Let’s host a Writer’s Retreat...Happily Ever, Spring! ~ by Joanne Jaytanie

What image comes to mind when you think of a writer’s retreat? Going someplace exotic and touring the sites? Restaurants and happy-hour with your writing friends? A weekend or week-long wild party? Is it spending your time writing? It can be one or more of these things.

There are all sorts of writer’s retreats. Some are all about the ‘retreat’ and others are about the writing. Today, my friend, Jacquolyn McMurray and I have ‘closed the file’ on our third successful retreat. I should say--successful in our minds.

Writing is a solitary activity and when a group of writers get together – we want to socialize! We want to catch up with our friends and enjoy their company,

but our priority is—Writing! Our primary goal is to come away from our retreat having indulged in hours of putting our fingers on the keys and creating page after page of our next story. Our journey evolves with every retreat, and even so, we've discovered ‘our' definition of a rewarding retreat. It boils down to a few key points. 

Here are what we feel are some of the most important.

Location, location, location!

The first year we rented a cute little beach house on the Olympic Peninsula. The place was picturesque, and the beach was a beautiful place to walk. 

All the houses were situated on the single gravel road, and even in spring, it was a busy place, full of distractions.

The house was small. The furniture wasn't built for comfort, and the kitchen table and chairs were…you guessed it…small.

The kitchen was way too tiny, hardly enough room for two people to prepare meals and poorly equipped.

The second year we changed our idea of location and searched for a place with lots of room, off the beaten path, and affordable. We found exactly what we were looking for on a farm in Enumclaw.  

Wide open space, a country road to take our daily walks, chickens, cows, and a perfect view of Mount Rainier.

There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large living room, and equally large den. Both living areas have furniture so comfortable, you might catch an author snoozing instead of writing.

The kitchen and dining area are in the center of the house and have an open floor plan. The kitchen is well supplied, and the lighting is excellent.

The table is oversized and easily accommodates 3 to 4 writers. There are additional places including a small office for people to spread out.

The managers are on-site and attentive without being overbearing. 

They even leave farm-fresh eggs at our door each morning!

We have the location nailed down, and the cost to each writer is very reasonable.

Organization and expectation

Having a plan and schedules saves confusion.

We find out ahead of time if someone has special dietary needs. We purchase the groceries for lunches and dinners, and everyone splits the cost at the end of the retreat. Breakfast, snacks, and drinks are the responsibility of each attendee.

This year we made a Kitchen Duty list, that was posted on the kitchen wall where everyone signed up for lunch and dinner, doing cooking or clean-up duty.

On the first night of the retreat, we post our Goals and Goals Met sheet on the wall. 

Each author picks their sticky note pad and writes out each of the goals that they want to accomplish.

QUIET TIME/WRITING TIME~We have set quiet times in the morning and the afternoon. It’s up to each individual as to what they do during those times – but it must be quiet.

AFTER DINNER READING~This is one of our favorite times of the day. 

We all gather together and take turns reading our work and getting input from the group. It’s a great time to brainstorm.

Our best advice for finding or hosting your perfect writer’s retreat is: 

Know what you want to accomplish.

This year was very productive for everyone. World-building and series creation was done. Polishing manuscripts, rewriting chapters (never fun, but usually needed) and completing first drafts!

Each year, Jacquolyn and I look forward to getting together with friends and writers for our retreat. We have already started planning next year!

 

And the key to a successful writer’s retreat.

Always have lots of dark chocolate, coffee, and wine on hand!

HAPPILY EVER,
SPRING!
Jacquolyn & Joanne