5 Benefits of Attending a Writing Retreat
How many writers have dreamed of what we’d accomplish on our books if we could head to a secluded cabin in the woods? You might even feel like getting away and getting to focus on your work would be the key to getting past a persistent block or finally finishing the project. But unfortunately, taking months or years out of our lives to focus on one book isn’t a possibility for most of us.
The next best thing is attending a writing retreat–and in fact, in a lot of ways, that could be even better. Unlike a solo sojourn, a writing retreat offers community, a finite amount of time, structure, and, in the case of our upcoming retreat, professional support.
A short getaway to focus on your novel or memoir could be just the thing you need.
Is attending a writing retreat right for you?
Of course, despite the benefits, many writers have reservations about doing a writing retreat. They worry that their writing or their idea isn’t good enough, that they’re not worthy, and attending a retreat with other, more accomplished writers will make that painfully obvious. Similarly, writers worry that “taking a vacation” to write is simply too indulgent. And if they haven’t already made any money from writing, it’s not an expense they can justify. Overall, they find themselves thinking, “Why join a writing retreat?”
While these are common concerns, they shouldn’t hold writers back from making the investment in themselves and their project. Anyone who has big aspirations for their writing–whether you define “big” as getting a large deal from a traditional publisher or finishing a book that you can be proud of–can benefit from attending a writing retreat.
If you fear that you and your idea won’t compare to the others at the retreat, rest assured that every writer has their strengths and weaknesses. What can help you overcome the areas that you’d like to improve is learning from other, better writers about what works for them. And retreats with coaching or guidance can help you further develop your idea.
Ultimately, writing retreats are a good investment of time and money for writers who want to improve their craft, make progress on a given project, and develop a better writing practice. It’s not just an excuse to take a break from life, and it’s not just for published authors. In fact, the investment in yourself as an amateur writer can make you take your work more seriously so that you get to that next level faster.
For all writers, retreats can offer benefits that far outweigh the costs. These are the most significant benefits of attending a writing retreat.
Five benefits of attending a writing retreat
Leaving the familiar opens you up to new perspectives and possibilities
Surrounding yourself with other writers can help you improve your craft
Gaining protected time and space to focus increases productivity
Learning from others and trying new writing techniques has lasting effects
Working with structure and direction makes your work better.
Let’s talk about these a little more in-depth.
Leaving the familiar opens you up to new perspectives and possibilities
When you attend an in-person writing retreat, you’re often going somewhere completely new, and you’re breaking out of your routine for a few days. Though these may feel like small changes, they can significantly boost your creativity, productivity, and mindset. Especially if you’re currently stuck with a project, you’ll have difficulty drawing fresh inspiration from the setting and routine you’re used to; you need to inject something new. The change of scenery or exposure to a different culture might give you ideas or a different perspective on your story. And stepping out of your usual routines and habits–with your writing and otherwise–can open you up to new possibilities.’
Surrounding yourself with other writers can help you improve your craft
Despite the persistent myth that writing is a solitary activity, it’s really better with community. Talking with other writers–about your project, their project, how you both write, and what you do when you’re not writing–exposes you to different ideas and methods. You may discover new habits you want to adopt, new book writing classes, or you may learn something new about your story that helps all the pieces fall into place. You also, by discussing your successes and struggles, come to learn that your writing challenges aren’t unique, which can be good if you’ve been feeling demoralized.
Also, many retreats build in critique session or coaching time, in addition to writing. Feedback is an essential part of learning how to write a novel and how to make your writing better. It’s simply not possible to evaluate your work objectively, so you need outside opinions to help you understand what’s working and what could be working better. A writing retreat isn’t just a chance to get work done. It’s an opportunity to learn.
Gaining protected time and space to focus increases productivity
One of the biggest draws of a writing retreat is that, for a period of time, you can set aside your other responsibilities and commitments to just focus on your writing project. Uninterrupted writing time is such a rarity for most of us that this might just be worth the cost of admission. But not only is this time protected, it might even be a more productive time for you. By making an investment and commitment to be at the retreat, you are signaling to yourself how important your project is and how much you want to make headway on it. This can help you focus and use your retreat time in a more disciplined manner. And since you’re removed from your everyday stressors and obligations, you may also be less distracted, which can improve focus and motivation.'
Learning from others and trying new writing techniques has lasting effects
The goal of a writing retreat is not just to accomplish something while you’re there; by engaging with new places, ideas, people, and methods, you also benefit your writing practice and project long after you leave. A weekend away will energize you to keep making progress on your book when you get home and give you new tools to do so. It also provides you with a bigger writing community as you keep in touch with the people you meet. After the retreat, you may troubleshoot story problems with them, or simply share in the writing experience together, offering ongoing support.
Working with structure and direction makes your work better
One of the biggest frustrations we hear from writers is that they don’t have clear direction, they feel overwhelmed by all the advice out there, or they just plain don’t know what to do. This can be true of creating a story without a plan, as well as starting a writing session without a clear idea of what they want to accomplish. While freedom is tempting, it’s often overwhelming and confusing, even a little bit of structure can actually inspire more creativity. Writing retreats with a set schedule and instructive programming can help you get more out of your experience.
When is the right time to go to a writing retreat?
One more thing that can hold writers back from attending a retreat is worrying that it’s not the right time. You may think it’s too early or late in the process. You believe the timing isn’t right–next year will be better. You wonder if you need to do more work to prepare beforehand. Maybe it’s even the state of the world that’s holding you back.
The truth is, you can always find a reason why it isn’t the right time. Ultimately, you have to decide just to go anyway.
