Nine years ago when I started writing, I met two girls at the local romance writing group and we become critique partners and best friends. Thus ensued many, many years of getting together at a hotel the night before the romance writer's meeting and spending the night drinking wine and talking shop. It was incredible fun. Then one of the girls moved out of state. Yeah, I'm happy that her husband got a better job, and the family's quality of life improved, and the grandkids are near their grandparents, but I still mourn the loss of our Friday nights.
So last week, the out-of-town girlfriend came to visit for girl's writer's weekend. The other girlfriend had purchased a lake house and we headed out there on Friday for our writing retreat. Here's a shot of the deck where we spent much time:
So just the three of us and three glorious days of no responsibilities, no chores, no husbands and kids. (pets were optional) We had plenty of time to drink coffee, sip wine, watch movies, and most importantly, catch up on each others lives and talk about writing!
Because we were all in the same place and had one person's rough draft to critique, I suggested we critique openly with discussion of the sticking points we'd run into. That turned out to be a fabulous learning experience as we fed off each other to not only identify the problems with the rough draft, but come up with fabulous solutions. If only we were all in the same state and could do that weekly!
We had such a good time that we're going to try and do a writer's trip at least once a year. We've already come up with a list of places we'd like to go. The only downside of the weekend was that it ended far too quickly. :(
So how was your weekend? Do you have girl's getogethers?
Deadly DeLeon
Monday, November 01, 2010
Girl's Writer's Weekend
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11 comments:
I wish we did! We've talked about it--maybe in a few years when their kids are older. The closest I've ever come was a research trip or just going to a conference together. It's always great to in the company of writers!
We do a local mom's night out a couple times a year. One of the hubbies owns a limo company, so we go into DC and hit a few of the good spots. Lots of food, drink, and fun (with no driving as an added bonus)! I was supposed to have a Paris weekend with some of my international friends, but it got postponed...hopefully one day that will come to fruition.
Robin - I totally agree that being surrounded by writers (for other writers) is the biggest high! And these are such fabulous women - we always have so much fun. I just love it and wish there were more time and money to facilitate more weekends. :)
kris - that sounds like a fabulous time! An international gettogether would totally be the bomb! I cannot imagine going to a foreign locale for that but man, would I love to eat my way across Italy. :)
I once had a secret women's group called WAD (Women Are Drinking). Our motto was "Free Drinks Taste Better" and we had business cards that said, "Buy me a drink and no one gets hurt."
My critique group rents two luxury cabins in the woods for a weekend in the fall. The cabins are $100 per night and we eat, critique, eat, eat, eat, and critique.
Leslie - way cool! I could have totally been a card-carrying member of that group!
That sounds like a blast, Jana. I wish I had this kind of group. My blog mates and I - all pirates - keep talking about a pirate retreat but we've yet to make it happen.
I love my week at Nationals every year. It's the only real vacation I get and I laugh more during that week than I do the rest of the year combined.
Terri - I haven't been to Nationals in a couple of years. I probably should go, but I almost would rather just vacation with my CPs. I think I get more out of it. Going to have to choose though - only so much vacation time off from work. ugh
Jana,
That sounds like a wonderful weekend, girl!! There is nothing like a great weekend with the girls.
I spent my weekend doing the final tweaks to my manuscript. Then I got myself a big tall glass of red wine and hit send. YEAH!!!!!
Christie - Congratulations! Hitting Send is my favorite part of the writing process. :)
I’m a super-dooper-jumbo-loser, yet, I’m quite the savvy, sardonic satire with avant-garde, cooDAYtah opportunity; I’m a post-mortem cynic who’s seen Heaven Above and I’m verrry adept at hired-gun-diplomacy; I’m the vehicle of wretched, rowdy, and anti-establishmentarian truth. Pleased to make your acquaintance, girl. Won’t you join me Upstairs, Miss Gorgeous Babe, where I shall kiss your adorable feet which brought U.S. here? For a party-hardy for years and years celebrating our resurrection? For an endless plethora of wonderFULL volumes of love in the Great Beyond? --- I don’t mind if you take ONE or ALL genres to steal, girl (what the #@!!s the internet for??), just allow me to nekk with you in the Great Beyond and wrap you in my strong arms fulla compassionate love. God bless you.
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