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A note from Jane
I spoke at my first writing conference in 2001, and while I have not counted the total number of speaking gigs since then, it’s well into the hundreds. Yet I’ve never done a writing retreat—with an intimate group, something beyond a weekend—until last month.
This first retreat experience took place in a unique setting: the Queen Mary 2 sailing across the Atlantic, from Southampton to New York. I spent 7 days at sea with a group of ~30 writers and three other instructors.
Before attending, I hadn’t given much thought to how retreats differ from conferences—or whether I was even well-suited to a retreat. I’m accustomed to one-and-done sessions with speedy interactions. It’s high energy and exciting, but rooms are always being cleared and reset for the next session. Speakers may have limited time to relax or spend focused time with anyone in particular.
I’ve often touted the importance of conferences for writers learning about the industry because it offers accelerated exposure to the industry and marketplace. It can be a dramatic wake-up call, although not always a positive one.
The retreat—at least this one—offered a different kind of wake-up call. Each day I learned more about the writers, their unique projects and concerns. The students, likewise, had ample time to consider instructors’ guidance and come back the next day with new ideas. The many opportunities to interact and socialize reduced pressure to wedge in an interaction or question for fear of missing an opportunity. There was time to listen, digest, and question—and truly grasp where progress could be made. Not to mention I saw valuable new relationships formed among the writers.
Part of me worried that being on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic would mean no escape from high-pressure demands. But it turns out that the longer you have together, the more meaningful the conversation, the more invested the participant, and the more time we had to recognize each other as fellow humans.
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Here are some of the latest things I’ve discovered. (I am not paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.)
Finally, I see the utility of Whatsapp
Maybe it’s because I’m a longtime iPhone user, but I’ve never seen the need to download or use Whatsapp. But it was the primary mode of messaging for the retreat group while on the Queen Mary 2, so I finally caved. And now I get it—for instant large group communication, it can’t be beat. I also discovered Whatsapp was the only means of instant messaging a family member who was housesitting; iMessage simply did not send to her via the ship’s Wi-Fi. (I kept cellular very turned off while onboard.)
Did you know there’s a sprayed edges section of Barnes & Noble?
Years ago, I remember a traditional publisher in the UK discussing their wild success with special editions of Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. They released the book for a limited time with sprayed edges in three colors in Waterstones (in the UK)—and they flew off the shelves.
I thought that was a little gimmicky, but I am clearly not the target market for books with sprayed edges—which are becoming only more ornate and sophisticated. Barnes & Noble now has a special section where you can peruse them. And of course if you want to go digging, you’ll find many unofficial sprayed edge versions available through marketplaces like Etsy.
Historical novelist? Don’t miss this tool!
Parallel Lives is a timeline that displays famous historical figures who lived concurrently. Fun tool for research and brainstorming connections you might not have otherwise made. I like how more important figures display in larger type and women’s names are in green.
Since you asked: curly hair products
In the last issue, I mentioned in passing it took me 10 years to find the right care products for my curly hair. I was not prepared for the volume of direct inquiries regarding the exact nature of those products! It’s not a secret, but it’s also not a sure thing that what I use will also work for you. Still: I use DevaCurl No-Poo and AG Recoil and engage in minimal fuss. Sometimes Ouidad Botanical Boost spray.
If you really want expert insight, I recommend this guide from author and editor Tiffany Yates Martin who offers detailed and exacting guidance. I adhere to similar principles, but I refuse to use hair dryers, diffusers, etc. It takes too much time. I clip my hair back when wet and even sleep on it that way. Somehow things work out.
NEXT ONLINE CLASS
May 15: Self-Publishing Foundations for Long-Term Success with David Wogahn
Savvy authors think beyond post-publication marketing. What can you do now, before your book is released, to ensure lasting success? The objective of this class is to educate you, an author considering or choosing self-publishing, about the important decisions you need to make and things you need to do during the book preparation process that have an impact on marketing success once your book is released. We’ll go beyond the “how to” and help pages of the major self-publishing platforms and tools in order to address the most common questions self-publishing authors ask, as well as the steps they most often struggle with.
In the last issue, I asked you to share your favorite YouTube channels. I received so many suggestions I compiled them all! Here’s a selection:
BrittReacts: Thoughtful, positive and charming first-time reactions to music, comedy and vintage TV from an insightful Atlanta-based former talent agent called Brittnai Person Walton. —Chris Norris
The Charismatic Voice is a classically trained vocal coach who has been on a discovery of heavy metal and rock over the past few years. Her reactions to hearing new music are flippin’ DELIGHTFUL. —Jessica Snyder
I always watch Vice Grip Garage. Named after the flexible tool, Derek rescues old cars nearing the scrap heap. He shows how most everyone can be a mechanic. —Robert Lashley
Rocky Kanaka: “Sitting with Dogs”—he goes into a shelter (often, not always, one near his home in California) and finds dogs who are especially sad or withdrawn and sits with them until they’re ready to make friends a little—to improve their chances of getting adopted. —Deborah Robson
I love Howard Ho’s YouTube channel, where he does brilliant analyses of different songs from musical theater and movies. His analysis of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” is epic, and his video on the use of Beethoven in the movie Die Hard is phenomenal! —Gabriela Pereira
The only one I consistently look at is Spilling the Beans, which contains a series of cute, short cat videos featuring a cat named Beans. The average video is about 20 seconds long, with some being only 4–5 seconds. It’s a quick pick-me-up when I’m having a rough day. —Christina Carroll-Pavia
Rick Beato: I learn so much about music (and how much I don’t know about music ) and Lost in the Pond, musings about Brits vs Yanks in dry/weird British humor. —Teresa Robeson
Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a beautiful channel of invented words and exploring the undulations of language and people via poetry + greyscale videos. A bit like if Borges had created short films instead of stories. —Scott James
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