When you think “writing retreat,” do you dream of a secluded cabin in the woods, miles from anywhere? A beachfront condo on a tropical island? Or perhaps a mountain refuge, high above the world and its distractions? Unfortunately, options like those are not always available to writers, especially those struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dream of authorship. But the places I described above may also, in fact, not be the most conducive choices. If you’ve decided to set aside some time for a writing retreat (read Part I in this series for more on why this is a good idea), your choice of place is critical. Here are some criteria I’ve found to be helpful in choosing a place for your retreat. Try to find somewhere that: 1. Is removed from your usual routines… This is perhaps the most important criteria when choosing a place for a retreat—ideally, it should be far enough removed from your home/workplace that you won’t be tempted to go pick up your laundry, reorganize your office space, or any of the other easy distractions that surround you at home. If you simply don’t have the option of being away from your home, try to at least designate a space in your home that is free from distractions, turn off phones etc for the times you’re working, and let your friends and family know that for this period of time you are not available in the ways you might normally be. 2. … But is not too far from civilization. Unless you plan on taking with you and preparing all your own food etc., secluded locations are actually often not the best choice for writing retreats. You’ll end up spending a lot of time dealing with things like grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes, and so on. I like to plan my retreats in places where I can easily get to a selection of good restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores. While I don’t always want to eat out, I want getting meals to be easy and not a source of distraction. 3. Provides a variety of locations for work… Some people like to work in one place every day. Personally, I find that I need variety—sometimes I need to head to the coffee shop for a change of scene. I’ve found that doing writing retreats in areas where there are several hotels or resorts nearby can be a great option—you don’t have to be staying in these places to go in, use their facilities (food, drinks, wifi), and enjoy working in a beautiful environment. These kinds of places often have big beautiful lobby areas that are perfect for writing. I was once...
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