Writer’s retreat 2020
If you were given an intriguing photo or topic and ten minutes to write about it, would you get excited?
In early January, I sent an email through the JEMA email network asking for people who were interested in participating in a writer’s retreat in Nagano Prefecture in early March. To my surprise, I received enthusiastic replies from nearly 20 people from across Japan. In the end, only 12 could join me, but it turned out to be just the right number. We had a wide range of ages, writing interests, experience, and personalities—which made for a fascinating weekend.
My goals for the retreat were:
- To provide an opportunity for people to take time away from their daily lives to write.
- To energise writers by getting them together.
- To offer my help with writing or editing.
On the Friday night, we introduced ourselves and engaged in a warm-up writing exercise. One writer later confessed to me that this simple exercise had caused him to lose sleep that night as he thought of more things he could have written.
Participants had an opportunity after lunch on Saturday to learn about some pitfalls that writers often fall into. Some of us also met in a group to hear and critique one another’s work.
Both mornings, we gathered for a devotional and prayer time led by participants.
I also spent time one-on-one with most of the attendees to talk about their writing or publishing questions. But it was a relaxed schedule that allowed people to pursue their own goals for the weekend.
When I asked about what could be improved about the weekend, the only thing I heard is that it could have been longer. I know I could have used more help with logistics, but it was fantastic to get away from the busyness of ministry and to focus on writing and to hang out with other people who are excited about writing.
This won’t be the last writer’s retreat in this area. I don’t have any details planned at this point, but if the above description makes you excited, keep a lookout for another email. Or if you are interested in hosting a writer’s retreat in your area, please let me know.