Would it be okay if I …hide?

Let’s talk a little bit about the social structure and expectations of Brass Ring writing retreats.

These retreats are designed to give everyone a comfortable and receptive work space. One that allows you to think freely and without interruption. Outside of meal times, little conversation occurs (during the day) in the main room. There is still some, of course, though it is usually very respectful of the working environment.

However, group environments don’t work for everyone which is why attendees are encouraged to find whatever spot suits them best. Be it on the couch, at the table, or in their own room. If that’s where you need to work, then that’s where you should be.

Additionally, attendees are encouraged to spend their time however they need. Do you need to draw? Or read and research? Maybe stare out the window and plot up stories in your head? All of that is valid if it’s part of your creative process. That’s the beauty of this retreat. It’s YOUR time. You get to use it however you want.

I’m there to make sure you get fed and watered, not judge you for an après-lunch zizz.

What If I’m Not a Real Writer?

Can I still participate?

This is such a loaded question for so many people. I thought it might be helpful to provide my philosophy on Real Writers and how, for the purposes of this retreat, I define them.

I’ve been writing for quite some time now. I say this only to point out that I’ve met a lot of writers. Each and every one of them is real. And they all have exactly one quality in common: they really sit down and they really write.

That’s it.

Beyond that, I don’t have the moral authority or even professional curiosity to define what a real writer is or should be.

Haven’t written a book? It doesn’t matter.
Not published? I don’t care.
Don’t blog? Not a problem.
Haven’t written anything in months? We’ve all been there.

All the “You’re not a TRUE writer unless…” bizwaz can go suck an egg. Some people write fast, others write slow. Some don’t write for years. Some people write every day. Many people never write at all. The fact that you do is already incredible.

This retreat is not about Being The Best Writer. It’s not a talent show. There are no trophies. You will not be judged. This retreat is intended to give you access to a large chunk of uninterrupted time. You don’t have to be popular or published to want that. All you have to be is willing (and quiet. Y’know, so we can write.)

In fact, it could be argued that, through participation in such an intensive writing weekend, you automatically are defined as a real writer because you really have to sit down and write. And at the end of the day, we can relax with a glass of wine and argue about what real writers do when they’re not really writing -because we’ll all be real by then. Right?

Why Brass Ring Retreats?

Candy and I met when our kids got caught sword fighting with scissors in class. We became friends because I asked her to go to a writing conference with me. I was a fresh writer then, all hopes and smiles. She was a seasoned writer who had gotten sidetracked by life. Both of us wanted a kick to our writing careers but both of us are also introverts so we banded together and went. It was fun. We returned home exhausted but inspired.

We soon found another conference. And another. We spent a few years sneaking away for occasional ‘mom-cations’ to exotic places like Wenatchee, SeaTac, and Edmonds. Any conference we could find within a three hour drive. Getting out there, getting inspired. Going home with heads full of ideas. It was all incredibly satisfying.

Sort of.

Inspiration and ideas are super! But being back home, meant being back to the daily schedule of too much stuff to do and not enough time to do it in. Eventually it started to be a drag. What’s the use of writing ideas if you don’t have enough time to write them?

Then one day, we had an enlightening conversation:

“Wouldn’t it be great if, instead of a conference this spring, we just went somewhere and wrote for an entire weekend?”

“HECK YEAH IT WOULD. I’ll bring the snacks.”

So that’s what we did. We forwent the craft conference and headed out to the Olympic peninsula. We brought enough provisions so we wouldn’t have to leave then we shut the door and wrote like mad until we had to go to sleep or go home.

The difference that weekend made was incredible. We went home knowing we’d accomplished something. Both of us found a renewed focus on our respective WIPs. We started carving out more time to work on writing projects. Started enjoying that time more.

Three months later, we went back to try it again. We had another super productive weekend. I chatted about it on social media and was surprised to soon field inquiries from other writers asking how they could join us. They wanted to just go somewhere and write for an entire weekend too.

That’s where Brass Ring comes in. We can provide the one thing every writer needs but can’t seem to get enough of: uninterrupted writing time.

No distractions, no obligations, just you and the page. Show up Friday. Write until Sunday. Go home accomplished.

It’s that simple.