Solo retreat, 2020 style

In the middle of July, I took a 3-day solo writing retreat. I love the Mississippi state park cabins because they’re cheap, air-conditioned, and secluded. I’m more interested in glamping than roughing it, especially when I’m tackling a difficult revision, and this was perfect.

After wiping all surfaces with disinfectant and rewashing the dishes and pots and pans–as well as replacing the linens and towels with my own–I settled in. Nowadays, the well-maintainted cabins are open only 4 days a week, but I needed to take care of my peace of mind. Cool breezes off the lake and the natural sounds of the forest helped tremendously. I even managed a couple of hikes before the heat of the day clamped down.

I worked long hours, enjoying a lack of any other responsibilities. I didn’t even have WiFi, so no news for days. (Cell service, so I wasn’t completely disconnected.) Talk about relief! Just me and my ideas. I am trying a new revision system from Rachel Funk Heller, the Writer’s Coloring Book, loosely based on TV/movie production call sheets. So far, I’m liking it a lot. I’ll write in more detail about it in a future post!

When I got home, I was ready to tackle real life again–more or less–and I had an outline for the next draft of Wolf Girl. I keep these images as my computer wallpaper to remind myself to breathe, write, and enjoy the sunset until the next time I can finagle a getaway.