How To Create Your Own Creative Retreat ☀️
A newsletter about writing, art and living more creatively
Hi friends,
(I would like to preface this by saying that I know the world is crazy right now. I hope this space can be a little breath of fresh air but please don't think I'm not also feeling frustrated and uncertain these days!!)
I was so so grateful to receive a grant from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund that would help me create my own self-guided retreat. I finally decided to take some time this year to put it to use.
I'd budgeted the amount in my application, leaving room for the Airbnb fee and also food. And, let me tell you, creating this writing retreat opened up so much space for me mentally.
I was really lucky to find an Airbnb owned by someone who also worked in creative fields and owned a ton of books. Their home was in another part of town (but not far from my apartment) tucked into a hilly area. It felt like you were far away from the city. There were deer crossing signs. I heard lots of chirpy birds. A neighbor had wind chimes and they made their tinkling noises as I looked out on the greenery in front of me. I could walk down to the area where the owner had lemon trees. I watched a couple of squirrels get into a fight.
I couldn't stop smiling when I got there and I felt my shoulders instantly loosen. This was my space for the next few days. I didn't need to worry about cooking, which freed up even more mental energy. That first night, I ordered some Noodle World (if you know, you know!) and made myself some tea.
Before I got to the Airbnb, I'd printed out my full manuscript (save for some essays I knew I didn't want to change as much). The Airbnb had its own dedicated office where the sun hit the desk and I had space to spread out my pages and also pace around when I felt stuck.
One day, I saw a bowl of fruit in the refrigerator and texted the owner to ask if I could eat one. They responded saying that of course, they had bought them at a local farmer's market and left them for me to enjoy. I'm not sure why this small gesture made me feel so touched. Maybe it's because the whole thing already felt so unreal. And because while I was working on the book revisions and enjoying the greenery, a part of me was also still carrying all the sadness and hurt from the last couple of years when our world drastically changed. I got a lot of revisions done, and I also found some great new food places and walked a lot.
I want to encourage you, if you'd like, to find a time to create your own retreat. It can be short. It can be nearby.
A writer friend of mine (hi Ashley!) booked a hotel room for a couple nights and says it's the best couple of writing days she's had. Previously, I mentioned how in pre-COVID times, I split a tiny home with four friends. There were goats nearby and we capped it all off with a trip to a nearby winery.
If that sounds like a lot, though, how about finding a new cafe? And writing/drawing/brainstorming there for a couple of hours? Put your phone in your pocket or purse and leave it there. Delete IG and TikTok temporarily. If it's helpful, search on Yelp to find a cafe that DOESN'T have WiFi, so you can avoid any YouTube rabbit holes (which I 100% love, but have their own time and place).
Join a Zoom creative group and block out some time to make things. FaceTime with a friend. Find one of those blank sketchbooks or notebooks you keep meaning to use and make it a goal to fill it up. If you feel comfortable being indoors, find a local library and see if they have seating areas that might work for you. Find a quiet wine bar and visit during the less-busy hours.
Hit up a friend with a backyard (or use yours!). Or, find a park near you and grab a picnic table, or bring a blanket (and a friend!) and give yourself some time to follow the bread crumbs of that one idea that's been floating around in your head.
I'm rooting for you. And I can't wait to see what you create.
In my recent work:
I wrote a review/essay about the YA novel "The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School"
I visited Tlaloc Studio's "Retrato" exhibition and wrote about the art duo Jamex and Einar de la Torre.
Your favorite small but feisty writer,
Eva
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