There are many aspects of writing that aren't for me. Or perhaps, they aren't for me right now. Or perhaps they are for me, and I'm to obstinate to see that. Some of those things anyway.
Writing weekends have not been and are not one of those. It's been a dream for a long time, especially since NaNoWriMo 2014, when I spent a week writing, as if it was a writing weekend. It was incredble for me and complete hell for my family.
Still , it showed me how good it can be as a writer, to have complete control over your own time.
Of course, if by magic, all writers suddenly had all the time in the world, they'd start by having their first coffee, then answering emails, then twitter, then facebook, then their website (irony warning)... and end the day by bolting 500 words just so they can assuage the guilt and sleep well.
After binging *insert name of latest best TV* for most of the night, of course.
And that is the thing about a writing weekend - as a writer, with a family, job, life - you don't have all the time in the world. Far from it. So if you do get your hands on this little oasis of time, that belongs entirely to you, it seems like a miracle and not to be squandered. You actually want to pack every corner of that box with writing. You do not in any way want to waste it on all the usual distractions.
Even eating.
Yes, taking time out for eating is an expense you can not afford! Depending on where your writing weekend is taking place, you may either come fully stocked with meals and snacks and coffee, or, the first thing you do on arrival, is fill a box at the nearest supermarche.
And then don't come out again.
Well, of course you do: a quick walk, some fresh air, a quick pint in the nearest.. whatever floats your boat. Only you will know what it takes and how long for.
On my weekend, I had to go outside, because my weekend was a shared with the Marillion Weekend 2019 at Leicester DeMontford. Do daytime writing, evenings watching my favourite band, lovely walk home in the warm Leicester evening, and a little bit more writing, before crashing out.
Bliss.
I wanted to achieve a lot more than I did though - you always do - but because I squandered my time between Jan and March very nicely, it didn't go according to plan.
I will expand on this in the next news or maybe a blog, but there is no getting away from it, this was remiss of me. Of all the things in the past four years getting in the way, this is the most regrettable.
The result of it was, instead of having everything figured out so that I could sit down and just write, I spent a large part of the weekend figuring things out - by writing.
But that is the thing isn't it - I HAVE figured things out. At least I think I have. For one thing I am now certain of the starting place for a first Essence Novel and yet in the last four years, I have started ten stories, written enough for two novels and identified six possible starting places for a novel. This is a significant breakthrough, and I owe it to a writing weekend.
It is also worth noting here that, the weekend was so successful that my wife is already planning my next one. I'm almost certain my writing is her main motivation ;)
Writing weekends have not been and are not one of those. It's been a dream for a long time, especially since NaNoWriMo 2014, when I spent a week writing, as if it was a writing weekend. It was incredble for me and complete hell for my family.
Still , it showed me how good it can be as a writer, to have complete control over your own time.
Of course, if by magic, all writers suddenly had all the time in the world, they'd start by having their first coffee, then answering emails, then twitter, then facebook, then their website (irony warning)... and end the day by bolting 500 words just so they can assuage the guilt and sleep well.
After binging *insert name of latest best TV* for most of the night, of course.
And that is the thing about a writing weekend - as a writer, with a family, job, life - you don't have all the time in the world. Far from it. So if you do get your hands on this little oasis of time, that belongs entirely to you, it seems like a miracle and not to be squandered. You actually want to pack every corner of that box with writing. You do not in any way want to waste it on all the usual distractions.
Even eating.
Yes, taking time out for eating is an expense you can not afford! Depending on where your writing weekend is taking place, you may either come fully stocked with meals and snacks and coffee, or, the first thing you do on arrival, is fill a box at the nearest supermarche.
And then don't come out again.
Well, of course you do: a quick walk, some fresh air, a quick pint in the nearest.. whatever floats your boat. Only you will know what it takes and how long for.
On my weekend, I had to go outside, because my weekend was a shared with the Marillion Weekend 2019 at Leicester DeMontford. Do daytime writing, evenings watching my favourite band, lovely walk home in the warm Leicester evening, and a little bit more writing, before crashing out.
Bliss.
I wanted to achieve a lot more than I did though - you always do - but because I squandered my time between Jan and March very nicely, it didn't go according to plan.
I will expand on this in the next news or maybe a blog, but there is no getting away from it, this was remiss of me. Of all the things in the past four years getting in the way, this is the most regrettable.
The result of it was, instead of having everything figured out so that I could sit down and just write, I spent a large part of the weekend figuring things out - by writing.
But that is the thing isn't it - I HAVE figured things out. At least I think I have. For one thing I am now certain of the starting place for a first Essence Novel and yet in the last four years, I have started ten stories, written enough for two novels and identified six possible starting places for a novel. This is a significant breakthrough, and I owe it to a writing weekend.
It is also worth noting here that, the weekend was so successful that my wife is already planning my next one. I'm almost certain my writing is her main motivation ;)