Before the Retreat

Answer these questions:

• What do I want from this retreat?/What is my goal for this retreat?

• What is my working style?

• What stage will I be working on— outlining, drafting, editing, revising?

• What is my reward for reaching goals?

Going without a clear intention of what you want to accomplish is not going to lead to a successful writing retreat. Having something in mind to focus on will allow better productivity and keep distractions at bay. For some people, having an ambitious goal works best. An ambitious goal will keep you accountable. If you know that you're the type of person who shuts down under pressure, make yourself a goal that's equal to or below your capability. That way, you can feel confident when you start surpassing it and use that confidence as a boost. The advantage of a group retreat is accountability.

The key term here is "know yourself". Even if you're not sure of who you are as a writer yet, you should have an idea of how you work and like to work. Make it a strength.

Can I write an entire novel in 3 days? I cannot. But I know I can at least get an arc completed or several chapters. Because I am an outliner, I know I can go into this retreat saying "I want to write to x point on my outline".

Rewards don’t need to be expensive. For instance, telling yourself “When I write x amount of words, I get to take a break and have my favorite snack” can be enough of a carrot to get those creative juices simmering.

HYPE

Get excited about going!

Get excited about all the progress you're going to make!

Tell people about it!

Make it a thing for your author branding!

The more I look forward to something, the more excited I will be about doing it. Use that to your advantage and get a boost the first day.

During the Retreat

Healthy Working Habits

Creatives are not machines.

Vice President Desi will be running Pomodoro sessions during writing hours.

Share Your Writing

Sharing your writing can be intimidating. But at the retreat, we all know that we’re on first drafts. It’s important to share your writing because it helps cement your accomplishment for the day. Of course, you will not be forced to share your writing. No criticism is allowed because the point is to celebrate having written and having liked what you’ve written. If you don’t share your writing, we still ask that you join during share time and celebrate the writers who chose to share.

Itinerary

The following is a tentative itinerary for the retreat. A finalized version will be sent out July 9th.

Checklist

Use the following checklist to help you pack for the retreat. Blank spaces are included for you to add what you need. Click the image to download a PDF.