Periodic Fable

Today’s writing prompt:

Retreat

Here in the period of “Twixmas” there is more spare time available than is usual in my life. I’m on leave from work, and visitors come at Christmas and New Year, so that time between is available to me. Therefore, I’m planning a creative retreat. For me, that means writing and cardmaking.  So how to organise the retreat?

When is it going to be? How long does it have to be to qualify as a retreat?  Anyone can get some benefit from as little as ten minutes, but for a proper retreat, perhaps at least an hour: I’m going to try for the whole day, half writing and half papercrafting. For others who may have a busy life, and children, it’s not going to be easy. Mine have grown up, and I miss them, but it does give me time!

What time of day is best? I was always told in writing groups about getting up (very) early to write. That’s never worked for me except on rare occasions, as I really need my sleep… but it may work for others. However, I do find that first thing in the morning is often my most productive time, and as I get older, I find it easier to wake earlier. Having a regular time for creative pursuits can work well – at one time I used to write from 3-6 pm on a Sunday. There was a lot of pleasure both in knowing that time was set aside, and in sitting down to embark on that creative sprint.

Which leads me to where to have this retreat… my 3-6 pm Sunday sessions were in my study (small spare bedroom). I’ve always been lucky enough to have a desk where I can leave work in progress to go back to. Now that everything is digital, I don’t even need a desk set up to write at, just somewhere for my computer.  I am lucky enough to have a spare room/office/studio with a beautiful view, so I find it inspiring just to sit at a small table in the window of that room. I know others go to coffee shops, especially to write, or even to organised retreats – I’ve been to both writing and crafting retreats, including at Center Parcs. In the ongoing pandemic, staying home is safe, and for me, still inspiring.

If one’s creative expression requires physical raw materials, and there’s nowhere to keep them out permanently,  then planning is needed to arrange for a space for creative time. I have sometimes spent all of my set-aside creative time just tidying up my papercrafting stash. That’s not a creative retreat! I recommend scheduling that organising FIRST and separately (though I haven’t, this time). I find I’m more inspired if everything is tidy and clean.

So planning is essential. Then I’m asking myself: what am I going to do in that time and with that time? For my creative retreat today I have lined up:

• Watch the sunrise (always a creative inspiration and lifts my spirits!)
• Go for a walk in nature
• Spend half a day writing
• Write: freewriting, blog posts, review my novel in progress.
• Spend half a day papercrafting (and yes, I’ll have to spend 30 min choosing what to do first, as my previous project was Christmas related, and I need something new for New Year. Maybe exploring techniques is the best idea for today…)

I’ll still need to eat, and there are responsibilities, but most of this can be delegated and moved to tomorrow. There will be a break period in the middle when I’ll do some laundry. Twixmas is a good time for this, as I don’t go to work and there’s not much else I’m committed to do.

And the final instruction to myself is to not get distracted! At which I’ve already failed, because it’s taken me 3 hours just to get to the end of writing this blog post (after my sunrise inspiration and walk), while being distracted by shopping lists, meal planning, buying a birthday present… I’ll restart after lunch!