The Self-Directed Writing Retreat
(Trickledown House, Gravenhurst, July, 2023)
I had never been to a self-directed writing retreat. Jennifer Mook-Sang, a writer friend, had posted about Trickledown House in Muskoka over the years, and I’d mentally stored it away knowing that someday I would need to visit.
Earlier this year, I’d attended the NY SCBWI conference and had a manuscript consult with a lovely agent from a reputable agency. We hit it off and her recommendations for my young adult novel, a Shakespeare retelling, resonated. She asked me to submit when I was ready. This was great news, but the challenge was that I was deep into my second novel and had lost all objectivity on my first.
I made some strategic decisions about my writing goals and timelines based on this year’s mantra: Motivated to Make it Happen (thank you Julie Hedlund!). And it was happening – two publishers were interested in one of my picture books that was closest to my heart. If I was going to submit to the agent, I was going to need help.
The first step was hiring the editor I’d seen present at SCBWI LA (another name I stored away). What I got was a critique of my full manuscript with 9 pages of feedback and guidance, tracked changes and validation that I had a good thing on my hands. After letting new ideas percolate, I typed up a comprehensive revision plan, but every time I tried to get going on THE BIG EDIT something came up. It was making me grouchy. I’d given myself a deadline, but it was the middle of summer and both kids were home. The time had finally come to visit Trickledown House, so I booked three nights with a week to prepare.
I arrived with all my writerly things to a turn of the century home in Muskoka. There was an old timey kitchen which pleased me to no end, plus a door to a spooky basement that I secured with a tilted chair. I set myself up on the dining room table, clicked on several lamps, and hit the ground running.
It didn’t take long to reacquaint myself with my main character and her world, but I was nervous about juggling scenes and blending chapters. I squelched down the fear and embarked on my 80-page structural edit determined to finish it before returning home.
Every night, I planned out my writing tasks for the next day, the editor’s feedback and my revision plan acted as guideposts, and my work took on a level of focus unachievable at home.
Mornings were on the porch with coffee where I edited by hand before typing the changes and sending it to the local library for printing (what a great service!). Then I would pick up my documents and head over to Oliver’s Coffee Company – it was kismet, my cat’s name was Oliver - where I worked for hours, overhearing the chitty-chat of customers and staff. This was a small town and everybody knew everybody. It was nice.
For sanity’s sake, I took breaks. I drove to Kirby Beach to take a swim and yes, edit, I watched an extreme water ski group do tricks on Lake Muskoka, and every evening I booked it to Muskoka Wharf to watch the sunset. There I discovered the Muskoka Steamships that had been running since 1866 and it made me think of my dad – I was certain he’d inspected them in his work as marine surveyor for the Canadian Coast Guard. I bought chocolate and rock minerals for my family and enjoyed visiting the cool vintage shop. Even getting out to buy groceries was a nice break.
The last morning, I went one last time to Oliver’s to revise a chapter and before I knew it, I was done! There were still more passes to come, but the most challenging part of the revision was over and I was pleased with the changes. To celebrate the moment, I bought a red mug from the café, which I never do, because I’d overcome my fear and ACHIEVED MY GOAL. Now every time I use that mug, it is a reminder that I can do hard things.
Celebrate the wins, friends, wherever you find them!
Cheers,
Thereza
P.S. Thank you to Sandra of Trickledown House for making the space available to writers!
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/trickledownhouse/