I’m on a writer’s retreat right now. I’m holed up in the woods working on what I hope are the last few chapters of my LGBTQ travel book, alternating between long writing stretches and activities that refill the mental well: reading, yoga, taking walks with the two sweet dogs I’m caring for.
I’ve shared about writer’s residencies before, their impact on me and how to navigate the costs associated with the traditional residency.
I think I’ve also shared my latest approach, which is skipping the application fees and industry vetting and creating my own opportunities to get away and write. I do that by pet sitting for other people using TrustedHousesitters, which I also use to get free pet care every time I travel.
While I was getting ready for this residency, I realized I didn’t have a packing list. So as I wandered around my home pulling out books and notebooks and packing groceries, I created one for myself.
Writing retreat packing list
I’m sharing it today in case it helps you plan for a residency, writer’s retreat, literary conference, or anything else!
- Clothing, including exercise/yoga clothes – After sitting and writing for hours, my body needs to stretch and move.
- Coffee and tea – I’ve been a pour over queen my whole life, so you’ll usually catch me traveling with a collapsible pour over coffeemaker, filters, and pre-ground beans. I also pack some green tea in case I want a lighter caffeine buzz, and some herbal sleepytime tea for turning off my brain.
- Books – I bring a variety of books, always something in my genre, something outside my genre, and a craft or writing inspiration book. This time around, I brought Jane Friedman’s updated The Business of Being a Writer (highly recommended), Euphoria by Lily King (a delightful escape at the end of the day), and two nonfiction books: the Nourishing Resistance anthology, which has an essay on queer potlucks by me and feels like good medicine for these times, and The Oasis This Time, an essay collection on water access in the Western US, which has been on my TBR pile for a while.
- Notebooks – My daily planner to stay organized, my business notebook, for capturing longer-term insights, and my long-neglected journal all came with me. So did a tarot deck, because sometimes you want to ask the cards.
- Food – Simple meals are best on writing retreats. For one, you never know what’s going to be in the kitchen! I had to MacGyver a vegetable steamer for my broccolini because the summer home I’m petsitting in has no steamer – who could’ve predicted! This time around, I brought eggs, bread, granola and yogurt for breakfast. Then rice, broccolini, tofu, a Maya Kaimal chana masala pouch, pasta, some CSA veggies, a big salad I made at home. Plus snacks and cookies. When I went to Alaska, I brought as much food as I could carry because of how expensive everything is there: shelf-stable red lentils, pasta, quinoa, rice, plus hardy things like garlic and sweet potatoes.
- Tech and chargers – Laptop, tablet, headphones, and chargers for everything. I have to remind myself, because I’m liable to forget a charging cable at home.
Save this list to a good place if you have a writers residency or retreat coming up!
