Swanwick Writers' Summer School 2016: Day Seven

[clhollandwriter]

Day Seven is not really a day, as all we do before we leave is have breakfast and say goodbye. Then it's on the coach for those of us heading to the station. Once we're unloaded there's already a sense of separation, of normal life creeping back in, as everyone scatters to their individual platforms. I miss the days when those of us who had a longer wait for the train would gather in a coffee shop, chat (those of us not horribly hungover from the previous night's disco, anyway), and extend the week those few minutes more.

I had mixed feelings about leaving this year, part sadness it was over for another year and part relief that I got to go home. The last twelve months have been frantic - I've changed job, moved manager three times and team twice, had health problems that are likely to have a long-term impact, plus bought and moved into a house. During all of this I've barely had the time, let alone the energy, to write. While I spent most of the year longing for Swanwick week, when I got there I found I didn't have the ability to deal with homework, large groups of enthusiastic writer folks, or watching everyone eat cheesecake or fish and chips that I couldn't have. As a result I was tired, cranky, and snappish, and I apologise to anyone who found themselves on the receiving end.

The trip home was longer than usual due to the route but after a nap, ten hours sleep, and another nap the following afternoon, I felt a lot more refreshed. And it turns out my week wasn't wasted after all. Despite not writing, and not feeling like writing, I've still got the post-Swanwick motivational kick. I've got ideas for two projects and the desire to do my homework. This weekend, I'll dig out the notes from the Manifesting Your Goals course I took in 2014 and create a timeline. It appears some of that Swanwick magic rubbed off after all.

Comments

Moods

[andrew shephard (from livejournal.com)]

Sometimes one is just not mentally prepared for a school or a retreat or a holiday. I wasn't this time, so your blog post chimes with me. And like you, when I arrived home, very happy to be back, I had to search for what I had got out of the week. And when I looked hard, I realised I had gained something very useful after all. Good luck with reclaiming your writing time and habit.
p.s. If you were feeling cranky, it didn't show to me.

RE: Moods

[clhollandwriter]

It did kind of creep up on me this year. But, as you said, when you look often something was gained you didn't see at the time. Good luck to you too!