The Writer’s Retreat was Amazing!

A dream of mine came true.

For several years now I’ve been thinking of creating a writer’s retreat. Why? I’ll tell you.

I wrote a book seven years ago and it has done well. I love my little book and I knew I wanted to write another. While taking care of my mom, I was really stuck. When she passed, I started two other books within a year but was stuck again.

I’m a wedding coordinator and my season usually starts in spring and ends in the fall. Last year it didn’t end until December. My writing season is honestly, the dead of winter. That is when it is the most quiet and my brain can relax.

The frustrating part is the wait. I know I’m going to get to my writing season and at times, it’s agonizing. But I’m too busy to sit down and just do it. I get overwhelmed thinking about it and then you know what happens. Nothing.

I searched for writer’s retreats with the idea being to sequester myself and be motivated by other writers. Most of the ones that interested me were a distance away and expensive. There’s one I’d like to go to but it’s on an island (in the Northern part of the US) and though it would probably be an amazing experience, it’s darn expensive. The process of writing a book is free, but everything else about it costs money.

So my thoughts turned to creating a writer’s retreat. I have talented friends- an editor/ publisher and a graphic designer (who designed my book and cover)- and they were willing to be a part of it. Then, I kept getting emails from a retreat center about an hour from me, and one day it hit me. Retreat center= writer’s retreat!

So I contacted Jenni at the Forest and Flowers Retreat and we began to talk. Originally I was going to do all of the planning, but Jenni made an offer. She wanted to turn it into a entire weekend. After several more discussions, we honed in on the accommodations, food, and reservations- and the entire writer’s day/optional weekend was born!

What unfolded was nothing short of magical. Here’s the highlights.

I saw two mama deer, each with one baby, just minutes from the retreat center. And all because Karen and I passed up the entrance accidentally. A definite sign of a spiritual connection.
The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue.
We didn’t need heat in the morning nor A/C in the afternoon. A perfect day!
Cori, Karen, and Sue were amazing presenters.
The guests were even more amazing!
Jenni was the consummate host. She had everything laid out so well and attractively, exactly as I would have wanted to do myself.
The food was delicious, especially the apple cider donuts.
The attendees were engaged, motivated, and inspired.
I came away with new friends.
We received lots of hugs and thanks.

So there. I helped make this day happen, but it was the people in it that made it so special. I do feel a renewed sense of commitment to my writing- to my two books I have already started, and to the third one that has been spinning in my head since the last one.

Cori said to make writing a part of our routine. To go where we can best unleash ourselves whether that be a coffee shop, library, or a room in our home. For me, dedicating time to writing needs to be a given, a treat, and not a chore. I have resisted, partly because I blamed the isolation of it as unattractive. But truly, I will attempt to change my attitude towards a brighter light. It could be a release, a relaxation, and a joy to do a book again. That’s where I want my thinking to go.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our writing retreat! You made it the special day it was. And yes, there will be another so stay tuned! See the list of presenters below!