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Wintry Writing Wretreat
On a particularly frigid 🥶 Hump 🐪 Day, making time for a writing retreat can feel tricky. It shouldn’t be. Staying home to get some writing done when there are single-digit temperatures out there is what I think of as a given. 🌬️🌡️☃️
🌬️ Bitin’, Whinin’ 🥶
And finally Winter, with its bitin’, whinin’ wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow. ~Roy Bean
As a famous Wild West judge, even Roy recognized the value of hanging out at home when inclement weather rolls in. 🌨️
Just as he mentioned, we’ve got a dose of that bitin’, whinin’ winter as a foreshadow of the ❄️ snowmaggedon ❄️ that’s alleged to be arriving this weekend.
We’re bracing for a snowstorm of tremendous proportions by stocking up on comfort foods, getting out the blankets, staging the space heaters and hunkering down.
This is the perfect scenario for an…
🏡 At-Home Writing Retreat 📝
How To Have An At-Home Writing Retreat 🏡📝 ROUGH DRAFT DIARIES DAY 13
Sarra is a Facebook friend of mine who has a booming self-publishing enterprise, so I listen when she makes recommendations.
Sure, she’s a bit fixated on her planners, washi tape and other accoutrements, but she found what works for her and what brings her joy.
I encourage you to have a look at what she has to say if you haven’t found your personal style because she might be right in your lane.
For me, I haven’t been using notepads or stationery for anything but thoughts on the run for quite some time.
My writing tends to be a sort of direct neural interface in the form of fingers on keys.
My hands have been on home row since the Reagan Administration, so that’s natively how I express myself.
Also, Sarra is an intentional planner, so her method is designed to help her lay her stories out visually ahead of time.
I am more in the “pantser”, “gardener” or “discovery writer” lane than her. For me, I channel the story internally.
As I’ve often mentioned, I see the story like a movie in my head and simply transcribe what I’m seeing.
As I read back through to ensure it makes some kind of coherent sense, the structure, themes and meaning become evident to me.
Once I have a grip on what’s going on, it tends to draw the story more into focus for me. This further sharpens the prose.
✍🏻 Happy 📚
People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy. ~Anton Chekhov
How can you disagree with a notion like that?
I’m even happier when I can stay inside and write, regardless of the season.
By being happy and in the zone, I hope to spread that happiness by producing enjoyable stories.
I certainly enjoy them when I read back through them, so I hope I’m not the only one.
I guess we’ll find out.
That’s all for today. See you back on Saturday for French stews…