| hone rings. The laundry pleads to be stuffed, | | | | make it easier to keep your boundaries. If your |
| cycled, dried and folded. Chaos reigns in the | | | | retreat means simply that you are stowed away |
| kitchen, e-mails queue for attention. Our lives are | | | | in your bedroom or office while the rest of the |
| at once mundane and undeniably seductive at the | | | | family goes about their day, make sure they |
| same time. When we sit down to write at home, | | | | know that your do not disturb sign means just |
| suddenly everything that marks our existence as | | | | that. Better yet, help plan an outing for them so |
| tedious becomes compelling. Writing at home can | | | | they can have their own adventure while you |
| seem tantamount to training for the Olympics | | | | write. Who do you need to let in on your plan so |
| past age nineteen. | | | | they don’t inadvertently try to thwart |
| Yet carving out time to write at home is possible. | | | | your efforts? |
| You can even design a home writing retreat. This | | | | Get your vittles lined up. Plan for your nibbling |
| weekend, I have staved off all other obligations | | | | needs. Make sure to have healthy snacks on hand. |
| and have Friday and Saturday free. I look | | | | Prepare meals in advance or plan to order out so |
| forward to delving into my novel revision with | | | | you can eat well but not get distracted by food |
| hours of uninterrupted time. How to make sure I | | | | preparation. |
| don’t veer into work mode. I’ve | | | | Be more than a walking head. Have a plan for |
| developed a strategy for an at home writing | | | | being embodied. You may plan walks into your |
| retreat. Here are the ways that you, too, can | | | | retreat, simple yoga or your regular workout. |
| carve out space for uninterrupted writing bliss. | | | | Commit to tune out. You may want to unplug the |
| Look ahead a month or two in your calendar. Find | | | | phone, commit to leave your e-mail program off |
| a day or two that are free and X them out for | | | | for the day and silence your cell phone. What |
| your retreat. When people suggest a get together | | | | other things do you need to set aside to be on |
| on those days, say no. They’re full with | | | | retreat? |
| something more important. It is vital to guard | | | | Give yourself a break with evening recreation. |
| these days. | | | | You’ll want a break by evening. What |
| The week before, act as if you are going out of | | | | activities will nurture your writer? You could rent a |
| town. Take care of all the work and home | | | | film about a writer or artist to inspire you. You |
| obligations that need your attention. Think about | | | | could have a juicy book waiting to read. |
| what needs to be taken care of when you are | | | | Consider other activities that support your writing. |
| flying the coop – pet and plant care, | | | | If you went to a retreat center devoted to |
| clothes for the trip, etc. Make sure your work is | | | | writers, what would you want to see? Inspiring |
| done by the day before so you can take the | | | | books about the writing life or writing craft, |
| time guilt-free. | | | | favorite quotes, photos of writers who are role |
| Devise a plan. Consider your ideal writing retreat. | | | | models may all be part of your writing retreat. |
| First, think about what you are retreating from. | | | | Background music that encourages your creativity |
| Make a list of the roles you play in life: mother, | | | | might help. |
| spouse, employee, and writer. Give yourself | | | | Being on retreat doesn’t mean being holed |
| permission to take time off from those roles to | | | | up at home. If working in a cafe or at the library |
| focus on one role. This weekend, I will set aside | | | | supports your writing, plan for excursions out of |
| business owner, writer and teacher to be novelist | | | | the house.. Watch out for the errand monkey, |
| for two days. | | | | who will try to yank you around town on a bunch |
| Have a focus for your time. You may wish to | | | | of his missions! |
| work on one creative project or several, but | | | | Give yourself permission to step out of your |
| know beforehand what this time is devoted to. | | | | norm. Take this time to focus and be in full |
| This will help when you enter the writing zone to | | | | creative mode. A retreat of even a few hours |
| get down to work right away. | | | | can be a huge boon to progress on your writing. |
| Enroll allies. Alerting your people to your plans will | | | | Have fun and make it work for you. |