I’m baaaaaack from my writing retreat!

 

I’ve returned from my writing retreat in Maine and Lake Powell and I’m super jazzed, refreshed, and in love with my writing! Every day was a different adventure and I spent my days journaling, reading, brainstorming, drafting, outlining, hiking, swimming, and meditating!

I don’t know what it is about being near the ocean or a large body of water (maybe deep down I’m a mermaid), but there’s a creative energy that I’m absolutely in love with.

This whole month has been calming, relaxing, energizing, and all about finding clarity again.

Not to mention, I’m super proud of the work I produced:

  • 50 typed pages
  • 30 handwritten pages
  • Dozens of scene cards
  • An 18-page novel outline
  • 100+ pages of brainstorming and journaling.

It’s been a huge success!

And in the middle of it all, I had a big breakdown and had to throw months of work away and start over from scratch. Well … not scratch, but I did start over from square one, asking myself to re-focus, clearly define my heart theme, and strip away all the external GUNK that was clotting up my plot and stealing the spotlight from the true story I set out to tell.

So yes, months of work was thrown in the trash can.

But here’s the kicker … after I refocused, clarified my themes, and remembered why I wanted to tell this story in the first place, the words turned on and started flowing. The voice came ALIVE on the page with a beating heart that I am in love with. My character’s wounds, and fears, and desires are resonating and on fire. This book has found new blood.

Sometimes you have to let go.

Surrender.

Start again.

My other big AH-HA! on this retreat is the power of meditation. On a whim, I signed up for a meditation and energy clearing course and man-oh-man I cannot say enough about how transformational meditation and energy clearing has been for me!

I’m learning so much about my writing, the stories I’ve told myself and how they hold me hostage, and what it truly means to let go and trust the process.

And yes, I’ve been making some fun videos about this journey to share with all of you as well. In the next weeks I’ll be releasing videos on:

  • Journaling before you write
  • My breakdown and decision to surrender
  • Handwriting your novel
  • The power of midpoints
  • What my writing day looks like
  • The stories we tell ourselves and how they hold us back
  • Plus, lots of GORGEOUS scenery!

After all … it was SO HARD to spend a month looking at views like these:

Thank you for your patience while I was on this journey.

I hope you all took some time for yourself to reconnect with your creativity, reignite your passions, fall back in love with your manuscripts, and remind yourself that YOU are so fracking important!

You really are.

More coming soon,
Ingrid

P.S. I’ll leave you with this sweet love note that a good friend sent to me while on my retreat.

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7 responses to “I’m baaaaaack from my writing retreat!”

  1. Welcome back! I’m dying to know the name of the book you’re reading (with subplots and secondary characters).

  2. Love this post! It was great seeing you. Write on!

  3. Anna Jordan says:

    Love this and those photos are amazing. Congrats on the successful retreat. xo

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