Writing Retreat and Residency Wish List

Lately I've been planning on dreaming about doing a writers retreat or residency. While it's enticing to think about, I have a full time job, a husband and a daughter that I can't just abandon to spend a week or month hidden away, writing and learning about writing. *Sigh* A girl can dream though, right?

But just because I can't attend one of these events, that doesn't mean you can't! Then I can live vicariously through you.

Let's talk first about the difference between a Retreat and a Residency:

Retreats are a cross between a Residency and a Conference. Typically you're in a setting that is conducive to writing. Peaceful, gorgeous, quiet, the envy of every single one of your busy, overworked friends. Friends that will probably hate you when you post pictures of your surroundings.

*Looks pointedly over glasses at Twitter friends that do retreats*

Other than the perfect setting, you'll also typically interact with speakers who teach you more about your writing, be it promotion, marketing, plotting, character development etc. This is actually why I'm drawn to retreats, because it is time to focus on and develop certain parts of my writing with the guidance of a professional who most certainly knows more than I do on the subject. And getting to do it all surrounded by peace and quiet instead of with an angry toddler who's hit the biting phase? Yes, please!

Residencies on the other hand do not offer coaching sessions like the retreats. Residencies are usually 1 week to 3 months of seclusion in one of those gorgeous locations I talked about, to just write. I think I would go nuts after 1 month of seclusion, but time alone with my thoughts and my writing sounds like absolute bliss. Can you imagine being able to write day in and day out without distraction, surrounded by absolute beauty? Amazing.

In all honesty, I'd probably go nuts after 2 or 3 nights away from my grumpy little toddler and my husband. I've never been away from them for more than a day. They drive me nuts, but I love them to the moon and back. :)

So, while I'll probably never attend one of these (you totally should) here are some of my dream retreats and Residencies.

Retreats:

Schull, Co Cork, IRELAND

Georgian House overlooking Schull Harbour in West Cork, Ireland. (This is Ireland. My dream. I'm there.)

http://www.writersretreat.com/retreatdetails.php?id=158

Wellspring House: A Retreat for Writers and Artists by Preston Browning

Location: Ashfield, MA 

http://www.wellspringhouse.net/mission

The Porches

Norwood, VA

http://www.porcheswritingretreat.com/

Residencies:

Ucross Foundation

Northeastern Wyoming

http://www.ucrossfoundation.org/

Martha's Vineyard Writers Residency (Yes, I'm a wine-o)

Edgartown, Massachusetts

http://writersresidency.com/marthas-vineyard-writers-residency/

Jack Kerouac Writer in Residence Project

Orlando, FL (uhhh 3 months in Florida - no brainer)

http://www.kerouacproject.org/

Today's Random Ramblings

I have loved writing from the time I could hold a crayon between my chubby little fingers. Oftentimes I still get an awkward sideways glance when I mention I'm writing a novel. (Why people think this is not a "normal" pastime, I'm still not sure.) My comment is nearly always followed by a question that I love to answer, "What is your book about?" 

I proceed to recant my synopsis and watch people get heavily intrigued by the story and delve into all sorts of questions. (Questions that actually have helped me flesh out the finer details of my story) THAT. That is why I love to write. Storytelling is amazing to me. I love immersing myself in stories that I just want to bundle myself up in and never leave it's world. I also love creating that story for others who devour stories, as I do.

Currently, I'm so close to finishing the first draft of this novel (Uh, by the way, no one ever told me how frustrating the first draft of a novel can be - coming from short story writing), that I can't help but mention to anyone who will listen at at every opportunity that I'm writing a book. I HAVE to talk about it. I get giddy when I think I can get a mention in about it and act like a 5 year old with a secret.

It's actually starting to get embarrassing. Speaking of embarrassing, maybe I should write a post about how strange it feels to promote myself. I mean, I want people to know about me and my writing. I want people to read what I write. I want people to like what I write (meaning they have to read it to like it). So people need to know who I am and that I write. But self promotion feels weird. It just does. 

Well, until I've situated my thoughts on feeling odd about self promotion, I'm outta here. My one year old beckons. And by beckons, I mean she's trying to rip our cats tail off. Later Gator.

Because sometimes life is just too good.

Unfortunately for The Book, I did absolutely no writing today.

But you know what I did do? I spent the whole day with my family and my little one.

We went shopping and got pedicures and ate lots of food. It was a fabulous day. My sister discovered some wonderful nail polish called Piggie Paint for babies. I never thought I'd ever consider painting my 5 month olds nails, but I'll be darned if they aren't the cutest thing ever!

As much as I want to finish this manuscript, life happens. And sometimes life is just too good to spend it with my nose in a laptop, escaping to my world that I've created. Though I'm excited for tomorrow to work on the next scene that has been bouncing around in my noggin for the last few days, I'm equally excited by the fantastic life that I am blessed with.

Goodnight all. Ttfn!

Welcome. Why don't you take a seat?

Let's all take a moment to say hello... And by "all" I mean me, because let's be honest, I'm the only one reading this. It's 6am and I just started a blog because I couldn't sleep. Dream big everyone. *cough* me *cough*

Honestly I'm doing this because I need somewhere to pour out a daily ramble without irritating my Facebook friends or being scrutinized by my Twitter followers.

Okay I'm also doing this because I want to talk about my book. The damn book that's been idling in my mind for over a year. The book I've finally started writing after all this time. The book no one really knows about. Sometimes I mention it in passing to my husband but he pretends like he doesn't hear me. I don't think he finds writing to be a suitable hobby. This is probably why he insists I go disc golfing with him every weekend. Which I don't.

I'm okay with no one really knowing that I want to be a published author. I've been writing poetry and short stories since before I knew that a haiku wasn't a weird sneeze, but I've never been published. I've also never tried to be published. Honestly, I stash away my writing like one of those hoarders with the really scary houses full of old newspapers that they have no use for but won't get rid of. I have a sincere fear of failure and frankly, if I fail miserably, I'd prefer not to have to face my family after. This way is a win win.

I took on this novel thinking I'd finish it in a few months, easy.  Wrong. Life threw me a few curveballs I wasn't prepared for. Someday I'll tell you the story of when my cat nearly killed me and how that got me pregnant... Yeah, I know how that sounds, it's actually a really fun story. I digress. I had a baby last year. My first baby. I love being a mom but having a little one who wants to be held 24/7  has severely limited the amount of time I have to work on the novel. BUT! Recently I cut my hours at work to 8 hours a week to focus on my little one and school (ugh, school, that is a whole different post) so I have a lot more free time.

Anyway, the baby is waking up so I'm going to hurry the rest of this along.

I like goals. They hold me accountable for myself. So here is my goal for this blog:

I will update this blog everyday on the status of The Book, as it shall be called from here on out.

I must run. My little love calls for me. Ttfn.

How lucky am I?

This is my girl. How lucky am I to have such a beautiful little Muse?

I often wonder what type of person she'll grow up to be. I used to have all sorts of dreams and aspirations for her but then one day I realized that I only hope she grows up to be healthy and happy.

I don't want to force her into a life that she isnt content with. I want her to feel free to live wildly and appreciate the world around her. I want her to do what makes her feel complete. I never want her to feel like any of her own dreams are too big.

If you can imagine it, you can dream it.
If you can dream it, you can become it.