Walking always frees up my mind… it’s like I’ve thrown the windows open of a dusty attic and cleared it all of dust and cobwebs. But the biggest is hands down not feeling stressed or overburdened by life’s chores.
Love the idea of retreating to a cottage or cabin to get creative work done - I'll have to try it sometime! Some things that I've found helpful for my writing practice: having a clean and beautiful (to me) workspace, lighting a candle and using a battery-operated timer and working in 25-30 minute segments, with my phone out of sight. I need to build a playlist for writing too, since music always inspires me.
Yes to the clean workspace and sticking my phone in the other room. I write fiction and when I'm not quite in the headspace after a morning of "work work," I write a note from one of my characters to someone not in the scene at all, usually complaining about the person they are interacting with in the scene. Sometimes I'll draw (so poorly) an object from the scene.
An 'escape hack' I want to manifest is 2024 - 2025 is housesitting for an out-of-town to plow through a revision. Seems like it would be a real win-win.
I'm a little late to the game here, and I know you're probably busy writing away now, but if you have any time to share a little more about the fact-checking process, I'd love to hear it! I'm guessing you're not at that phase yet, but when do you typically send it out? How do you find a good fact-checker? How long does that process typically take? Anything else you wish was more commonly known about that process? I know it's an optional (and author-funded) step in publishing, and I'm just really curious to know more (if/when you get a chance)!
In the meantime, best of luck with revisions and enjoy your retreat in the woods!
Walking always frees up my mind… it’s like I’ve thrown the windows open of a dusty attic and cleared it all of dust and cobwebs. But the biggest is hands down not feeling stressed or overburdened by life’s chores.
Good luck with your work retreat!
Noise-cancelling headphones and a playlist I made for Vibes TM. And writing smutty fanfiction if I'm being so so so real.
Love the idea of retreating to a cottage or cabin to get creative work done - I'll have to try it sometime! Some things that I've found helpful for my writing practice: having a clean and beautiful (to me) workspace, lighting a candle and using a battery-operated timer and working in 25-30 minute segments, with my phone out of sight. I need to build a playlist for writing too, since music always inspires me.
It's really lovely to escape to a cottage -- and I know, quite a privilege. I am so grateful!
Yes to the clean workspace and sticking my phone in the other room. I write fiction and when I'm not quite in the headspace after a morning of "work work," I write a note from one of my characters to someone not in the scene at all, usually complaining about the person they are interacting with in the scene. Sometimes I'll draw (so poorly) an object from the scene.
An 'escape hack' I want to manifest is 2024 - 2025 is housesitting for an out-of-town to plow through a revision. Seems like it would be a real win-win.
Best wishes for the time!
I'm a little late to the game here, and I know you're probably busy writing away now, but if you have any time to share a little more about the fact-checking process, I'd love to hear it! I'm guessing you're not at that phase yet, but when do you typically send it out? How do you find a good fact-checker? How long does that process typically take? Anything else you wish was more commonly known about that process? I know it's an optional (and author-funded) step in publishing, and I'm just really curious to know more (if/when you get a chance)!
In the meantime, best of luck with revisions and enjoy your retreat in the woods!