The Writing Nut

I’ve been a woefully bad writing friend lately.  I haven’t had the time to visit all my favorite blogs and leave comments.  I haven’t even been checking in regularly with my Write On buddies.

I’m only thankful that I have understanding and forgiving bloggy friends like you.

The reason I haven’t been stalking your blogs lately is that I’ve been neck-deep in preparations for a writing retreat.

This coming Friday is the start of my favorite writing event for the year. I’ll be attending SCBWI-L.A.’s Working Writer’s Retreat from September 7-9, 2012.

There will be critique sessions, schmoozes with other writers, agents, and editors, and the writer’s version of American Idol, wherein I get to read my work to the entire audience and get instant feedback from a panel of acquiring agents and editors.

How have I been preparing for this writing retreat?

Well, for one thing, I’ve been writing advanced blog posts so I don’t have to worry about them during the retreat week.

For another, I’ve been revising my YA Urban Fantasy novel since August, and I’m happy to report that everything is going well, and I’ve been sticking to the schedule I made for myself.

Also, I’ve been making lists.

I have a To Do List, which looks something like this:

1. Finish revising the manuscript.
2. Choose which chapters to bring for critiquing.
3. Print out copies of these chapters for all the members of my critique group.
4. Make a list of things to bring to the retreat.
5. Pack.

I also have a To Bring List:

1. Clothes
2. Toiletries
3. Emergency medication (for the stomach aches and migraines I’m bound to have after the critiques)
4. Copies of chapters to be critiqued
5. A copy of my entire manuscript, in case I find the time to reread this version.
6. Laptop and accessories
7. Portable Printer, and extra ink
8. Copy paper, staplers, staples, pens, highlighters, etc.
9. Notebook

And, since I’ve been the unofficial photographer for the retreat since I started attending three years ago, I’ll also be bringing my camera gear.

I’m giddy with excitement just thinking of all the wonderful new things I’ll learn, the helpful feedback I’ll get, and the new friends I’ll make. I’m also looking forward to meeting some wonderful agents, who will be our faculty for this year’s retreat.

The Working Writer’s Retreat is the event I look forward to every year. It is worth every penny, and certainly worth preparing for. (In case you’re wondering, the retreat costs about $400. That fee already includes food, lodgings and materials, and the retreat program fee itself.)

I still have a few chapters to revise before I’m completely ready for the retreat, so you’ll have to forgive me for not being able to visit your wonderful blogs (again). I promise I’ll be my chatty, blog-visiting, comment-leaving self again, after the retreat.

And, of course, since I can’t take you with me, I promise to come back with a full report and tons of pictures from the event.

In the meantime, I’m sending you all virtual hugs.

Wish me luck!

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