fantastically rewarding experiences, but not everyone has the time or money to commit to one. <\/span><\/p>\n

But if right now isn\u2019t the right time to head away for a writing retreat or residency, <\/span>that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t still enjoy uninterrupted time on your work<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can create your own <\/span>DIY writing retreat<\/span> <\/a>without even having to leave home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is a DIY writing retreat right for you?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before planning your own DIY retreat, make sure it\u2019s right for you. Decide what you\u2019d like to gain from the experience and evaluate if you can get that experience from a DIY retreat or if another option would be better.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re yearning for some uninterrupted time to work on a project or time to do some deep thinking about your next career steps, a DIY retreat could be perfect for you.<\/b><\/p>\n

But if the primary reason you want to go on a writing retreat or residency is to meet other writers and creative types, a DIY writing retreat will likely not offer the results you\u2019re looking for. <\/span><\/p>\n

Get the timing right<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re planning your DIY retreat, try to pick a time when life is a little slower. <\/span><\/p>\n

Select a \u00a0time when you don\u2019t expect to be working a lot of overtime, or you\u2019re not going to be busy preparing for holidays or other events. Maybe even pick a time when the kids are away at camp or at Grandma\u2019s house. <\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever time you choose, the most important thing is to put it on your calendar. <\/span>Respect the time you set aside<\/b><\/a> for your DIY retreat just as you would if you were traveling to a formal, organized retreat.<\/b><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to say you\u2019ll spend all weekend on your DIY retreat, but then the dishwasher needs unloading, piles of laundry need folding, your mom\u2019s calling to chat, there\u2019s a game on the TV, a friend wants you to come over for a barbecue, and the farmer\u2019s market sounds inviting.<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter how tempted you are by these distractions, stick to your original plan. <\/span>If you don\u2019t carve the time out of your life for a DIY retreat, you won\u2019t find it.<\/b> Let people know you\u2019re unavailable. You already have a commitment: your retreat.<\/span><\/p>\n

If a whole weekend seems like too much time to set aside, consider planning a mini-retreat. Spend an afternoon at a coffee shop or bring your notebook to the local park to have a quick \u00a0mini retreat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Select a location<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now that you\u2019ve decided when to have your retreat, you have to decide where. <\/span><\/p>\n

Some people work best holed up in the basement with no distractions, while others <\/span>work best<\/span><\/a> in beautiful surroundings.<\/span><\/p>\n

If home is distracting, consider getting a room in a nearby hotel. The less time you spend traveling, the more time you can spend writing and indulging in deep thinking. <\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure you\u2019ll be comfortable and undisturbed and will have easy access to food, exercise, and anything else you need to get the most out of your time.<\/b><\/p>\n

If <\/span>creativity<\/span><\/a> or deep thinking is your main objective, consider a camping and journaling retreat. Go camping, bring a Moleskin and pen (or your trusty laptop), and get all your thoughts down on paper. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can even combine this with a home or hotel retreat by taking a few hours to be out in nature with pen and paper to gather your thoughts and ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Set a goal<\/span><\/h2>\n

To make the most of your time, take a few minutes to decide what you\u2019d like to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your goal could be outlining a new chapter of your book, writing a few poems, or putting together a fellowship application. <\/span><\/p>\n

You could work on a new longform article, put together a list of pitches, or write 5,000 words of your romance novel. <\/span>Whatever you\u2019d like to do, decide ahead of time and focus on it.<\/b><\/p>\n

You can always change your goal as you go, but having one to start with is helpful. You can\u2019t reach it if you don\u2019t have it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Consider writing your goal on a whiteboard or large piece of paper and having it nearby so you can remind yourself about why you\u2019re doing in this retreat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re staying at home or moving to a new venue for your retreat, be sure to gather all your materials. Bring your laptop and charger, a favorite Moleskin and pens. Consider an adult coloring book or yoga mat or another favorite item to fire up your creativity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan a schedule and stick to it<\/span><\/h2>\n

You only have a limited amount of time for your retreat, so plan to use it wisely. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before you begin, make a schedule of how you\u2019d like to spend your time. Allocate time for brainstorming and creativity exercises along with dedicated time to work on your goal projects. <\/span><\/p>\n

Be sure to schedule breaks into your day for meals and chances to recharge. Your brain won\u2019t work as well when your stomach\u2019s empty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Avoid distraction<\/span><\/h2>\n

Turn off the Wi-Fi. Turn off your phone. <\/span>The world won\u2019t end if you take a few hours off. <\/b><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re worried about urgent messages, check your phone every few hours or use your phone settings to allow only calls from certain numbers, like specific family members.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask important people ahead of time to only call you in an emergency, just as they would if you were away at a writing retreat or vacation without cell phone coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t fall into an internet black hole while you\u2019re writing. If you need to look something up for your draft, make a note and look it up later. It\u2019s too easy to look up <\/span>one little thing<\/span><\/a> and then see an email and check the weather and before you know it, you\u2019ve spent an hour online.<\/span><\/p>\n

After the retreat, take time to review (and schedule your next retreat)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Spend the last few minutes of your retreat assessing how it went. Were you able to accomplish your goals? If no, why not? Were you distracted? Did you not have enough time? Did you have a comfortable space? Were you procrastinating?<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking some time to think about (and perhaps journal) what went well and what you\u2019d like to do differently next time. Then get your next retreat right onto your calendar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you ever planned a DIY writing retreat? What did you do to protect your time?<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Struggling to find time to write this summer? Clear your schedule for a DIY writing retreat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":183,"featured_media":8661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[605,141],"class_list":["post-8588","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-craft","tag-time-for-writing","tag-writing-retreat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/183"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8588"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8588\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8588"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8588"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewritelife.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}