Liam's Gift
A parable of the artistic life
A parable of the artistic life
When I’m trying to plow through a rough draft or gain the concentration necessary to finish a novel, I organize a writing getaway. Time away is especially valuable when I’m doing my final edits and don’t want distractions.
You know the kind of distractions I mean. People hoping you’ll put a meal on the table. Laundry in the dryer. Weeds in the garden. Bills to be paid. All of these have an insidious way of eroding concentration.
When a writer is deep in revising a novel, she or he must hold the entire novel in her head. What happens early on lays the groundwork for what lies ahead.
When I’m on a writing retreat, I’m like this guy: eyes closed, listening to the waves, not even bothering to stare out at the horizon
Though you might go to a vacation destination for a writing getaway, you don’t go with a vacation mindset. When I’m on vacation I want to go to the beach and snorkle. I spend time with my family and try to be “fully present,” not pretending to have a conversation, all the while fully engaged with the characters in my head.
Yes, I could apply to a writing residency; however, applying for those requires lead time, and a writer must send a manuscript for a committee to approve. That’s extra work. I’ve done residencies and benefited a lot. Sometimes, though, I’m okay with organizing my own “writing getaway” and just hanging with the people in my book.
My husband and I have a timeshare, and as part of that ownership package, we became members of Interval, a timeshare exchange network. The other big exchange is RCI. I use my normal timeshare week for travel with my husband or kids, but if I’m planning a getaway, I grab one the exchanges’ last-minute deals. Usually, I can find an apartment for $250 to $300 per week. If I’m trying to revise or finish a book, I like having a kitchen. Preparing a simple meal gives me a reason to get up and stretch.
Because I live part of the year in Arizona, I’m close to the Grand Canyon and to the many state parks where I can rent a cabin. I usually go alone when I organize one of these getaways, writing during the day and editing in the evening. But I also take a daily walk, and being able to do that in a National Park is just the best. In the event you’re thinking you might like to visit a National Park, even without the excuse of needing to finish a book, here’s an article to give you ideas.
Cabins make great getaway destinations. This one is in Island Park, Idaho. Photo by Cara Fuller via Unsplash.com
When I plan a getaway, I bring my own ergonomically comfortable work-space. I’ve never found a hotel room with a desk at a comfortable typing height, nor can I depend on a hotel chair. Most of them kill my back. If I’m going away to write, here’s what I bring:
The specific desk I bring is a Tabletote with a little upright wand to hold manuscript pages.
I’ve tried out many different camp chairs, including camp chairs from REI and camp chairs that are fine for car camping. However, most collapsible chairs are flimsy. If I’m sitting for three or four hours at a time, I want a chair that gives me good back and arm support. I found a Director’s Chair at Cabela’s that I like a lot.
As for a printer, I own a CANON BJC-85 printer. It weighs less than two pounds. Canon’s not making them anymore, but you can find them used. They’re a lot less expensive–and lighter weight–than other portables. You can buy them used on eBay or Amazon for under $50. I refill the ink cartridges myself, using an ink refill kit.
An equally good bet would be CANON PIXMA iP110 Wireless Mobile Printer. It’ll run you about $160, but that’s pretty reasonable, considering the quality of its printing.
My friends often ask if this is too heavy to carry. With a strap over one shoulder, I can easily carry the chair, which is surprisingly lightweight. In my other hand I drag a small roller bag containing my laptop, printer, cartridges, and desk.
Here’s what the “office” looks like bungee-corded together. (The bag under the blue water bottle contains my walking sticks.) As for clothes, I bring two pairs of jeans, three tee-shirts, and a windbreaker. Notice the purple boots?
Here’s my Director’s chair, hiking boots, and walking sticks, all held together and ready to go off and finish my novel.
Do you secretly want to write a book, or have you been trying to write one, but not making any progress?
Does the idea of a getaway appeal to you?
What would be the ideal place to get some writing done? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
My perfect getaway is Hannagan Meadow Lodge, a family escape from my early childhood years. My parents used to take me along on car camping trips into the White Mountains of Arizona to fish for rainbow trout. As I got older, we’d stay at the lodge instead. On Forest Service Land with a view of the most beautiful meadow in the state, it’s remote and frozen in time, save for having many more cabins and a recreation room. Best of all, there is no cell phone service. This past weekend, we celebrated our thirtieth anniversary and were the only guests in the lodge. The manager prepared a rib-eye dinner one night, and grilled salmon the next. She sat and chatted with us at lunch. On our anniversary, she came out from the kitchen carrying two slices of homemade apple pie–each with a sparkler ablaze. Rocking on the front porch as darkness fell, I stopped to enjoy the total silence. Complete darkness enveloped the lodge, a rare thing to experience anymore. And, in my head, I thought of places in my pending memoir where some long-forgotten memories of family and friends should be.
Diana, those kinds of places are so special. I once found a vacation place like that in Canada. I don’t remember the name of it now, but its chief attraction was the lack of cell phone service. Their food was great and the silence profound. This makes me think that detaching from our devices might be the number one goal of a writing getaway.