(This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Wellins. He’s not a writer and he’s not retreating, but everyone should have a Wellins in their lives!)
W is for…wow. Almost there! Like scheduling a spa day after a grueling workout, I’ve got something to look forward to after a long month of blogging (and other) deadlines: a writers’ retreat. My first!
This weekend, eight members of the Western New York Romance Writers will converge to brainstorm, to laugh, to eat and drink but mostly, to write. We come from all backgrounds – working women, stay-at-home-moms, even Grandmoms – and we all write different genres: from chic lit to erotica to category to women’s fiction. But one thing I think we all have in common: we are very dedicated to our writing, and we never have enough time in our “regular” lives to pursue it.
I relish the prospect of writing on my own schedule for two straight days; it’s a rare luxury. No playdates to supervise, no carpooling to undertake, no laundry. No alarms in the morning, no…wi-fi!
This last thing will be a good thing. I have my Smartphone for email, and for “quick” reference checks if I must. Rest assured my blog posts will be finished and scheduled! Other than that, and my writing medium of choice (laptop, Word doc), I am officially taking a “digital sabbatical”. I first heard the term a few days ago, when blogger Katie Testa of Watch This Space used it in her U is for Unplug post. Imagine – time away from almost everything electronic to study and rest. I don’t know about your world, but my world has been taken over by what I call digitalia. Digital everything! Its fed by everything, and it feeds upon everything. Daily. Hourly. By the minute.
Time to take back my world.
So I have high hopes for these two days at the writers’ retreat, with my fellow authors. I hope we all meet whatever writing goals we set, as well as reap the benefits of sharing space and breaking bread together. Quality time with good people, and limited time sucked away by faceless technology. I am ready. Write on!
There’s nothing like a retreat, is there? To commune with people of like spirit, to focus on writing. (yeah, the eating and drinking and laughing is awesome, too) 😉
i hope you can get together with them every year!
Hey Jess…it’s Lori…I’be been catching up on the blogs and been meaning to post…Congrats on all that has been going on!!! Good luck at the retreat…who knew my friend was such a great writer and inspiration to many! Nat also told me how great the book was and I was wondering is you could forward it to me or if it was okay if she did? Good Luck!!
You know, I need a digital sabbatical. Twenty years ago, we didn’t have computers, cellphones, the Internet, and we got along just fine. I wouldn’t mind trying that again.
Very true, John! I think you will get a kick out of my X post, as it has to do with almost the very same idea. 🙂
I hope you have a great time and gets lots of good writing done. I love the idea of unplugging and taking a digital sabbatical – definitely something to consider. 🙂
Don’t you love that catch-phrase? I think there should be an annual “turn off everything” day holiday!
Have a wonderful time on your retreat. I really like the idea of a digital sabbatical. Maybe I’ll try it. I hope you get lots of words written.
Thanks, Alison! I hope to catch up with my reading, too. (wink, wink)
🙂
That sounds amazing. Enjoy!
Thanks – I feel lucky to have the opportunity, so I am going to make the most of every minute there!
I am sooooooooo ready for this!!! Though I still need to pack…..but mentally….oh yeah….so ready!!!! I know what you mean about the digital world…I justify it by calling it networking and building my author platform. But only like 50% of my time online is spent doing that! Lol!
Amazing how the time just flies when you’re online, huh? THANK YOU for setting this whole thing up – woo!
That sounds heavenly. Have a great time!
Thanks, pam! It couldn’t come at a better time! I plan on sharing your blog with my writers’ group, as it’s become one of my favorites on this A to Z journey. Certainly one of the most interesting and informative!