Writing Retreat Reflections

What I learn from my writers.

WRITING A BOOK IS A BIG DEAL

Last week, I hosted my Your Words Your Way Self-Publishing, Marketing and Writing Retreat on the island at the beautiful Tigh-Na-Mara Resort. It is always an honor to have people trust me to join them on this journey, and it is inspirational for me to be privy to the early workings of future books. Writing a book is often compared to having a baby (which, by the way, you need to raise as well). It is a vulnerable process when you share your dreams about writing and then pray no one mocks you for wanting this dream. I love watching them share because as they do, I am envisioning the structure and the process that can help them find their way with less struggle.

IT WILL UNFOLD BEAUTIFULLY

What I took away from this week was a deep knowing that every retreat is different because of the people who attend. Because of their stories. Because of their journey so far. Because of their desire to make a difference. With twenty years of teaching behind me, I try to give people what they need based on where they are at in their process. For this group, the needs were diverse but we were able to make it work because they were also flexible and open to what I knew I could offer them.

Sure, I have a 75-page manual that they will refer to at some point, but last week I needed to help one writer identify what book she was going to write first and why it was the ideal book for where she was with her new business. We mapped it out so she could begin writing with confidence. She got to work, and when she shared her work with the group, I knew deep in my gut she had nailed it and that the process would unfold beautifully for her.

EMOTIONALLY CHARGED

Another client is writing fiction, and she is bringing to life people that have been bouncing around in her head for a long time. (The male characters are also super sexy.) She is hungry for process and information that can help her bring this story full circle. We spent some time on the beach taking some pictures that she can use in her blogs and perhaps as research for her settings. We also hit the forest and went for a walk. She shared with me that some of what we talked about has wiggled its way into her writing. THIS, is why retreats are so powerful. You escape the daily routine and your mind changes. Your perspective can shift. You find inspiration outside of the regular day. When she shared her work, it was emotionally charged because she already knew these characters as friends and brought us to meet them. Powerful. Stuff.

I WANTED MORE. I WILL GET MORE.

And still, a third client who has worked with me in the WILDFIRE 6 Month Mastermind and is already the author of two books as a result of that program and her dedication, came to retreat to work on THE BOOK she has wanted to write for years. The book that her heart and soul knows she needs to pen. We had worked through a few mapping sessions, and it had not been feeling quite right, but by the end of the retreat, she was about seven chapters deep. When she shared her work with us, I had this visual in my mind. When she stopped reading, I wanted more. I wanted time to have more.

LAUNCHES WILL BE COMING!

We also talked about marketing and list building and social media. They got to work. We shared tools and bounced ideas. I watched them step into their work, and when I see that happen, I feel such a sense of excitement for them. Because I know what’s coming for them and I can’t wait for the launch dates.

DO YOU FEEL THE NEED TO RETREAT?

If you feel the need for a retreat to get your book started, done, mapped out, and brought to life, please consider joining me at my next one in Saskatchewan in November 2018. As always, these are small and intimate gatherings because they need to be.