The rejuvenating magic of a creative retreat

BY KT WAGNER

Over the years, I’ve struggled with issues related to my writing practice: time, focus, motivation, and inspiration. In early 2014, a particularly bad bout of all four challenges kept me from the page for months. Then, I heard about a last-minute opening for a writing retreat with romance writer Susan Wiggs. I didn’t write romance, but the idea of a retreat appealed to me.

The group met in the mornings to write and workshop our works-in-progress. Over lunch and dinner, conversations centred around writing. Free from the distractions of home, I focused more, got to know my characters better, worked out some plot issues, and spent needed time delving into craft. In short, I fell in love again with writing. By the end of the week, I was inspired, recharged, and completely sold on the value of writing retreats.

After that, I looked for ways to incorporate regular retreats into my life. There are still times when I feel disconnected and frustrated with my writing, and a retreat refreshes my creativity. For a while, I judged the success of a retreat by the word count I generated. That was a mistake. I’ve come to learn it’s the immersion in all things literary that inspires me and restores my creative reserves. This includes writing new words, of course, but also reading, revising, socializing with other writers, and contemplation time in an interesting setting outside of my everyday life.

No matter your available time or budget, there are options for tailoring a retreat to suit your needs:

Create your own. In summer 2015, I held my first Ghost Story Writing Retreat at my home and invited writer friends to stay overnight. We wrote, shared stories around a campfire, and chatted about writing. I cooked for everyone. It was a wonderful community-building event, but also exhausting. The following year, I relocated the retreat to Loon Lake Lodge in north Maple Ridge, and last November marked the eighth annual retreat.

Book a trip and split the costs. Organizing a writing retreat doesn’t need to be complicated. In 2019, a group of us booked a four-night cruise starting in Seattle. We gathered on the upper decks to write during the days and arranged a large table together for dinners. We shared reasonably priced inside cabins and carpooled to the Seattle port.

Make it quick. A retreat can be as short as one day. During warmer weather, a group of friends gather in my garden for a monthly potluck lunch and a few hours of writing in company—many of the benefits of a longer retreat at a low cost.

Go solo. Writer friends of mine have undertaken solitary writing retreats, particularly when faced with a deadline to finish a manuscript. They book a hotel or short-term rental, then order room service or pack a cooler.

House-sit. Another low-cost option for writers with some flexibility is house-sitting, particularly if you enjoy caring for other people’s pets.

Treat yourself. Plan and budget for the writing retreat of a lifetime. For example, the Wine Country Writers’ Festival is organizing one to Athens, Greece, next April.

Think of a writing retreat as an investment in your art. I hope you find time and space in 2023 to renew your creative energies.

Surrounded by gnomes, gargoyles, and poisonous plants, KT Wagner writes Gothic horror and op/ ed pieces in the garden of her Maple Ridge home. She helps create literary community through teaching, an annual ghost story writing retreat, volunteering with FBCW & HWA, and co-organizing Golden Ears Writers. KT’s online at northernlightsgothic.com.