Sometimes a nudge is all it takes

This November I am attending a writing retreat. I’m looking forward to it and I’m not looking forward to it. I know, I’m a walking oxymoron.

I’m looking forward to having time and space to focus on the story I’ve been writing for the last hundred years. Ok, six or seven years. It only feels like a hundred years. I am not looking forward to the feeling of exposure from sharing my work or from meeting other writers who may or may not be published authors. It’s all a bit nerve wracking and the feeling of exposure is real. My inner critic, Muriel (she’s terrible) inevitably turns up the heat as well. What’s the saying? There’s no show without punch.

Sharing my work is kind of the point. It’s funny that as writers we are worried about people reading our work when that’s its purpose. We want people to read our work — eventually.

When I first started writing this blog, eight years ago, I remember the feeling of hitting the publish button. I was terrified. Hitting publish and knowing my writing could potentially be seen by anyone in the world was a really scary thought. I felt exposed. It was as if millions of people were looking over my shoulder. It’s a frightening thought but it is not reality.

If people take the time to comment they are always encouraging. Many people read without commenting and I sometimes hear about it later in a roundabout way. Again, they are always encouraging, even when I hear it second hand. No need for to freak out at all.

The retreat date looming over me has had a positive effect on my writing. It’s a little like how diligent you become with cleaning your teeth when you know you have a dental appointment. Or how you madly practice a musical instrument the day before a lesson.

Knowing the retreat is coming up I’ve managed to pull my laptop out a few times a week and add some words to my long suffering work in progress. (WIP) I’ve even been boldly rearranging chapters. The good thing is, I’m playing with it again. It turns out that stepping away from the project has been really helpful.

The advantage of stepping away is that I am seeing what has already been written with fresh eyes. It’s been so long since I wrote it I can’t remember writing some of it. I even impressed myself with some of the things I’d written!

Being able to see it from a distance has been fascinating. It has given me a sort of detached, clinical view. Less emotional attachment to the writing while still remaining invested.

Sometimes we need space from a project to find our objectivity. It’s one thing to know that but it’s not until you experience it that you understand how it works. Hopefully I can add some more words before I head off on the retreat.

I have been on a retreat with this person before. I know what to expect. I’ve been on some dud retreats with other people in the past and I was sceptical at first. I soon discovered Meg Dunley runs excellent writing retreats along with her other work with writers.

You can check out her website here:https://megdunley.com/

I am confident there will be tons of time for writing, opportunities for sharing our writing and enjoying listening to others share their work. There will be good food, good people and good books to peruse in a deluxe setting. There will be optional workshops, coaching sessions, good conversations, a lot of laughter and high level of professionalism.

This will probably be my last retreat and I am planning to make the most of it. Being on a fixed income as a retiree has its limits. Having said that, I think it is important to invest in our creativity which is why this retreat is important to me.

This time I will be meeting up with an online writing buddy who has also booked in. There will be an element of ‘sleepover’ and I can’t wait to share the experience with a friend.

If you are looking for a retreat and you are in Australia I highly recommend Meg Dunley’s retreats. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know how it goes.