IWSG - February: My Writing Retreat

This is my Insecure Writers Support Group post for February.  
For more information about the group, see the bottom of this post. 

Alex's awesome co-hosts for February are:
Sheena-kay Graham, Julie Musil, Jamie Ayres, 
and Mike Swift!   
 Please stop by their blogs and say thank you.

For Christmas this year, hubby gave me a two night stay at the Omni in Houston. He dropped me off and picked me up--even encouraged me to order room service. Needless to say, I took that gift and ran. *grin*

I holed myself up in the spacious, king-size room and wrote. No laundry. No dishes. No screeching my WIP to a halt and leaving a scowling muse glaring at my back to go cook supper. Let me tell you, it was heaven. I kept whatever hours I wished and only left my room to fetch ice.

I took a few pictures while I was there. Wanna see?

Nice, right?

 

 This chair was as comfortable as it looks.

And all the lamps had dimmer switches.

The most important thing. :)

This was the view from my window.

(I cropped and enlarged the Houston skyline a bit.) 

 That's not all smog. It's dirt on the outside of the window, 

the only part of my room that wasn't spotlessly clean.

The bathroom.

Swoon. Yeah. I know.

But wait...

 No, you're not seeing things. 

The dark spot on the wall is a phone.

This was waiting for me (as well as a stocked mini bar in the cabinet). 

Still, I'm glad I brought my own beverages and snacks.

I don't travel much and, I'm not ashamed to say, was on a budget. That's where the 'insecurity' part comes in.

This was a *nice* hotel--the nicest I'd ever stayed in. I was definitely out of my league. I made sure to take plenty of small bills, and I Googled hotel tipping before leaving home to get a clue of what was expected. I may not have done everything right, but I don't think I made a total fool of myself.

And--finally--after two long years, I finished the first draft of my current WIP! :D

Of course, that led to other plans, which led to even more insecurities. I won't have any trouble coming up with post content for IWSG anymore. In fact, there aren't enough first Wednesdays.

Anyhow... 

Thinking of going on a writing retreat of your own?
Here are some tips...

• Choose off-season times of the year. It can save you money on reservations. 

• You won't get much writing done on check-in or check-out day, so take that into consideration when planning the length of your stay.

• Unless you like writing in your lap, you'll be spending lots of time at a desk. Make sure the room has one, as well as a comfortable chair.

• Wi-fi is a nice amenity, too. Be clear on whether it's available in each room or just the main lobby. Sometimes it's available by request, for a fee.

• That said, be careful what you use it for. Treat it like you would guest wireless at Mickey D's. (I wouldn't log-on to my bank there.)

• Be sure to take all your necessary gadgets and their charging cords.

• Have a plan and set some ground rules for yourself. You're there to relax--true--but you'll feel better if you also get something done. Make a list of things you'd like to accomplish (even if it's only in your head) and keep social media to a minimum. Close tempting tabs in your browser if that's what it takes.

• If you're on a budget, pack some beverages and snacks in your bag. For this trip, I ordered breakfast and supper, then snacked on my stash of goodies during the middle of the day. Heck, when I write, I lose track of time and forget to eat anyway.

• And (though some of you may laugh at me for including this) be sure to take your hotel key card with you when you set so much as a foot outside your door. The first morning, when I bent down to pick up my knock-and-leave-it-outside-my-door breakfast tray, the door closed behind me. I was way thankful for the key card in my pocket 

Thanks for stopping by. :)

To tweet about this post, click the little blue birdie. 

IWSG is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It's a monthly bloghop that offers a safe haven for writers to express their feelings and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. It's also a venue for offering support, both in the form of comments and positive posts. Writers of all kinds are welcome. 

We 'meet' the first Wednesday of every month. If you're interested in learning more, click on the link at the top of the post or go to the IWSG website. And don't be intimidated by the size of the group. We're not expected to visit everyone on the list.