From Desk to Destination: Your Guide to a DIY Travel Writing Residency
You don't need Yaddo's permission to get your write on. šŗļø
Happy PRIDE, everybody! š From my het-passing bi/pan heart to yours, may you have a wonderful and safe month, and may we never forget that Pride was a riot. (For my sapphic readers, scroll down to the Internet Magpie section for a gender-bent Mr[s] Darcy thirst trap. š„µ)
Thank you to everyone who voted in my last postās poll. We had a highly scientific sample size of two (lol), but anyway, it was cool to hear from a staunch lit fic reader and an equally staunch thriller reader! I read broadly across genres (based on how jacket copy hits me) and deeply into my favorite genres (which include horror, thrillers, lit fic, romcoms, and high fantasy), so itās interesting to me when people stick to one or at most two.
From Desk to Destination: Your Guide to a DIY Travel Writing Residency
Like many of you, Iāve attended writing workshops, including Aspen Summer Words and Mors Tua Via Mea. I havenāt attended an official writing residency yet, though Iām presently wait-listed for one at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in the autumn. (Cāmonnnn, waitlist!)
Though official workshops and residencies like the ones listed above can be fantastic feathers for your cap, they can also be highly selective. Iām here to tell you you do NOT need their permission to write in gorgeous locations. You just have to put in a little more of the elbow grease (of the organizational variety) yourself.
[Insert artistās rendering of organizational elbow grease here.]
Take, for instance, last spring, when I took myself on a trip to the UK with a couple of writerly aims:
Conduct research in the archives of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic in Boscastle and attend Beltane rites in Edinburgh, visits that have so far spawned this essay in Typewriter Tarot and hopefully, someday, an entire witchy travel essay collection.
Use all the resulting train travel1 to polish an earlier draft of All the Ways It Wounds You for an agent who had requested the full MS at AWP Seattle. (It wasnāt a good fit in the end, but she was so kind in her feedback, and Iām glad we connected!)
During and after that trip, several #Writestagram people asked if Iād give them advice on planning their own travel writing residencies, which Iām finally doing now, which is kind of perfect because Iām sitting in JFK Internationalās JetBlue terminal, waiting to fly to Portland, Maine, for another self-built writing retreat with my college roommate and dear friend Anna Kovatcheva. (About whom Iām sure youāll be hearing a lot quite soon! #VagueBook š¤)
The following guidance is for anyone planning a DIY writing residency, but I think itās going to be most useful for those of you whose writing time in your everyday life is at a premium.
If your current schedule, responsibilities, and/or energy levels donāt allow you to write for more than six hours a week or more than three days a week, Iām talking directly to you.
Some of the suggestions here mirror an earlier version of this article posted to my freelance businessās website, but that post is more about affording the sometimes (OK, often) steep expense of a workshop, conference, or residency. This guide, meanwhile, is going to delve into other areas beyond the financial picture, like factoring in time costs and setting writing goals. Itās all divvied up into what you should do before, during, and after you go on your retreat.
If you have any questions that arenāt answered below, please share them in the comments. Iād be happy to do a follow-up post answering your FAQs!
To Do and Know Before You Go
Step 1: Save Up
Look, I know you can put a vacation on a credit card. Valid. Itās just not my style, and this is a guide based on how Iāve done my DIY residencies. I find travel is so much more fun when Iām not stressed about how Iām going to pay it off later.
Ways to Save
If itās possible for you, start by figuring out how much you can save each month or each paycheck. The 50/20/30 budgeting rule, in which ideally 50% of your income goes to necessary expenses, 20% goes to savings, and 30% goes to incidental expenses, is a good place to start. You might even set up your paychecks so that the resulting percentage or monetary amount is deposited directly to your travel slush fund. That way, you wonāt even miss it.2
You can supplement these savings with rewards systems like cash-back or points-based credit cards. This isnāt my area of expertiseāmy cash-back card accrues rewards so slowly that itās really only good for spending money after the trip is already bookedāso Iād recommend following someone like Seth Miller of WandrMe for advice on which cards are your best bet and which to avoid.
Once youāve saved up a little bit, look for flight deals. You know the usual suspects. My favorite ones to use, especially if I donāt have a set destination in mind, are Going.com and the āExploreā function in Google Flights.
Two Options If Funds Are Tight Right Now
Option 1: If a faraway destination is prohibitively expensive for you right now, you can reduce your travel costs by finding a fun travel destination within driving distance.
Option 2: Iāve previously been full-time freelance and broke in New York (luckily not at the same time), so I understand that a glamorous writing getaway isnāt always in the cards.
A staycation for a writing residency is 100% a valid optionānot to mention a fun way to visualize/manifest what life might be like if you were able to write for a living every day in your own space!
Be warned, though, that you may fall into existing routines that already jeopardize your writing time (e.g., binge watching TV, socializing, catching up on laundry) if you arenāt vigilant. If you donāt have Travel #TreatYourself money but you have At-Home #TreatYourself money, why not look into joining a coworking space specifically for writers in your area (e.g., Paragraph NYC, Bespoke House in Jacksonville, Type Set in Seattle)?
On a Related Note, Will You Get Paid for Your Time Off?
How long do you want to go away for your residency? In my experience, a minimum of four days is useful and productive.
If youāre a salaried worker, check your employerās paid time off (PTO) policy as well as your accrued vacation days. Will you get paid while youāre away? If not, whether itās because you donāt have the time accrued or your employer doesnāt honor PTO, consider also saving up what you would earn if you were at work so youāre not losing out on bill-paying money while youāre away.
āItās Dangerous to Go Alone!ā ā Bringing a Writing Friend
Iāve done solo and with-friend(s) DIY writing retreats, and there are benefits and drawbacks to both.
If you go by yourself, youāll almost definitely get more writing done, and youāll be able to set your own schedule without having to discuss it with others. But if you go with friends, youāll have someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to split lodging costs with, and someone to make memories with.
If you do go with a friend or two, voice your needs before or at the outset of the trip. What are some areas in which you can be flexible (e.g., sights you want to see, meal planning/dining out)? What are some aspects of the trip that are non-negotiable for you (e.g., your bedtime, whether thereās music or absolute silence in your writing space)? Being vocal about your needs and flexible and accepting of theirs will help this be a beneficial trip for you both, not one that ends in tears or drama.
Most Importantly, Set a Goal
Remember, in addition to being a vacation, this is a time away from the distractions of everyday life, where you can focus on your writing! To make the most of it, have a goal in mind. Ask yourself the following questions to isolate the goal:
Where am I in my work in progress? Are the tasks I hope to accomplish in the realm of prewriting, drafting, or revision?
What tasks do I hope to accomplish in the span of time Iāve set aside for my retreat? (Err on the side of caution for the time youāre given. Being ambitious with what you can accomplish in a week or not being okay with making partial progress only creates stress on your writing retreat.)
What is my ideal writing schedule on this trip? Will I write in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings? How long can I write in one session without draining myself? Will this be the same schedule every day, or is it dependent on sights and attractions in the area that I want to see?
What to Do on Your DIY Writing Retreat
Write, Of Course!
This one is self-explanatory, I should hope.
Nourish Your Creativity
Donāt forget to make time for reading, too. Do things that are nourishing to your soul and your creativity, whether that means long walks, meditation, watching old movies, or eating gorgeous meals. (You know, all those artistās dates Julia Cameron wants you to take yourself on.)
Remember, the difference between this writing retreat and your usual writing routine is that itās created a safe haven, a pocket of time, that you so rarely have in your daily life. You donāt have to force productivity every instant of this retreat. You can also playā¦
Play Tourist
ā¦which is a great segue to this next point. Play tourist if youāre in a new spot! You donāt have to go on tours just to go on tours, but if there are things in the area youāll regret missing if you donāt check them out now, make time for them. (This is why it can be handy to make a rough itinerary. If you know that an art museum is only open before six p.m. or that thereās a play you need to book tickets for at a certain time, plan your writing schedule accordingly.)
What to Do as You Head Home
Prepare for Departure
On the last or second-to-last night of your retreat, take some time to journal, reflecting on what you have (and havenāt) accomplished on this trip. What are the next one to three steps you need to take to follow up on the work you did while you were away?
Also, think ahead. The mundanities of the real world are about to crowd out the magic of your writing retreat. Perhaps you canāt write as frequently or as much as you were able to while you were away, but what are some things you can do to keep up your writing momentum?
Something I find useful is to think of this the same way I think of preventing ālifestyle creep.ā Instead of getting used to your old routine, identify a regular day of the week where you can ābookā a few hours of writing time. For example, I recently took a workshop that was on Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. Instead of getting used to having Wednesdays free again once the workshop ended, Iāve made Wednesdays my dedicated writing nights. Now, even if I canāt write any other day of the week, I know Iāll get somewhere on Wednesdays.
Plan Your Next Trip!
Writing and travel are two of my favorite things, so of course Iām going to say this. Thereās always a new destination and new pages to look forward to.
Internet Magpie Time!
Think of me as your friend who sends you a millionty one Reels, articles, and Tic-Tacs, but in a more curated three-at-a-time kind of fashion.
āAndrĆ© 3000 is at Peace (For Now).ā Hanif Abdurraqib. The Bitter Southerner. Listen. I love a reinvention/rebirth/āI do what I wantā story, and this interview about one of sorts is dope as hell. As is The Bitter Southerner, imho.
āWhat Even Is This?: 8 Books That Blend and Transcend Genre.ā Laura Sackton.
. RE: My interest in reading broadly and deeply, here are some people who know what Iām f***ing talking about. *adds all eight to my Bookshop.org wishlist*Mr(s) Darcy Thirst Trap (@monique.antoinette.bryson). This Instagram Reel celebrates Pride Month by stating in its caption, āI used to want to be Miss Bennett, but now I think Iād much rather be Mr Darcy! I mean, who wouldnāt want to swan through mist in a billowing coat towards the woman they love?ā šššš©·
I hope all is well in your corner of the world. If youāve gone on a DIY writing retreat yourself, brag about it in the comments!
Jessica xx
Greater London > Cornwall > Scotland > Greater London. To which most Brits I met said, āCor, thatās some travel!ā to which I replied, āFlorida is about the length of a cross-country train trip from Cornwall to Edinburgh, just FYI.ā
This is good advice for other savings goals, too!