I can write pretty much anywhere. What I can’t do is write for long periods of time just anywhere. I get distracted by normal life. So every once in a while I need to get away from my real life to get a stretch of work done, to immerse myself in it completely for hours. Which is why I love residencies. But I can’t always get away for a couple of weeks or a month at a time. So, feeling the need to get a block written, I took my two days off work and headed to a friend’s beach house.
Oh, rough life, you say. The ocean, the sun, the sand, the pool. I admit it – those things are nice. But they don’t stop me from writing. When I know they are out there I just work harder to get something done so I can go out and enjoy them. And that’s what I did. I got there Monday night and as soon as I got my bag in I started to write. And I wrote until 2:00am. Then, I got up and wrote for another few hours before heading for the pool. More work than I had gotten done in weeks at home.
My friend came down on Tuesday afternoon and we hung out. Sure, I knew I could have been writing, but I also knew I had gotten enough work done to avoid the guilt. This morning I knocked out another few pages before hitting the beach and then heading home. Now I have a good start on a section that’s been plaguing me.
Yes, a residency is the best scenario for uninterrupted blocks of time. But if that’s not possible, most people can find a few days strung together and a place to hide away. If it comes with sand and sun, better yet.
Christy Strick 