I’m back from my annual writing retreat in Maine where I help facilitate writers in their dreams to bring their work alive and get it published. All week I attend and assist in a class a day. The rest of the day, attendees are supposed to write. I’m on call around the clock to answer questions, give advice, and offer feedback on their writing. We are all friends by the end.

It’s amazing watching how difficult it is for some to write that much for that long. There is no television. There’s only nature all around, from the ocean on one side and woods on the other with wildlife everywhere. A fire at night. If there’s a time to write, this is it. Funny how it takes diligence to write when that’s all you have to do. A true test.

I love the simpler retreats like this. Days full of classes fry a person’s brains. Why not attend a retreat where the guidance is occasional or as needed, instead of all day long?

Some think the more they pay the more guidance they need. To me, the CHANCE of very SPECIFIC guidance beats classes all day long. That’s what this retreat offered.

These events are not free, though some offer scholarships and work-study programs. At this retreat, an attendee volunteered to keep coffee going, put out snacks, and clean up the kitchen in exchange for attendance. This is quite common. Never hurts to ask.

Instead of a conference, consider a retreat next year. You might be amazed at how much such an experience opens your writing mind. And oh the connections you’ll make.