Writing Retreat

If you follow along you know I’ve been planning to take a few days for a personal writing retreat. I’m so close to finishing this draft of my novel. I want to lock myself in a hotel room with a about thirty cans of Starbucks espresso shots and a dozen or so Trader Joe’s hummus wraps and just write until it’s done.

At first it was going to be this week. But then I got busy with work and started talking over the details with Daniel and we decided it would be better if I did it the last weekend of the month (make Memorial Day a 4 day weekend and go then). But then yesterday we got to talking again and it seems like I had it right the first time. My sister-in-law is getting married the weekend after memorial day weekend, and there may be fun happenings leading up to that. Also, we have friends in town for memorial day weekend, and I’d like to see them.

So I did some calling this morning. I talked to my favorite, most wonderful client to see if there were any big projects starting up this week (there aren’t). I called Staci at Affordable Honda and found out the civic should be drivable by the end of today. I don’t have any appointments or meetings. In fact, this week, from tomorrow through Friday, is looking like the perfect time to disappear for a bit. The only trick is the hotel reservation. The place I’m staying doesn’t take calls until 3pm, so I don’t know yet if they have room for me this week. I hope they do, but really, if they don’t I might just book a room at any old Motel 6. It really doesn’t matter where I’m at. My only hope was to be in the desert, since that’s where my story is set. Also, it needs to be cheap.

So I won’t know for a few hours exactly where I’ll be, but it’s looking like this is it. Yeah! And then the panic sets in. Holy shit. You mean I actually have to finish my novel? Yes, that’s the whole point – set aside time to get through this final stretch. It is as scary as it is exciting. I’m pretty sure I know what needs to be done. I’ve been plugging away at it, a few hours a week, for months – years even.

So I guess I just need to not psych myself out. Just go and revel in the freedom to write, write, write. No schedule to keep. No laundry that needs doing. No meals to prepare. Just me and my hummus wraps. And cookies. Lots of cookie.

I’ll write a blog post when I get home Friday to let y’all know how it goes. Wish me luck.