Working It: Small Retreats & Big Conferences

 This Week's Topic: Writing Retreats -- Do They Work for Me?

I should start by clarifying that a writers' retreat--to me--is a small gathering, versus a conference, which has more attendees and a set program. Writing retreats are wonderful for the sake of camaraderie, catching up on industry scuttlebutt, analyzing emerging technologies, and refilling the creative well. The social aspects and the change of scenery are undoubtedly refreshing. The casual, low-stress, mutually-supportive atmosphere can be lovely, even for a hermit an introvert like me, whether I'm meeting new people or renewing acquaintances. Because it's an intimate gathering, there's less pressure to be "on," and the interactions seem more genuine. The retreats I prefer have one or two events/sessions planned per day while the rest of the time (outside of meals) is up to the attendees. We have the flexibility to work through plots or big-sky concepts in pairs or groups, or to be alone and write. 

Writing conferences require more energy from me, more public-persona performance, and more all-around investment. The educational opportunities are greater at a con than at a retreat--from collegiate-style coursework to peer-led workshops to official industry presentations. Conferences are also good for buckshot networking (the kind where you exchange business cards with a lot of people and then build select relationships later). Conferences do offer the chance to meet more peers in your niche, yet breaking through the cliques can be a challenge.

Now, I will admit there were (are?) a few thematic "academies" with a fixed program that seemed fun and useful, where I could learn a specific thing for say, a week or long weekend. The number of participants was kept small so they're akin to a retreat, but there's focused coursework. The Police Academy for Writers was one such thing (I don't know if it's still around ). Writing with Historical Accuracy for the XXXX Period, where you were hands-on with the clothes of the period, you ate the meals of the time, you learned the proper address for the social structure, you experienced the commoner side and the aristocratic side, etc. Getting Medieval: Armor to Sword Fights, where you got schooled in what's real and what's make-believe. I think a lot of the niche programs folded with the advent of COVID (alas), but for a time, there were some really neat ones out there that I kick myself for not attending.

Of Note: Be they retreats or conferences, I don't attend them with the intention of hitting wordcount goals, much less exceeding them. I can do that on my own time. I go because there's something specific I want from the event, and I'm clear with myself about what that is before I plop down money. 

As long as you're clear on what you want from the retreat or the conference, give it a go.  

But, maybe mask up to avoid Con Crud. 😷