Online Summer Structured Writing Retreat

Date/Time
Date(s) - 22/08/2022 - 23/08/2022 All Day

Audience:

Date:  Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd August 2022

Time:  09.45 – 16.30 (both days)

Structured Writing Retreats are facilitated sessions based upon the extensive research undertaken by Professor Rowena Murray (University of the West of Scotland). The aim of the retreats are to use dedicated writing time to progress writing projects in a supportive and non-surveillance environment.

The retreat will run over two days and we use most of the time for writing and take regular breaks. Please ensure that you join the session five minutes before it is due to begin. Please note that this is a space for you to focus on your writing project. We will not be offering advice on writing techniques and craft.

The online retreat will be facilitated by Jo Garrick who has undertaken facilitator training with Professor Rowena Murray and has been facilitating writing retreats since 2018.

Retreat works best when you:

  • Focus exclusively on writing (worry about editing, reading or adding references later).
  • Agree not to use internet during the session.
  • Define specific goals and sub-goals, i.e. sections of paper/chapter, number of words.
  • Define and discuss content and structure for writing sub-goals.
  • Take stock of your achievements of these goals throughout the programme.
  • Discuss your writing-in-progress –> mutual peer support.

 Before you go to retreat:

  • Decide on a writing project or projects (always have a back-up project to work on).
  • Read Murray R. & Newton M. (2009) Writing retreat as structured intervention: Margin or mainstream? Higher Education Research and Development, 28(5): 527-39.
  • Review the retreat programme (next page): plan your writing tasks for each timeslot.
  • Do reading and other preparation before retreat.
  • Get notes, plans, outlines etc. together. Outline the structure of your paper/chapter.
  • Download anything you need before you go, e.g. journal’s instructions for authors.

What you will need for the retreat:

Laptop/PC, data, outlines, notes

 

Writing Retreat Programme:

09.45  Join and set-up

10.00  Welcome, introductions and goal-setting (break-out rooms if large numbers)

10.30  Focused writing

11.45 Break

12.00  Focused writing

13.00  Lunch

13.45  Check-in (break-out rooms)

14.00  Focused writing

15.15  Break

15.30  Focused writing

16.30 Last words and close

If you have any questions about this retreat, please contact Jo Garrick (narti@lubs.leeds.ac.uk)