“I thought being home all the time would give me more time to write, but it hasn’t.”
If I had a nickel for everyone who’s told me that over the last few weeks, I’d have…at least enough money to pay for my next curbside pickup order at H-E-B. (Please send nickels via PayPal—no cash transactions while we’re in quarantine.)
And I don’t blame a single person making this complaint. For many writers who are juggling kids suddenly being out of school or spouses being home with them 24/7 or visibility demands from bosses who aren’t yet comfortable with remote work, time really has grown short. For others who may find themselves underemployed or those who are simply enjoying life without a commute and/or bemoaning life without social gatherings, time may be plentiful. But without the structure of the usual schedule or the changes of scene afforded by work, happy hour, or even trips to Target, creative energy may be in short supply.
Whichever camp you fall into, if one of your COVID-19 quarantine goals is to get some writing done, may I suggest a DIY writing retreat? Sure, you can’t travel to an inspiring locale right now, or get together at the library with your writing group, or even leave your house. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your creativity going. Carving out a specific time and space to work on your writing will help you find the time if you’re in that extra-busy camp, and it’ll help you take advantage of your time and harness your energy if you’re in the under-scheduled, under-energized camp.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to sending yourself on an in-home, DIY writing retreat.
Step 1: Book It
First thing’s first: make your retreat official by putting it on your calendar. If you can give yourself a full weekend, great. If not, see if you can block out a day — or even just half of one — when your partner can take care of the kids or you can get your roommates to swear to leave you alone.
Once you’ve picked out your time and date(s), put them on the calendar and let your friends and relatives know that, while you’ll still be available for emergencies, you plan to be offline during this time and would appreciate privacy and solitude.
Step 2: Prep Your Space
Just because you can’t travel to some exotic place with a beautiful view, that doesn’t mean you can’t create an inspiring writing space for yourself. Pick an area of your home and designate it as your retreat space. If you work or write from home regularly, this may be your usual spot, but in the spirit of retreat, you may also choose a different room or corner. (If you live with other people, try to claim a space with a door you can shut.)
Equip your new space with everything you’ll need to feel cozy, inspired, and creative. Your laptop, notebooks, your favorite pens. Printouts of your work in progress. Tea fixings and an electric kettle. Snacks. Books — writing books, books in your genre, books with pretty pictures that you like to flip through for inspiration. Candles, maybe a throw blanket. Headphones. Declutter and rearrange, if you can, to make your space feel different and novel, transforming it from whatever space it is every day into your personal writing oasis.
Step 3: Invite a Friend (Optional)
During COVID-19-related social distancing, do not literally invite a friend into your space.
If you work better with other people keeping you accountable or just sharing the experience, invite a fellow writer or two to join you via Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts. She can set up her own DIY retreat in her own home at the same time, and you can keep each other company with virtual writing sessions, yoga breaks, and check-ins or problem-solving sessions.
If you work better alone, skip this step.
Step 4: Plan Your Retreat
However much time you have, determine how you’re going to spend it. Obviously, the bulk of your time will be dedicated to actually writing, but you may include some other activities as time allows in order to stay relaxed and energized and keep your creative juices flowing.
Exercise: A walk around the block or a stretch session, either before you get started or as a writing break, will help you clear your head and keep your blood flowing.
Reading: Dip into a book on craft or a book by a writer you really admire — in your genre or not — for inspiration to get you started or pull you out of a rut.
Snack: Your DIY writing retreat is no time for a sad desk lunch. When it’s time for a snack or meal, put your laptop or your notebook away, sit down with your food, and focus on enjoying it. Then, return to your desk with a full tummy and a fresh perspective.
Meditation: Clear your head and let your mind wander. When you’re not thinking about your manuscript, you’ll be surprised by the ideas that start to creep in.
Accountability check-ins: If you’ve invited a friend to join you (virtually), check in with each other once in a while to see how the writing is going, what kind of progress you’re making, and what your goals are for the next writing session.
You’ll want to be a little bit flexible, but it’s important that you get as much actual writing time out of your writing retreat as possible, so plan these breaks ahead of time to avoid the temptation to use your break time as an excuse to procrastinate on what you’re really here to do.
Step 5: Treat yo’self.
You’ve notified friends and family, prepped your space, and made your plan. Now, get to it!
If you take yourself on a writing retreat, let me know how it went! Were you productive? What tips would you like to share with your fellow authors. Drop a line in the comments below. And if you made great progress, but you’re not sure where to go next — or if you want help dusting off your work before that retreat, I’d be happy to help you find that creative kickstart!