The Benefits Of A Group Writing Retreat

There are many benefits for writers considering taking a group writing retreat. Ultimately, writers at group writing retreats share an intense, far-reaching and often emotional experience. The bonding between writers on a group writing retreat often leads to lifelong writing friendships. Writers return home feeling invigorated, inspired and deeply connected to both themselves, their co-writers and to the writing retreat itself.

Benefits Of Joining A Group Writing Retreat include what we call the 3 Cs.

1. Community

Writers find it inspiring and a deeply powerful experience to listen to writers discussing their writers and reading snippets of their writing. This is often the homework that the group writing retreat dishes out each day to the group of writers. They spend time in the group discussing the writing topic and then go off on their own to complete the assignment. Later, or the following morning, they are invited to share their work to the other writers within the group.

Writers are not required to share their work, they have the choice to do this, but most writers realize the benefits of sharing their writing amongst the other writers on the group writing retreat. They know and understand that it's all about supporting each other and gently guiding fellow writers to get their assignment into the best shape possible so that they can use it for their current writing project, be that a fictional novel or a non-fiction book.

Sharing writing is a deeply personal thing on a group writing retreat and shows all the writers to respect each other's work as well as their own.

2. Critique

Writers can immediately get a friendly critique from their fellow writers on a group writing retreat. This also helps writers to get clarity in different aspects of their writing, from plot and pacing, to characterization and story structure.

They get instant feedback and not in a critical way. Instead, the feedback is supportive and helpful because it comes from other writers who are working on the same assignment and working on the same topic, such as creating a fictional character, the emotional side of that character or how that character will drive the story forward.

3. Camaraderie

Writers come together from all over the world to join a group writing retreat. Very often writers at every stage of their career could have joined the group writing retreat. Some writers could be a lot more experienced in storytelling than others, but no matter what background, age or culture the writers come from, all have one mission in mind when joining a group writing retreat: Self-Improvement

They want to hone their writing to ensure they are telling the best stories possible. That's what all writers want!

More experienced writers can share their experiences, and they discuss the challenges they have faced on their own writing journey, plus they share the joys and successes they've had. These shared experiences all form part of the bond the group take home with them.

Writers who pen different genres will bring a valuable experience to the group and sharing shows their personality which is often reflected in their writing and their stories.

When writing at home, it is a solitary affair of writer and pen, or writer and keyboard. Yet on a group writing retreat, this is vastly different. That lonely writing time is instantly gone and instead there is a great writing camaraderie.

When next you're thinking of getting your writing critiqued within a community of writers, consider the kind of camaraderie a group writing retreat will give you and thus bring you joy and give profound benefits to your writing!