Writing Retreats – Worth Going on One?

You’ve started writing that amazing novel that has been itching to get out of your head, but can’t seem to find as much time as you need to work on it because of your job, or family, or distractions (thanks internet), and all the obstacles of life.

Believe me when I say–I’ve been there, and you are not alone! As someone who has struggled with the obstacles of life to complete two novels, I know how difficult it can be to get that book finished. I also know that YOU CAN DO IT. One great way to find inspiration and give you the motivation and focus to do it is by going on writing retreat.

What is a Writing Retreat?

A writing retreat is a great way to remove yourself from all the distractions of life and to dedicate yourself to the sole task of doing what you’re passionate about–writing. There are several different kinds of writing retreats: anywhere from organized, paid writing retreats where you have a book coach/mentor guiding you and other like-minded writers over the course of 1-2 weeks with writing and refining your work, to a secluded remote cabin in the mountains (my personal preference) where you isolate yourself to retreat into the creative confines of your mind, or it could be something as simple as pitching a tent in your back yard just to get away from the noise of the house and not returning until you have a set amount complete.

Important Note: Before deciding to go on a writing retreat, I HIGHLY recommend you have whatever book you want to work on either already started, or thoroughly outlined. Going off on a writing retreat without having the foundation set for what you want to write is only going to make it that much more difficult to buckle down and get things done. I already had the first third of my second novel complete before deciding to go on one, and having it started helped immensely, as I already had a clear picture of where I wanted it to go with my book and what I needed to get done. I had the characters, plot, setting, and beginning, with the middle and end thought out.

Choosing the Right Kind of Retreat For You

What kind of writing retreat is the right one for you? Well, only you can answer that.

The Organized Retreat: Some people need to have someone to help guide them and find that they’re more productive when they have others to hold them accountable. If this sounds like you, then going on an organized, paid writing retreat is probably best for you. Not only will you have others there trying to get work done to hold you accountable, you’ll have the guidance of a book coach/mentor to give you various practices and techniques to get past your writer’s block and really come up with the best content you possibly can.

Another benefit of an organized retreat is that you will already have a set schedule in place. You will be given some kind of outline that will organize when you eat, when you are coached, when to discuss and brainstorm with others, and when isolate yourself to write For people that have a hard time coming up with and adhering to a self-set schedule, this is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of going to an organized retreat.

My advice for anyone thinking about taking the organized, paid writing retreat route is this: make sure that the book coach(es)/mentor(s) are experts and relevant to what you want to write. If all your mentor writes is non-fiction or romance and you’re writing fantasy, their advice isn’t as likely to be as relevant to what it is you’re writing. Also, it’s crucial to be aware of any potential scams trying to take advantage of struggling writers, so protect yourself by doing your research.

There are many credible, fantastic organized writing retreats that have some very prevalent authors (I know of one geared towards fantasy writers that has had the likes of George R. R. Martin himself as a mentor), so find one with an author or coach you really respect and want to learn from, save up the funds, and go to it. I have no doubt if you do your research you’ll learn a ton and finish a lot of writing.

The Self-Planned Retreat: This is the route that I personally took. If you are a highly self-motivated individual, can maintain discipline, and write your best work in seclusion, then this is the route I would recommend.

When it comes to this approach, all it really comes down to is planning and having the funds to get a place. Where and how far you decide to go is entirely up to you, and you really don’t need to spend a lot of money or go anywhere fancy. All you really need is a place away from home and free of distraction. Like I said at the start, you can even make pitching a tent in the back yard work–as long as its free enough from distraction and you have the discipline not to crumble and head go back inside before you get some writing done.

After determining where you want to go, all that’s left to do is to book it and set aside the time. For you to minimize distraction, I recommend having your meals and schedule already planned out, that way you won’t have to go into town and you can focus entirely on what you went on a retreat to do–write.

That really is all there is to a self-planned retreat. Have whatever book you want to work on started or outlined, find a place, set aside the time to go, and make yourself a schedule to stick to.

My Writing Retreat Experience

My reason for going on a writing retreat was to meet a self-set deadline to finish a second, stand alone novel before going to the San Francisco Writers Conference of 2022 (you can read about that here). Now, allow me to share my experience and what I was able to accomplish going on a self-planned retreat.

With the conference beginning on 7/21/22 – 7/24/22, and only being 10,000 words into my second novel by the beginning of March 2022, that left me just 4 months to write 50,000 words if I was to hit my goal of 60,000 words and complete my book.

With the clock ticking, I found the cheapest possible Air B&B I could at $10 a night for 6 nights and booked it. The total after tax and fees was $117. The catch? It was in a remote hunter’s cabin in the mountains with no heat or insulation and no electrical outlets 800 miles away in Washington. There was, however, an area a short walk away to take showers with a barbecue and outdoor outlet to charge my laptop.

You might think I’m crazy for going on a retreat so far away, and I wouldn’t argue with you. That said, let me explain my reasoning for picking such a distant location (this is definitely not the best course of action for everyone).

Even with my chosen location being so far away, I was saving so much on the stay costs that the price in gas to cover the distance (around $200 round trip) was still manageable. The real reason I picked somewhere so far away was not just the price, it was for the overall experience. I wanted to go on a journey, to make myself uncomfortable and have no way to turn back or give up, to really push my mental boundaries and make myself uncomfortable. I love to travel and go on adventures, so I had the perspective of go big or go home. I also have a friend in Washington and was able to spend time with him and visit for a couple days, so that was an added bonus.

When it came time to leave, I packed up my cooler and everything I’d need, and set off.