Hello. This is my first ever blog. And I thought I’d kick it off with another first in my life – my first ever solitary writing retreat.
Five days of uninterrupted writing in a cottage in Devon – alone. Just me and my dog, Maggie, the mud monster. Bliss, right? I thought so too. Read on to hear how it went.
Sunday 27 November, 2011
2.00 pm. Arrived, laden with laptop, note book, clothes (scruffy but one nice top in case I went out to pub), supplies (basic food that wouldn’t take long to cook and big jar of coffee) one dog (Maggie), one dog basket, books to read (in case I got fed up of writing), three competitions to judge (in case I got fed up of writing).
Discovered owners had left a bottle of wine to welcome me. How lovely. Discovered cottage had amazing view across a valley with a window seat so I could sit and dream. A log burner, a well equipped kitchen, central heating, internet access. I was going to do without the internet access, I promise, I was, I was.
But as I was about to start a brand new novel – I thought I might need it for research. Yeah right!
3.00 pm.
Plugged in laptop – wrote first line of my novel. Scary stuff. I was slightly worried it wouldn’t work. I’d had this novel swimming in my head for a few months. Had not yet committed a single line to paper. Very very Scary.
Evening.
Have written first chapter – not a very long chapter, mind, (1600 words) but I like it. I think! The acid test is tomorrow when I read back.






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