When you are a full-time writer/freelancer/work-at-home person, there are periods of time where you have very little human contact with the outside world.

Writers, in general, tend to be introverted. We feel safe behind a notebook or computer screen. Words can be thought about. Scratched out. Rewritten. Emails can be replied to when we’ve had time to get our thoughts together.

But, as is human nature, even introverted writers still feel the need to congregate with others who share similar interests and beliefs.

Fortunately for me, I have a small circle of like-minded women, and while we communicate with each other daily, every now and again, the planets and stars align, schedules are cleared, and the five us meet together.

Yesterday we had such a day and what we dubbed, “The All Day Mini-Retreat.”

Snacks. Beverages. Stories of triumph. Stories of rejection. But most of all, giving love, support, and encouragement to one another.

We all leave by dusk, fueled with hummus, pistachios, caffeine, and renewed determination.

Here’s how my new day post-mini retreat has gone thus far:

6:00 a.m.  YES. A new day. A whole day where no one needs me. The husband will be gone ALL DAY. 

6:30 a.m. I am dressed and the bed is made. With a fresh coffee in hand, I head to my office.

6:35 a.m. Computer is on and current short story in progress is up and ready.

6:30 a.m. Post our group chat asking who’s up and ready to work. I’m usually the one that starts the latest in the day. (Not today!)

7:00 a.m. Have to stop the timer to turn off the second alarm in the bedroom I forgot was set.

7:01 a.m. Sit back at the computer and stare at the screen because the alarm interrupted my train of thought.

7:02 a.m Think about erasing all the words I’ve already typed because they make no sense.

7:36 a.m Finish my hour of writing.

Check emails and Facebook for leads.

(And here’s where the day starts getting fuzzy)

Work on a video captioning project. The speaker in the video is Australian, and I learned quite a few new things. This takes a couple of hours to complete.

Check emails again.

Write up a post for an ad to drum up some business.

Spend twenty minutes googling when free ad-listing site started charging.

Get a text from the husband saying he was on his way home, he didn’t have to work tonight after all.

Panic and rush downstairs to straighten up kitchen and living room. Vacuum and sweep.

Realize I am starving to death and eat lunch.

12:30 p.m. Decide I need to keep writing for the day.

12:31 p.m. Stare at computer wondering why it all felt so achievable five hours ago.

12:35 p.m. Tap the keyboard hoping inspiration will pour out suddenly onto the page

12:40 p.m. Talk to another member of the group who totally sparks an idea.

12:45 p.m. Decide writing is worth it and go in search of chocolate.

 

 

Writers and other creatives: How do you stay motivated? Do you feel the pressure of wanting to be creative but also needing to be compensated? Share your stories!