Hey champs! We made it a whole week in! Congrats on your survival thus far.
How are we feeling? Are you just hitting your stride, or are you starting to feel some creative cramping?
I think it is a little bit of both, for me. I know I can always use reminders to pace and take care of myself. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
To that end, author & vlogger Iain Broome has some choice words about why cycling to Paris is like writing a book. And a pair of passionate bloggers has compiled a list of how you can bring the romance back to your hermitage, cuing off of Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way: 101 ideas for your next artist’s date.
What will you do today to recharge and prepare thyself for WEEK TWO? (dun dun dun…)
– Danielle
Red Tree Retreat 
Woohoo! Congrats Ladies!
I think I’m definitely in the “just hitting my stride” camp, but luckily today is one of those perfect rainy days that is so accommodating to brainstorming and introspective thought so I’m taking full advantage.
How is it that I have never heard of Iain Broome?? He is adorable…and of course quite helpful.
Danielle, I am very impressed by your dedication to this enterprise as you explore the land of our former colonizers. I am curious to know how you have been able to schedule your writing as you explore and what kind of, if any, unexpected perspectives or surprising ideas it has brought to your writing.
How’s everyone else doing?
Huzzah ladies! Keep it up!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay so confession – I’ve been unexpectedly, incredibly social so far on this trip. So until today, I have had zero time for official writing. I actually wrote all of the first week’s posts in one go before I left, and scheduled them out… Now you know my dirty secret. 🙂
I’ve actually been doing lots of journaling, but not related to the project I had in mind when I started this retreat. If I’m honest, I’m feeling pretty guilty about not keeping to my goals. But if I’m also being honest, it’s pretty par for the course. I don’t operate well when I set goals for myself. I need it to feel like a choice every time I sit down to write, rather than something that I *must* do because I set a goal and said that I’d stick to it.
So if anything, I’ve re-learned two things this week: (1) setting external goals absolutely does NOT motivate me to write, and (2) having pretty much constant social interactions also does not make it possible for me to write.
I’m in Scotland now, and alone for the first time in over a week. I’m hoping to find some time to work this week!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This weekend was such a gift. We were supposed to go away for a much-needed night outta town but ended up staying home… definitely a better choice, and I think I almost have my whole synopsis figured out, which is so exciting!! A lot of questions have been answered, I’d say I’m about 2/3 through what I hoped I would get done during these two weeks. So excited to continue, and to hear how everyone else is holding up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome! You’re a superstar.
As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve done exactly zilch. Hoping that changes this week!
LikeLike