Your Writing Retreat is Waiting (And It's Closer Than You Think)
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Liisa Kovala
Have you ever dreamed of attending a writing retreat? Imagine some time with fellow writers, connecting over stories, discussing craft, and writing fresh pages. Sounds delightful, doesn’t it? I highly recommend writing retreats to anyone who needs to focus on themselves and their craft. They are a way to withdraw from the world, and an opportunity to connect with one’s passion and with oneself. Don’t we all need that?
As a writer, I’ve attended several excellent writing retreats over the years and fondly recall the laughter, the deep discussions, and the great food. Leaving behind the day-to-day demands of life and focussing on my own writing gave me the confidence to continue the work. Now, as the co-host of Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreats, I love creating an atmosphere that welcomes writers and invites them to share. We focus on providing writers with opportunities to connect with nature, spark curiosity, and explore creativity.
The unfortunate reality is it’s not always possible to join an organized writing retreat due to available time, resources, distance, responsibilities, and budget.
But that’s not to say a retreat it out of the question. Despite the constraints placed on our lives, there is a way to create a writing retreat for oneself that delivers the benefits of a bigger retreat, and it’s easier than you think.
One option is to invite a writer friend, or several, and create a do-it-yourself retreat. Book a hotel or resort, share rooms, and plan your schedule. How much time will be spent socializing? Exploring? Writing? Where will you eat? Will you share pages? Will you invite a guest speaker? Creating your own retreat gives you control over the budget, location, and timeframe.
Another option is to pick a location and a time frame that suits your schedule and your budget and go off on your own. Book a room, check yourself in, and write. Explore the local area. Find a great coffee shop. Go on long walks. A simple change in location for a week or a weekend can do wonders for your creativity. A retreat doesn’t have to be far from home. It just needs to be away from home. And you don’t need anyone else to make this a highly productive and energizing experience.
If days away from work or family are not possible, enlist the help of family or friends and pick a day to escape. You might find a local coffee shop, a spot in the library, or some other space where you can write, and be rekindled by the atmosphere. Leave behind the household chores, the grocery shopping, and the childminding. A mini retreat of even two or three hours can do wonders and reminds your family how important it is to take time for oneself. You are modelling for others the need to take care of oneself and nurture one’s passions. You may feel a little guilt at first, but done regularly, it becomes part of your routine.
Not able to leave the house? Retreat within it. You may need someone to take care of all the things for a few hours: the kids, the dog, the unexpected situations. Schedule yourself into the day and make it clear that you aren’t to be disturbed unless there is a real emergency. Find a room, a chair, or an outdoor space that makes you feel cozy, and enjoy your favourite beverage. Allow yourself to breathe, slow down, and dream. Then, write. You will have more focus and more energy to serve others if you fill your cup first.
A writing retreat can be lots of things, from gathering with other writers in far away places, joining a group of friends, or creating time and space for yourself closer to home. It may involve other writers, or it may be just for yourself. Whatever you decide, give yourself the time and space to explore your ideas, write fresh pages, and come home to yourself.
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