"Dylan Thomas was definitely on to something with his love of walking, and Wales meets a writer's need to walk and write. I developed a routine of morning writing followed by a stroll along the damp banks of the River Usk through clouds of marsh hair moss, allowing the plot tangles to unknot themselves in the cold Welsh air. I was amazed by how much I got done in a long weekend cut off from distractions,"
"Rewarding myself for reaching the hallowed 50,000-word mark and clutching a patchy story and the beginnings of a credible three-act structure, my next stop was the Urban Writers' Retreat. I had already taken an online writing course with its founder, Charlie Haynes, and liked the supportive way she worked. So I knew I would be in safe hands for my three-night stay in the expansive Georgian farmhouse near Newton Abbot, Devon, where she hosts her retreats."
A sudden novel idea emerged during a dusk crossing of the Thames, but brief daily composing sessions proved insufficient to complete the project. Solitary retreats in converted chapels enable concentrated morning composing followed by restorative walks that help untangle plot problems. Group retreats led by supportive facilitators in spacious houses provide structured three-night stays, peer feedback, and relief from daily administration. Varied landscapes — Welsh riverbanks, Devon farmhouses, Scottish lochs — combine solitude and companionship to rejuvenate blocked creators and accelerate progress toward a credible narrative structure.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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