Get Away to Write

If I were to plan the perfect writing getaway, it would include rain. You can’t plan the rainy weather but I take advantage of it whenever possible. I’m more prolific listening to a downpour or even a steady drizzle. Not a pluviophile? Maybe warm breezes on a sunny day would work its magic for you.

 The next most important consideration when planning a retreat is nourishment. I like to eat. Especially when I’m writing. Not so much when my fingers are pounding the keyboard, but during that time when they’re suspended above the keyboard and I’m thinking through a plotline. Food really helps with that process. You too?

I’m not a junk food eater. No thanks to potato chips and dips, and those sour peach slice chewy things. Okay, but only one. I prefer to have readymade salads on hand. And ciabatta bread! If I forgot everything else and just had ciabatta bread, cheese, and wine, I would survive. Flourish, actually. Going over the contents of my fridge in my mind, I see fresh fruit and veggies washed and ready to eat as I research gunshot wounds, or cafes in Paris...oh, to see my browser history.

Coffee, too, is a priority. Water is another, and that’s usually my go to in the afternoon. But not late afternoon. No, in the late afternoon, I take a meaningful break. Time for a plate of crackers and hummus or cheese – extra old cheddar or goat cheese, heck even peanut butter in a pinch, and a glass of red wine. No wine for you? I’m sure you can come up with a substitute. 

Then I like to sit outside and listen to the rain – if it’s still raining – and you can lie on the grass and look up at the clear skies or better yet, rolling clouds – those fluffly white ones, not the dark rain clouds. Ruminate on the plots, character, and dialogue until you’re ready to get back to the keyboard.

For me, a retreat produces more words than I could accomplish at home. Think about it. No distractions. No rules. If you’re planning a getaway, remember to eat when you’re hungry, whatever food you want – don’t look at the clock. I had greek pasta salad one morning before ten and toast near midnight. Keep in mind, there are no calories when you’re writing. I know. At first, I found that hard to believe, too.

Sleep when you’re tired, and when you wake up, start writing. You’re still in the zone. It doesn’t matter if you’ve slept for two hours or six hours. Again, don’t look at the clock. And don’t worry about getting ready for bed. You’re writing in pj’s anyway.

You’re always ready. That’s the other great thing. You don’t worry about appearances on these solitary retreats. No one is going to ‘drop by’. And if you’re away, it doesn’t matter who sees you traipsing around in your flannels. They shouldn’t be looking in the windows anyway.

Think of what it would take to open the door of imagination for you and stir the creative juices. Three or four days are usually the max for me to be holed up writing and still come out fairly civilized in the end.

If you’re able to hide away from people and schedules for any period of time to focus on writing, I highly recommend it.