Camp Quill and Writing Progress

Tranquil porches and lots of writing. I returned from Camp Quill with gold stars and finished writing projects.

Camp Quill, a writing camp, was just what I needed mid-summer. As I pulled into the retreat's parking lot outside of Marble Falls, Texas, I checked my email to find a rejection of a manuscript. It was not the way I had hoped to start, but I added the project to my list.

Dr. Cristi Horton, Dr. Kay Colley and me

Our kick-off keynote, Dr. Edward Janak, was fantastic and helped me immediately reset and reboot. He delivered 11 timely tips for us as we began a writing journey, tying each suggestion to his start in construction. Follow him on LinkedIn — I'm hopeful he'll share all of them there. His reset included thinking of the joy and not necessarily the pressures. He suggested being mindful of your space and environment for writing. The Ranch Retreat created the perfect environment for my writing. I claimed a rocking chair on the porch and typed in cadence with the rain. I also loved being in the vicinity of others typing diligently on their projects. Writing felt more communal and not so lonely.

Me and Junior

A friend likes to tease me that I still crave gold stars. I do. ⭐ So, I brought gold stars to share, and guess what? I'm not the only one. Writers placed their gold star stickers on laptops, phone covers, and their t-shirts. Each one took three stars to go, to self-administer when they accomplish their 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day writing goals.

Me finding writing joy 

A big thank you to Dr. Lora Helvie-Mason and the Morrows (Dr. Chris and Dr. Becky) for organizing an awesome retreat. I also want to give a shout-out to Chef Suki for the amazing food that kept us focused during our writing blocks, because we knew a fabulous and nourishing spread was on the other end of the timer.