Two Thumbs Up for a Mini Writing Retreat

I just returned from an informal, three day writing mini-retreat that energized me and set the water in my creative well 

a-bubblin'.

What made it so successful?

WRITING BUDDIES AND DAILY GOALS

Grab members of your writing tribe that you click with and trust. Layout a timetable for discussion, critique, craft, and most of all WRITING. We began our retreat by sharing where we were with current works in progress and what we hoped to achieve before heading back to real life.

LACK OF DISTRACTION

We gave ourselves permission to banish the everyday "have to" list that intrudes on writing time. We also picked a locale that didn't crook a finger to lure us out of the writing cave.

PREPARE CRAFT TIDBITS

Yes, I'll share...

We each brought a favorite tool or inspiration. My contribution was the video: 

 RICHARD PECK MASTER CLASS 

His brilliant insights and generosity of spirit were gold.

AUTHOR JULIE MUSIL shared a wonderful CHARACTER WORKSHEET that Author Jody Hedlund makes available on her blog.

AUTHOR LISA GAIL GREEN introduced us to a rousing brainstorming exercise to find a shiny new title for a work in progress. We poured a river of words and phrases associated with the manuscript onto a piece of dry erase paper (yes it comes in poster sized paper) and then traced links between ideas to discover a title that reflected the spirit of the story. I learned this technique in a poetry workshop years ago and never thought to apply it to a title search. It really works!

 WARNING: Many word associations may lead to uncontrolled fits of laughter. 

MAKE IT EASY ON THE BANK ACCOUNT

Book a "suite" instead of separate rooms so you have space to write and share the cost. Choose an area that isn't in high demand, like the desert in summer, to take advantage of seasonal discounts. Use booking services for more possible discounts. Snag a venue with a kitchenette and bring food or do a grocery store run to save on eating out.

It never hurts to pick a place with some nice views.

Any plans for a writing getaway this summer?

GOLDEN NUGGETS FROM THE SCBWI LA 2011 CONFERENCE

Here is some treasure I’m carrying in my pocket from this year’s SCBWI LA Conference.

Don’t throw anything away. You never know what might be “mineable” material. BRUCE COVILLE, Author

A big mistake is submitting your manuscript too early. TRACEY ADAMS, Agent from Adams Literary

Readers are not trends. They want a story full of heart and soul. LIBBA BRAY, Author of BEAUTY QUEENS (You have to listen to the audiobook. I’m still laughing.)

Know what came before you – classics and current works. STEVEN MALK, Agent Writer’s House & JON SCIESZKA, Author of STINKY CHEESE MAN (And a stack of other books I share with the kids in my class every year)

COWBOY AND OCTOPUS by JON SCIESZKA (I dare you not to giggle for days.)

Start a book on the day something different happens. JUDY BLUME, Author of countless amazing books

Help kids know there is more than one way to look at things. NORTON JUSTER, Author of THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

Be the kid you were when “it” happened. ALAN SILBERBERG, Author of MILO, STICKY NOTES AND BRAIN FREEZE (I dare you not to feel your heart fill with laughter and your eyes with tears when you read MILO.)

History repeats in every human heart. RICHARD PECK, Author of A YEAR DOWN YONDER

The seed of my art was spinning in my soul. LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON, Author of SPEAK

I'm still floating on a cloud of inspiration. Sell the cat if you have to in order to go to SCBWI LA 2012. You'll never regret it.