Have you ever been in a room with a group and people and fed off their energy? I don't mean like an energy vampire. I mean where you are surrounded by creative energy, and it increases and enhances your own.
That's exactly what happens at my semiannual writers' retreat. We gather at a campground where we stay in what I can only describe as dorm-type lodging. We are together for four days, spending most of that time in our own writing spaces.
We sit at individual six-foot tables set up in one large room. We each have our own bedroom and share bath facilities. We come together for meals, which are provided. Our only responsibilities during the retreat are to write, eat, and sleep. The only schedule to keep is mealtime.
My writing table is next to two large windows where I can watch the great outdoors while I contemplate my next scene. This time, I was kept company by two sweet little bluebirds that were helping the caretaker clean out the gutter. Watching them pick up bits of debris and fly off with it to build their next made me smile.
We have a core group of ladies who attend, and attendees are vetted. A writer has to know one of us to score an invitation because trust in such an environment is important. We are vulnerable when we create and insist on being surrounded by those we trust and admire. Such things put us in our comfort zone, which is conducive to creativity.
You may be wondering how I spent my four days. I am delighted to tell you. I typed up my secretary's report for Ozarks Writers League and emailed it to the board (three weeks early). I wrote two short stories for contests that submitted both of them. Then I worked on editing my paranormal romantic suspense novel. I edited five chapters, which I think is pretty darned good. After that, I wrote this blog post. Then I spent some time relaxing by watching some archaeological videos (my favorite).
I walked around the grounds a little bit, but we had some bad weather, so I spent most of my time inside. Spending time with other writers fills my well of creativity, which gets dangerously close to dry sometimes. By the end of the retreat, I was renewed, refreshed, and looking forward to my upcoming conferences.
I will be speaking at the Ozarks Creative Writers Conference in October, so my next project is my PowerPoint for my presentation. I will be talking about my journey as an author, which is quite convoluted. I'm starting early, so I can practice and won't bore my audience to tears (we hope).
How do you recharge?
Thank you for reading Ozarks Maven! If you’ve enjoyed my little seeds of wisdom and joy, please join me again next week for more Ozarks Maven.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Comments