Why a Writing Residency Rocks

So, I just got back from spending a week at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, a residency for writers, artist and composers in Virginia. I had a room, a studio, and nothing but time to write, read and take the occasional walk or run in beautiful rural surroundings.

At meals (which I didn’t have to cook! Huzzah!), I chatted with other residents. It is so damned refreshing and inspiring to be around other people who just get it — to hear about their work and their process and their frustrations and victories. There were people of all ages, at all different stages of their careers.

And everyone worked like crazy. A lot of people even worked at night — which, I’m sorry, I am too burnt out to do after a day of writing. Morning and late afternoon are my best times. Noon to two or three, I’m pretty much useless. Nighttime, all I want to do is unwind, read, go to raves, plan jewel heists, destroy property, do blow with hookers, etc. (I almost never do the last few, but I like keeping my options open.)

In spite of the lack of jewel heisting and hookers, it was a fantastic week, and incredibly productive: 35 pages of the new novel I’m writing, a humor piece that I sent futilely off to the towering slush pile at the New Yorker’s Shouts and Murmurs, and the start of a short story.

This is an insane and beautiful amount of writing (for me) to get done in such a short time. It’s amount of writing I normally accomplish over the course of two or three months, maybe, when I’m home. Because between work and everything else, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day.

But even taking work out of the equation, writing at home just isn’t the same as a residency. I intentionally kept my work schedule clear this week, hoping to ride the residency momentum. And I’ve gotten some writing done. More than in the average week. But not even in the same universe as what I could get done if I were still at VCCA. Why?

Because packing lunches and getting the girls off to school in the morning..

Because we desperately need groceries, and I need to plan what we’re going to have for dinner this week.

Because the dishes.

Because putting the laundry in.

Because the Mass Save people are coming at nine to do an energy efficiency audit and I need to be available to answer questions.

Because maybe it would be nice to try to squeeze in a little exercise.

Because catching up on email.

Because there is nothing in the house for lunch.

Because changing the laundry over to the dryer.

Because feeding the cat.

Because it’s Veteran’s Day and there’s no school.

Because all of a sudden none of Elsa’s pants fit her and I need to go to Target.

Because, Jeez, could the neighbor’s lawn mower BE any louder?

Because I need to write a check for the PTO wreath sale.

Because I have to pick the girls up afer school today because Alastair can’t, because he has a doctor’s appointment.

Because I need to schedule a doctor’s appointment for myself.

Because we need to find a babysitter for Saturday night.

Because I need to invoice a couple of my clients.

Because, crap, I need to run out to the grocery store again, because I thought we had a can of diced tomatoes but we don’t, and I need them for what I’m making for dinner tonight.

Because we have checks to deposit.

Because the car needs gas.

Because, ugh, the bathroom really needs cleaning.

Because making dinner.

Because putting the girls to bed.

And most of all, because I feel like my mind is zig zagging all day between a zillion things. Because it is. And this simply doesn’t happen during a residency. You have a singular purpose. You’re focused. There are almost no demands on you outside of whatever you’re working on. You can get into the zone and stay there. This isn’t to say that it’s easy to write all day; not at all. But it’s like exercise: You feel awesome after you’ve done it. (And occasionally, briefly energized while you’re doing it, too.)

I’ve done a few other residencies, at VSC and Wellspring House, and a couple of “DIY residencies” solo or with friends. And it’s the same thing every time: It’s where I truly feel like a writer. Where I get shit done.

Obviously, because of the girls and work, it’s not feasible for me to go away for very long, or more than a couple times a year. But it’s so completely essential, not just to my productivity but to my emotional and psychological wellbeing. I need to have at least a little unfettered time and space to do the work that matters most to me.

Thank you, Alastair. Thank you Elsa and Clio. Thank you VCCA. Thank you to the other writers’ colonies that are going to accept me in the future. (Right? Right? Yaddo? Macdowell? You know you want me….) I couldn’t keep on keeping on in this crazy, lonely game without you.