Why Writing Retreats Aren't about Word Count

Some of the best writing retreats come from resets, not results. Try taking a gentler approach and focus on being present, not obsessed with progress.

I just got back from a five-day writing retreat in Louisiana with my best writing friends, and I'm deep in the post-retreat blues. I met this group back in October 2024 when we were selected for the Masterclass in Novel Writing through UCLA Extension, and we've spent every week together for the past ten months.

Basically, we know each other.

I think that's what made the retreat extra special. It wasn't a penny-pinching productivity factory, it was a time to collaborate, talk all things craft, and share vulnerable moments on the deepest of levels (I am not at liberty to disclose our late night talks).

We decided to interview each other at the conclusion of our trip, and one of the biggest questions was, "What was your writing process like during the retreat?"

And here's the kicker: Every single one of us walked away with something completely different, yet uniquely perfect to what we needed.

So, do you have to write at a writing retreat?

The short answer: No!

I'll use my experience as an example. I knew going into this retreat that most of my time was going to be spent brainstorming some quantum-level questions my group posed for me. One of them was the Why now? of my story, a question I quickly equated to determining the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything (which if you've ever read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you'll know is 42).

I spent hours scribbling and crossing things out in my notebook before retreating to nap away my tension headaches. I rejoiced when I thought I solved something, only to realize that I actually created 12 new plot holes. I then talked it through with my friends, and we were able to dig my plot out of some crucial moments.

So, did I feel productive? Abso-freaking-lutely. The inspiration that comes from being surrounded by other creatives is an unparalleled experience. It's inspiration that doesn't just come from writing alongside others, it comes from being present with likeminded creatives, too. After a grueling masterclass in which we completely revised our novels, we deserved to take a bit of R&R for ourselves.

Rest is Part of the Creative Process

The reason I'm shouting this idea out into the void is that it truly transformed how I view writing retreats. I used to think I had to have this grand agenda, this masterful plan for how I was going to come out on the other side of the five days as an entirely new, refined author.

Even before our retreat, I pinged my friends like, "Have you drafted your writing retreat plan, yet?!" I spent evenings after work laboring over the perfect schedule for all of the amazing work I was going to accomplish.

LOL, K, Leah.

That all clearly changed when I got burnt out from thinking through just one of the quantum-level edits I need to address in Draft Three of my novel. At first, I was embarrassed. More so, I was so mad at myself for not being more productive. We were at a writing retreat.

That's the holy ground of all things fiction!!!

Instead, I talked about life with my friends. Holy wow, those conversations rocked my on my heels, they were powerful.

I took a rest from my burnout. We played games, we acted out skits. We took time to recover as creatives, and that is just as important for authors.

Otherwise, writing will feel forced. Nothing is worse than duct-taping a crappy solution into the storyline just because you weren't feeling it. That's when robotic chicken clowns and poop spray end up in the slumpy middle of your novel, because that was the best your mind could do in an overworked state.

How to Redefine Success on Your Writing Retreat

Our fearless retreat leader and dear friend drafted the most amazing schedule. Here's my favorite reason why it worked so well: the time blocks weren't dedicated to any kind of productivity goals. Because at the end of the day, say it with me now: creative success is not based on word count.

In fact, the schedule was loose, flexible. It provided suggestive guidelines for how we could use our time, but acknowledged that our time was all our own.

A few of us did daily nature walks (yes, even in Louisiana's sweltering humidity). Some of us journaled or filmed behind-the-scenes video content. We tried new food dishes, shared vulnerable stories, dug deep with our characters. Some people took a step back from their novel drafts altogether to start short stories.

And every single person still said that they felt productive in their retreat post-mortem interview. Success is about our own intentions, our much-needed restorative pauses—not about society's expectations. The best retreats don't happen within the words you write in your pages, they happen when you show up, they happen with your people. This is when you'll make the most quantum-level progress in both your story and your spirit.

And I'm so thankful I have the best group to remind me of this lesson every day.

xx LC