writingretreat

4 Sep 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Journal, artist-mother, mixingitup, solvinginternalconflict, writersolutions, writingretreat

Writing Retreat Day 4: Free spirit

Day 4 writing retreat: Free spirit. I needed to find some play within the schedule on Day 4. I was feeling antsy, a little tired in my body-mind, and wanted to shake things up a little bit. So, I mixed in other activities with the writing ones to keep me engaged and to resolve some internal conflict I felt. I wrote in a new place at a different time and “out of order” (the order I had scheduled to complete the work) to make it feel new. I also expressed my inner free spirit by journaling about joy, playing with Oso (my German Shepard companion), and setting up some of the interiors of my Writing Shed. I also set three intentions to help see me through to the end–I will feel pride, I will allow time for reflection after the retreat, and I will express gratitude.

3 Sep 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Journal, artist-mother, loneliness, writingretreat, writingroutine

Writing Retreat Day 3: Settling

Day 3: Settling. I was ready to make a schedule today because I was craving the structure and the feelings of accomplishment. So much of a writing project can feel like a “no-place” or a place of very open possibilities, so I knew it would be good for my spirit to set and meet goals today. Also, some loneliness crept in (the retreat site is pretty remote), but also the feeling that I was ready to “get to work.”

2 Sep 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Journal,, Dr. Maggie Is In the Shed listentoyourlife, meangingfulsynchronicities, mother-artist, sensebody, writingretreat

Dear M, Writing Retreat Day 2: Sense

Day 2 of writing retreat: Sense. Today was all about “feeling into” what my body-mind wanted, listening to meaningful synchronizations that had occurred recently, and trusting that even though I had one plan for the writing retreat, my muses assured me I could trust my instincts. Marianne Boruch, one of my favorite poets who writes about poetry says, “The main thing is to give yourself time, a good steady empty block of it. And be there, show up.” I think that’s what I did today . . .

26 Aug 2025 The Writing Shed

Dear Journal, memoirwriter, mother-artist, rest, softening, writingretreat

Dear M, Writing Retreat Day 1: Soften

I’m an artist-mother who self-organized a writing retreat in the mountains of New Mexico. For 5 days, I’ll have uninterrupted time to think, write, plan, and feel into the peace and quiet of my own heart. Join me as I “check in” at the end of each day about how the day went and what I learned. I will be having a conversation with “M”–the nickname of my “Merry Memoir”–a work in progress that I have personified because I believe she supports my creative process. As Marianne Boruch tells us: “make the occasion for it” and the writing will come.