As much as I’d like to have gone to Whidbey Island, WA. or Port Townsend, WA. or Vermont or Connecticut, last week’s writing retreat was good enough. I was close enough to home in case something should come up, but far enough away for privacy. The week was productive and relaxing.
After all, time alone, peace from the phone and a quiet place to gather thoughts and get them down and into a story, is what a writing retreat is all about. Well, those requirements and a glorious view to soothe the mind.
My son, Michael Devaney, wrote non-stop for four days. I’m not sure of the exact count, but I think his four day total was around 8,000 words! That’s a bunch of writing. Though Michael doesn’t normally consume coffee at night, throughout the writing days he did! You can check out his Amazon Author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/MichaelDevaney/e/B00KFF1BGW/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Leave him a comment and like his page if you can. Michael will appreciate it.
This is one view of our beautiful lake sunsets.
Here’s a photo my son took last weekend at his hunting club of a Wolf Spider. She blends in well with the ground cover, so you’ll need to look closely. You can also click on the photo for a perfect view of the baby congregation!
I’m not fond of spiders—at all, but I find this spider interesting. It’s the only spider to carry its babies on its back. Those baby numbers could range as high as 100-300, though roughly only about half of them make it to adult stage.
When I saw the babies on the spider’s back, I was reminded of all the stories in my folder waiting to be finished. Then characters came to mind. All those characters that sit on my back until they work their way into my heart and onto pages of a story waiting to come alive.
While writing last week, my story was set in my mind. Once I began to write, the characters had a totally different plan. The story took a 360 degree turn. That’s okay though, I’m enjoying the character’s new opinions.
Characters and new novel beginnings are our babies. They’re hard to share and even harder to let them go. To say goodbye. To give them wings.
I’m finishing up the second book in a series that has been too long on the back burner. I’ll be sad to see the stories come to an end, but happy to finally share with readers.
A Smoky Mountain Wedding – Book Two, coming soon.
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I was just thinking this morning, that if I could just get a little peace and quiet for 2 days, well I could wrap up this WIP in no time. So far, it’s not happening…ugh! Glad you enjoyed your time away.
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Kelly, I hope you can get in some you, manuscript, time. My phone rings constantly with one problem or another. Time away from daily tasks are pure gold!
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What a wonderful post, Carol. I read somewhere that spider’s webs–which many create fresh each day–are like stories. Every time I see a web or spider now, I’m reminded to get to work creating. The image of carrying your characters on your back like the wolf spider does her babies resonates perfectly today. Your photo is lovely…hope the productivity of your retreat hums through your story and the words flow freely!
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Thanks, Leigh. I agree on becoming more spider-like. Always creating. Spider-word vs Spider-net.
🙂
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Reminds me of my kids climbing on my back – glad I don’t have that many.
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LOL. I can imagine you with three blonde little girls on your back. Cute.
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I need a retreat. Though I could do a retreat at home if I wanted. There’s enough food in the fridge so I don’t have to cook, except for breakfast.
Loved the spider picture, it blew up where I could see all the little spiders on her back.
The analogy of carrying our characters on our backs was priceless. It’s time to shake them off, but more keep climbing on!
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Most of the time my freezer is filled with enough dinners for a couple of weeks. I’ve been lax lately though. I do have soup for a few weeks. Glad you enjoyed the spider photo. Perfect for how our characters ride along. lol Thumbs up on your finding time for a retreat. Down the street would be enough. 🙂
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Lol That would be a whole bunch of kids!
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Glad you had a peaceful time to write. Sharing it with your son is an added bonus.
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Thanks, Mona. Quality time with my son was special. In today’s world we rarely have time anymore for one-on-one.
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Sometimes I go to our country house just to get away from everything. Alone there I seem to get so much done. I LIKEd Michael’s Amazon Author page and wish him luck. Sounds as if he’s a chip off the old block — Mom’s block of course. *g*
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You’re lucky to have a place to slip away to, Joan. Thank you for liking Michael’s page! Michael is a good writer with a vivid imagination. Yes, he has the writer’s hunger!
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I grabbed one of his books to read. Premise was intriguing.
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Thank you so much, Joan! I’ll tell Michael you grabbed one of his books. 🙂 Hope you enjoy.
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You sure you didn’t steal that sunset pic from a postcard???! It looks truly awesome! I’ve never been on a writing retreat and not sure how I would fare since writing for hours at a time isn’t my style–I write in spurts interrupted by bouts of socializing and/or activity. Maybe if there was a writers retreat that included dancing and drinking and adventures… Maybe we’d call it the Hemingway style writers retreat… (okay, I’m mostly daydreaming here and pretending I’m 21 again, but still…)
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I promise the photo came from the lake where we stayed. 🙂 I almost missed that gorgeous shot. When I’m home, writing in spurts is my schedule too. Neither of us, my son nor me, have much writing time at home, so when we go on retreat, every spare minute is filled with writing. We breakfast, shower, write, lunch in front of the computer, sometimes take a walk around the area and lake while we watch the ducks (there’s tons of them) dinner in front of the computer again, write until 11, 12 or 1, then fall into bed. We get up the next morning and do it all again. SInce we’re so far from dining establishments, I normally make a couple of casseroles and buy quick fix, but delish, dinners. Son is wonderful to help cook and load and unload dishwasher.:) Going to try the lake’s restaurant next year. We can walk to it easily. No dishes!
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I’m so glad you get away and spend some quality time with your son and write your heart out while you are there.
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Thanks, E. I need about two months away to finish a couple of books.
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