For the first time in a long while, I don’t have any trips planned for the immediate future. I’m waiting to hear from a couple of residencies, and of course I plan to go up to Charlottesville for Christmas, but otherwise nothing. No need to think about carry-ons or getting my car checked over or any of the other myriad things that have to be taken care of before a trip.
I’m curious to see whether staying in one place for a bit will help or hinder my writing. One of my favorite things in the world to do is plan for a trip. (Just ask my friend Rachel. She’ll tell you how I obsessively planned for our trip a couple of years ago to Anam Cara, a writer’s retreat in Ireland. Or ask my daughters about our vacation to Hawaii. I made a spreadsheet for that one.) Of course, travel planning is also one of my best distractions, a great avoidance trick when I get to a tough place in my writing. Will I be more or less productive sitting still?
Change is usually a good thing for my writing. I find myself less tied to reality when my reality keeps shifting. But I can always go to a café to write if I need a change of scenery, or drive five minutes to the beach. And perhaps without spending time worrying about whether to check a bag or take a carry-on, I can worry about whether the protagonist in my novel would really toss his boss into a lake, or whether he would just want to.
That said, I’m still waiting for word on those residencies, and I am looking at writing conferences for 2012, so maybe I should start checking airfare and average temperatures now…
“If only I could manage, without annoyance to my family, to get imprisoned for 10 years, without hard labour, and with the use of books and writing materials, it would be simply delightful!”
All writers dream of having the time and the space to write. But you don’t have to just dream. Consider applying for a residency at one of the many artists colonies across the country or around the world.
The Mango Tree House TSKW
When I first heard about artists’ colonies, I imagined that to be awarded a stay at one, you had to have published a book, and you needed to know the secret handshake to get into the clubhouse. The one I didn’t know.
In spite of the fact that I do not have a book published (yet) and am certainly not privy to any handshake, I’ve been lucky enough to be awarded two residencies: one at The Studios of Key West, and one at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Both were magical and productive, but they were very different experiences. TSKW is small, usually only one artist at a time, while VCCA has 20-25 artists in residence at any given time. TSKW is free, but you are responsible for your own food. VCCA has a small daily fee, but food is included. As different as they are, though, both gave me that most precious gift: the freedom to think of nothing but my interior world for weeks at a time.
When you have that freedom, amazing things happen. You take risks. You dream plot points during naps. You live and breathe your characters until the outside world becomes a little fuzzy, more like a dream world than your fictional one. You get more writing done in a week than you normally get done in a month.
For anyone interested in a residency, I recommend you do some research. Decide exactly what kind of experience you are looking for, and which residencies meet your needs. A couple of things you may want to consider:
Do you want to meet other artists, or do you prefer to be by yourself most of the time?
Is location important to you? Do you work better by the ocean, or in the mountains? Do you need to be close to home or further away to relax? Are you afraid of being in an isolated location?
Is it more important that someone prepares your meals, or that you determine your own meal choices and schedule?
What is your minimum comfort level? (Some residencies are in cabins heated only by wood stoves.)
How long do you want to be away?
There are many artists’ colonies out there. A good place for information is the Poets & Writers website, www.pw.org. They have listings of residencies and their application deadlines, as well as links to the websites so you can find out more about them. Another great resource is the Alliance of Artists Communities, www.artistcommunities.org. In addition to the info on their website, they put out a directory of residencies which can be purchased on Amazon.
The application process can be time consuming, and there are often application fees. Be prepared to be rejected, but don’t take it personally. There are many more applicants than spaces available. For example, last year Hedgebrook received over 800 applications for something like 40 slots. But it’s well worth the effort, and as in all of the writing life, persistence will eventually pay off.
I’m far from an expert, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have about starting the process. Just ask away in the comments, or email me.
On the last night of my three week residency at The Studios of Key West, I reflect back on that first day, when, bone tired from missed connections and a four hour shuttle ride, I arrived to find that almost immediately I was in love. It might have been the smell of flowers in the air, or the ocean breeze, or it could have been the wonderful staff of TSKW waiting to greet me. Or maybe it was the umbrella of the mango tree dripping with fruit, its branches filling the sky above my little house. Or the house itself, with its spiral staircase and deck up in the midst of the mangos. Or the geckos that raced across the sculpture garden outside my door.
My love affair with this magical island started that night. But as love does, the more I got to know Key West, the more my affection grew. Key West, I love you for your Victorian architecture, for your rich history and your diverse culture, for your food, and your sunsets and your beaches. I love that I can get a Cuban coffee, walk next door for a French pastry, then head another block down for conch fritters.
But mostly I love your people, the welcoming, non-judgmental, creative and varied people who call this magical island their home. The people who show up for gallery openings and readings and fundraisers for the arts. The people who work hard all day and still have the energy to go salsa dancing half the night. Who welcomed this traveler and took her in, took her to Louis’ Backyard and to the Green Parrot, took her dancing and gave her space to create.
I’ll miss you, Conch Republic, but I’ll be back, I swear. And we’ll go dancing on the beach at sunset.
Christy Strick 