3 Reasons Why It's Okay To Sleep at a Writing Retreat (When You Should Be Writing)

I just spent a week at a writing retreat called The Porches, a lovely spot in rural Virginia on the James River. Many times I've taken myself there to work without distractions, in a private room with a solid desk, and lots of peace and quiet. I got some good writing done that I look forward to continuing. I also edited a piece and submitted it. And I drank some good wine.

Also, I slept.

Trudy Hale, the owner and operator of The Porches, once told me that many writers arrive, set themselves up for good, focused work, then spend two days mostly sleeping. They are always surprised by this, and wonder why they're sleeping in or napping every day when they were so geared up to work. It's simple, Trudy says. They're tired.

Workshop Weariness

Just finished a memoir workshop at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown with the writer Patrizia Chen. I hadn't counted on the burnout factor--that doing an MFA would take so much workshopping bandwidth out of me. I did fine while I was there, being myself, as another student said, "intense." I suppose I am. I'm passionate about writing, passionate about text itself, about reading it, analyzing it, making it work, finding meaning. I love it all. Words. Language. The art of making books.

But I did struggle a bit during the off-hours with fatigue. I needed a nap almost every day. My brain felt drained. I didn't sleep very well. I never once went to the water, a first for me in all of the times I've been to Provincetown.

It was worth it, though. If you ever have a chance to work with Patrizia, take it. She's a generous, intelligent instructor and just a great person.