I love my family. I also love peace and quiet while I’m writing. A family of five people under one roof means I get very little peace and quiet to write. Therefore, my work progresses much more slowly than it should. If I get up before everyone else on the weekends, I can snag a couple blissfully quiet hours, but they never last. That’s why I started taking advantage of writing retreats.
I’m excited to be spending this weekend at a writing retreat located in a pastoral setting. Hours and hours of peace and quiet aren’t the only draw. My normal writing table at the retreat is beside a window that overlooks tree-covered rolling hills and valleys. I can usually see geese and other birds from my seat as I contemplate my next scene. The view is great inspiration for my book, which is set in the Ozarks Mountains.
Spending time with other writers is invaluable. We all write different genres and are in different places in our careers, but our love of the written word brings us together. We compare notes on various publishing houses, editors, resources, and freely share social media wisdom. I learn more about the writing industry through casual conversations during retreats such as the one I’m about to attend than I learned during my entire college career.
During those precious few days, I don’t have any responsibilities. I do no laundry, cooking, dishes, mopping, or animal feeding. There’s no TV blaring in the background or people talking on their phones far too loudly. No one knocks on my door insisting that I need to purchase whatever they’re selling. There’s only peace and quiet, which is wonderful for my creative juices. I get lost inside my mind and create some of my best work while basking in blissful silence.
I’m always happy to return home after a few days at a retreat. Being away from my family recharges my batteries, but also reminds me of why I love them so much. I stay gone long enough to miss them, and they may even miss me a little. The important thing is that I return to my family rejuvenated, happy, and ready to take on the next thing life throws at me.
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