writing retreats
November 14, 2008
- I often find myself struggling with simply getting started on a book project of my own. I can dig into the editing of someone else's manuscript with no problem; after all, they've already overcome their own overwhelm and written the whole book. Plus, I'm still struggling with the idea of self-publishing my work. I'm a traditional publishing hold out, which explains why I have at least three ...
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March 2, 2008
- Demorado. It means "delayed" in Spanish, and I learned that word Friday when both of my flights home from Mexico were, indeed, demorado.It sounds so much better in Spanish, doesn't it? The word "demoralized" -- the sensation that happens when you look on the departure board and your flight is delayed -- seems built right in.Anyway I'm home, and here I am, lying flat in bed ...
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February 28, 2008
- Sometimes I really do get it, that the creative work is the reward. Yes, I know this intellectually, but too often my Evil Editor/Inner-Salieri gets in the way and confuses me. Today, I walked through the Juarez market on my way to my last meal of carne asada and chorizo and grilled onions and peppers cooked right over the fire in the hot smoky gallery (served in wide wicker baskets with fresh ...
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February 27, 2008
- One of the (very few) problems of the do-it-yourself solo writer's colony is that the other "worker bees" at the colony are often drunk retired folks on vacation.And, they're not necessarily artists, they don't spend their lives wrapped up in le proces artistique (pardon my lousy faux-French), so there's a lot of explaining to do when they see me typing frantically on the veranda, over ...
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February 23, 2008
- Today is hit-the-wall day here in paradise, otherwise known as the Casa Colonial in Oaxaca, Mexico where I've been holed up for two weeks, occasionally going down to the Mercado or Zocalo but basically sitting in the garden and working on my novel.I have six days left of my retreat. But today real life intrudes! I need to write two manuscript critiques, deal with scheduling issues for March, ...
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February 21, 2008
- Bliss for me is the gift of weeks at a colony: endless time to write, other artists busy with their own creating, good conversation over dinner, meals made by often excellent cooks, the start of deep lasting friendships, and the chance to explore a new part of the country. Below are the colonies I’ve had the good fortune to attend, along with a bit of annotation. I’ve included the dates I ...
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February 10, 2008
- One night at Ragdale, a woman talked about her inability to write, despite the gift of time at this fabulous art colony. Her first book and subsequent stories had been told in a voice of brilliant, pointed humor. Now, she was finding, the ironic voice that had served her so well didn’t allow a deeper plunge into the pain that was her subject. But what choice did she have, she asked. “After ...
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