7 Things You Should Know About Writers’ Retreats

Here are some things you might not (but should) know about writer’s retreats:

• Someone (or someones) always forgets something. It is usually a food item. It is usually a food item they committed to bringing for the meal plan for the weekend.
• The Wi-Fi never works perfectly. Never. It is a rule. Apparently.
• Something strange happens at the hotel: the staff asks to use the laundry machines in your cabin for someone else’s sheets; you ask for a basic thing like a chair and it takes a half day (if ever) to arrive; there are never enough wash cloths for three women; a creature of one variety or another pays a call; and so on.
• Non-stop snacking is part of the retreat agenda, albeit unwritten. Clearly writing so long is calorie depleting.

It’s embarrassing, really.

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Writers on Retreat !!

Yay! June was retreat time again!

We’ve been to conferences and gleaned loadsof stuff from them, but for the past few years we have been taking our own weekend retreats to focus on writing. We returned to Rend Lake for the second time!

Rain Rain Go Away

Okay, back to my Amtrak trip. Did I mention that we boarded in the rain…the pouring-down, watch-out-the-dam-doesn’t break, get-the-kids –to-the roof -type of rain? Did I mention that our car was the last one on the train and that there was no cover over us as we walked to our car so that we looked like drowned rats by the time we got on board? Never mind. That was probably the highlight of the trip, (After the bacon episode, of course.)

Do You Know Where Your Bacon Is Tonight??

Inspiration. In-spi-ra-tion. A good idea.

There are several definitions of inspiration in Mr. Webster’s dictionary. One of them is “something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create: a force that inspires someone,”— but the one I like best is “A good idea.” Short and to the point.

Word or Scrivener?

Sitting here this morning with my fingers on the keyboard, I ask myself, “Self, if you had to choose between Microsoft Word and Scrivener for use when writing, which one would it be?” Self sits as if frozen for what seems like minutes and then, from the recesses of her coffee-begging brain, a thought stirs and a light bulb (why are those still the outdated incandescent?) flickers on and grows brighter.

Aha! A thought is born!

The index fingers stir, the middle finger joins in and a word appears on the screen. “Both.”

Needed: Scrivener for the Dumbest of the Dummies

Being a writer is a job which continually tests the limits of both my endurance for learning and my patience. In the beginning of this writing odyssey Microsoft Word fulfilled all my needs. When I began collecting numerous chapter versions and research for my third novel, things soon got out of hand and I started losing my mind.  I could not keep track of what I had done, what I wanted to do and what I should be doing. When Pat and Bev mentioned Scrivener, it piqued my interest.

3 Best Ways To Improve Your Writing

There are books about improving your writing.

Articles.

Blog posts.

Seminars.

Conferences.

Etc.

Meet Cari

We had a lovely lady visit our writer’s group this week: Cari Schaeffer. She has published her first book, Faith, Hope, Love and Chocolate.

We listened as she shared her story. It is lovely as a writer to hear someone else’s story and see their passion for the book in their hands as well as the stories in their heart.

Cari’s book has touched hundreds of ladies and her book is being used as the study book for some women’s retreats. Exciting!!!

Here is a link to her website: http://www.carischaeffer.com. I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing what this fellow writer is up to.

Blessings!

 

Patricia Meyers
www.PatriciaMeyers.com