Questions for Reflection

We took a few minutes to free-write responses to each of the following:

1. What do you like about yourself as a writer?

2. What keeps YOU feeling fueled/excited about working? What do you need to keep yourself writing?

3. What are you looking for in a creative community, what are you willing to give?

4. What’s your highest aspiration for this piece you’ve completed? (Could be big or small: Making one person cry, healing yourself, finding a new language for this experience, feeling set up to write your next thing, getting it published, pleasing yourself.)

Congratulations! You’ve just written a guide to your future writing practice.

Self-Created Writing Retreat

A few tips:

1. Pick a place that is comfortable but not luxurious, and away from home but easy. (Think: Two hour radius from home or less.) You’re not there for sightseeing, cooking elaborate meals, etc.! Be aware of how you work, if you need your own desk or reading/writing zone.

2. Have a very clear sense of what you want to tackle. (Reinforce this by having everyone declare what they’re working on, and then say what they accomplished on the last night.)

3. No talking til lunch or til dinner. Or, if you’re solo, no social media, texting, etc.

If you want to apply to a more formal retreat, here are resources on residencies.

Feedback

We would really appreciate your feedback on this workshop! This form should take you just 5 minutes. Your answers are anonymous.

Solo session prompt

Write your logline and commitment on a notecard, and keep it somewhere you can see it! Then, revise this piece again with it in mind. Send the draft out for more feedback. Set a new deadline for completion.

And once you’re done, go back to your compost for a new idea, practice your whole process again

Soundtrack

André 3000, New Blue Sun (1 hr 27 min) Replay the week 1 solo writing session soundtrack. Is it bringing back any feelings? Or opt for a new one: Dave Brubeck, Nocturnes.

And maybe your writing session doesn’t need to take place in a particular space, maybe it’s just where you go when you listen to this playlist: UNFURL mega playlist, with all the solo session albums in one place!

Admin stuff

• Accountability groups: Check the Week 12 email for a few tips to continue your current accountability group, or to try out a new one. If you weren’t in an active accountability group, but want to be, please respond to that email by MONDAY, APRIL 14 at 10am PT and we will put you all in touch because we believe in second chances! (And yes, if you love your accountability group but would still like to meet more writers, feel free to respond and we’ll include you in the mix!)

• Upcoming workshops: We’d love to have you join us again—or recommend us to a friend!

  Ideas Intensive (4/19): Fall in love with writing again at this 3-hour workshop, where you’ll learn our strategy for evolving your ideas so that they are more urgent, more actionable, more exciting. (This will review many of the concepts from our early weeks of UNFURL. Good if you want a refresher.)

  UNSTUCK (4/26-5/31): You want to finish this book, this essay collection, this proposal, this screenplay… but you can’t seem to force yourself to open the document. The Midwives are here to help, as long as you’re ready to get intense. Let’s start with this: We know why you’re stuck. And if you’re willing to work, we can get you moving again. (This will be more focused on moving an existing project forward. We have a discount code for UNSTUCK! Use FF2025 for a $75 discount. You can also pass this code along to friends.)