How to Make Your Closer-to-Home Writing Retreat Successful

I’ve talked about the benefits of writing retreats in other posts.

Check them out:

Because they help reduce stress, nourish creativity, promote reflection, and sustain motivation, retreats are essential to a lifelong writing career.

That’s why I suggest you go on one every year, no matter what.

But if you aren’t sure about traveling a long distance for your retreat, here are some ideas for a closer-to-home option that can be just as successful as your usual creative getaway.

1. Choose a Nearby Location

Some writers say you can gain benefits from an at-home writing retreat. I’m not one of them. I’m a firm believer in getting away from your usual surroundings, even if “away” means the next town over.

If you stay at home, it’s far too tempting to fall into your usual routine, and that defeats the entire purpose of a retreat.

For a variety of reasons, though, you may not want to fly this year, so choose a destination within easy driving distance. That way you can get away and refresh your senses without the more complex issues that accompany distant travel.

2. Plan the Time in Advance

If you don’t plan your writing retreat, it won’t happen. Choose a date and stick to it. I have found that fall is the best time for my annual retreat, as I enjoy the weather then, and since I tend to do quite a bit of hiking while I’m away, the weather is important. This time also coordinates well with my freelance writing business and other obligations, allowing me to forget about work and focus on my writing life while I’m away.

Look at your yearly calendar and determine what month would be best for your retreat, then mark out at least four days (10 or more is better). Start making arrangements for lodging, child and pet care, work, and all the rest so when it comes time to go, you’ll be prepared.

3. Go Alone

You may not be comfortable with this option but remember: this is a writing retreat. You’re going away to help refresh and restore your creative spirit. Your goal is to return full of ideas, energy, and motivation to tackle your current and future writing projects. You can’t do that if you spend the entire time worrying about others, caring for others, and trying to make sure others have fun.

Only when you free yourself of worry and anxiety can you truly allow your mind and body to relax and recover. Such a retreat is a gift not only to your writing self but your overall health and wellness. You’re likely to return to your loved ones so peaceful and refreshed they’ll be the ones encouraging you to go next year.

4. Walk Walk Walk

I plan a lot of hiking trips on my annual retreats mostly because I love exploring the scenery, but also because I know the value of walking for writers. (Read: “What Famous Writers Know About Walking.”)

Walking is good for anyone at any time and has numerous physical and mental health benefits, but for writers, it allows that space we need to ponder, reflect, and go deep into our imaginations. It stimulates creative thought and helps us find clarity not only in our projects but in our writing career as a whole.

In How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy (1990), novelist Orson Scott Card suggested it’s “worth the time to take an hour’s walk before writing. You may write a bit less for the time spent, but you may find that you write better.”

5. Allow for a Few Days’ Adjustment Time

I suggest going for 10 days or more because it takes time for your mind and body to adjust to being away from your ordinary life. You may find that for the first few days of the retreat, you are stuck in your everyday habits. You may check on work, scan your phone frequently, feel an underlying sense of anxiety or expectation, and notice a restlessness in your soul.

It’s only after these first few days have passed that most people find they can settle into their new surroundings and relax. Gradually, they come to appreciate that they don’t have to worry about work or other concerns, and they can just enjoy the day as it unfolds.

It’s only when you reach this point that your creative well will start to refill. If you’ve had a particularly challenging year, it may take more than a few days. You can’t rush it. It takes the time it takes. Unfortunately, if you planned only 3-4 days away, you may notice that you just begin to relax when you have to pack up and return.

Plan as much time as you can, then be patient with yourself. Allow your first few days to be as they are, and don’t expect any great creative breakthroughs until day four or beyond.

6. Don’t Set Goals

I’m all for goal setting usually, but I don’t recommend it while on a writing retreat. The focus of the retreat is to help you shed the stress and spark new ideas and energy. You’re more likely to do that if you limit the expectations you have on yourself.

I never set goals for my writing retreats, yet I find in most cases, I return with a year’s worth of creative projects, outlines, and plans for the year ahead. By simply allowing myself to be in my own company, my mind gradually unfetters itself of all the year’s cares and goes to where it naturally wants to go—into the imagination.

I’d recommend going about your time as you like, allowing the ideas to bubble up as they will. The same is true of the writing itself. I’ve used some retreats to complete novel edits, but usually, I find they’re more effective overall if I refrain from having any particular project-related goal.

If you feel motivated to write, feel free to do so. But if your body and mind need to take a break, it’s probably best to honor that need so the desire to write can return naturally.

7. Expose Yourself to New Things

One good reason to get away from your normal surroundings is to allow your mind and body to truly rest. Another reason is to expose yourself to new things. Creativity thrives on novelty and dulls in routine, so it’s important to use your retreat to spark your creative energies.

Before you go, research the location. Even if you’re going only an hour away, pretend you’re a tourist. Look for the typical attractions someone might visit if they were new to this town. Enjoy a variety of cuisines or take in a theater show. Get yourself out of your comfort zone. It will liven up your senses, which in turn, will jumpstart creative thought.

What tips do you have for planning a close-to-home writing retreat?
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