Ten tips for a DIY writing retreat

(and, no, I didn't write 40k words in 72 hours 😬)

Quietly plotting and sipping…that’ll do nicely

There was a Twitter thread doing the rounds recently in which an author shared how she manages to write FORTY THOUSAND WORDS on her 72-hour writing retreats. Seriously impressive stuff. And, for a full-time author with looming deadlines, I can see how this approach might be helpful. But, honestly? It made me die a little inside.

In fairness, she’s upfront about the fact that this approach isn’t for everyone. Indeed, typing until the keyboard starts to smoke will never be a technique that’ll work for me. The most I’ve ever managed to write in a single day is around 5,000 words, and that was when I’d cleared the day for nothing but writing. And I was chuffed with this.

In fact, as a parent who writes, I’m not concerned about how to carve out enough time to write itself; experience tells me that the words will come when they need to. Instead, my main issue is finding enough space and quiet to think about my writing.

And that’s why, as someone who gets very little uninterrupted time at home with two children, I’m a huge fan of writing retreats. But I’m not talking about those organised retreats where you might join a group of other authors and take part in workshops and eat together. While these sound incredible, they’re currently beyond my budget and often in remote locations that are a little too far for me to travel to at the moment. Instead, I book somewhere cheap and cheerful with no-one but my brain and its ideas for company. And, earlier this month, while I was in between jobs, I did just that for two nights.

Fancy getting away for a similar creative mini-break? Every writer is different, of course, but here’s what works for me…

1. Book somewhere pleasant but simple

   Let’s be honest, choosing somewhere to stay these days can often be driven by how the place will look in photos. I’d urge you to abandon notions of writing in a picture-perfect, creaky cottage with an open fireplace and walls upon walls of vintage books. Instead, find somewhere practical – near a shop so you can stock up on food and other bits when you arrive – where you’ll be comfortable but not distracted.

2. Travel by train, ideally midweek

   If time is tight and, like me, you want to maximise every possible hour for your writing project, I’d recommend travelling by train if you can. Not only does this force me to pack light, but on my most recent retreat I spent the journey planning what I was going to work on based on the amazing Save The Cat Writes A Novel* book. So, by the time I checked in, I could start writing straight away. Travelling midweek means your journey is less likely to be scuppered by engineering works, plus you might get a cheaper deal on your accommodation, too.

3. Avoid word count targets

   By the time I arrived I knew I had three scenes I wanted to nail, and that was enough of a target for me. I still used the word counter, but as a guide not a goal. When I caught sight of it at the end of day one I did a little yelp of excitement when I realised how much I’d managed to write (about 2,000 words - so not a huge amount, but enough to make a massive difference to my manuscript).

4. Write something you’ve been putting off

   This is it, your uninterrupted writing time. No more excuses not to get stuck into that tricky scene or sort out a complex timeline. Do the thing that’s been gnawing away at the back of your mind. You may end up being surprised about how little time it takes – and how much simpler it makes the rest of the writing feel.

5. Get outside and move

   Rest and stillness are really important for my creativity, but so is fresh air. Getting outside for a walk or for a working lunch at a local café to break up the day helps to re-energise me so I end up getting more done, not less.

6. Don’t forget a brolly

   I forgot mine. Needless to say – and related to the above point – I regretted this.

7. Delete your social media apps

   Will this stop you from logging onto desktop Twitter for a peek? Probably not. But placing a barrier between yourself and doom-scrolling will at least make you less likely to get distracted by whatever that day’s particular bin fire happens to be. My retreat got rudely interrupted by Liz Truss’s downfall, which ended up giving me horrific anxiety insomnia on my final night when I should have been resting. Lesson learned: no social media at all, next time.

8. Treat yourself

   Buy yourself a few tasty goodies to enjoy as you write, do that facemask you’ve had in your drawer for months, have as many naps as you fancy, watch the sun set with a glass of house plonk at the local pub. Just because you’re on a writing retreat doesn’t mean you can’t do other stuff that’ll make you feel good.

9. Co-write

   There are lots of options for co-writing these days, most notably the daily London Writers’ Salon Writers’ Hours, which take place at various times throughout the day midweek. I ended up joining a Wednesday morning session with my lovely Calliope’s Writers pals, which was a great way to start the day.

10. There’ll never be a perfect time. Just do it

    The best advice I’ve heard in recent years for mothers trying to carve out time for themselves goes something like this:

    ‘You don’t need approval, you just need cooperation.’

    Annoyingly, I can’t find the original source for this (let me know if you do!), though I think it was the inimitable Dr Becky. As soon as I let go of the notion that I had to wait until others were *happy* for me to take myself away for two nights, I began to feel a lot more comfortable about scheduling these (albeit infrequent) breaks that were unquestionably going to happen. Do my family mind that I go? Probably! Do they also understand why I need to? Yes. That’s the important part. Whoever is going to look after the children needs to understand and cooperate. But never wait for them to offer. Invite yourself.

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This month’s tip for other aspiring authors: All of the above! Let me know if you’ve been on your own solo writing retreat and if you have any other tips or advice.
What I recently enjoyed reading: Never Gonna Happen by Heidi Stephens*. This is Heidi’s second novel and it was the perfect, cosy read. Despite its summery cover, it’s actually a wonderful story to read at this time of year, with snowstorms, blankets and endless cups of tea punctuating the plot. The story strikes the balance between romance and comedy brilliantly and I laughed out loud throughout.
What I last enjoyed watching: Hacks on Amazon Prime. It’s official: Hacks is my favourite TV show for many, many years. There are two series of this comedy-drama to get your teeth stuck into, and a third is on its way. It tells the story of two very different female comics who form the unlikeliest of writing partnerships. The show is all about creativity and collaboration and feminism and how women must mould themselves in order to be successful – professionally and socially. I absolutely adore it - the writing is stunning and it is genuinely hilarious. I can’t wait for more.