A different kind of writing workshop: virtual co-working for writers

How can you get more writing done?

In my own, and my clients’ experiences, the trick is in finding the balance between making a small, sustainable daily commitment that becomes a habit; but also creating space for some longer sprints.

That daily habit is crucial, but there’s a limit to how much you can write in short, regular bursts. That’s why it’s also important to schedule in longer periods every now and then, so that you can spread your wings. 

I run free virtual writing retreats three times a year (plus monthly hour long sessions - get on my email list to get access). These sessions build on the magic of community, peer accountability and a little bit of structure - it’s amazing how much more you can get done with a little bit of support.

Because, if you want to write a book, there is one crucial skill you’re going to have to master, but it may not be the one that you expect.

It’s the skill from which all the others flow: having the discipline to write regularly. 

You can’t learn the craft of writing by doing the odd intense burst every few weeks, and nor can you finish a whole book that way.

More importantly, the perfectionism and procrastination that is behind so much of writer’s block just doesn’t get to flourish when you set the bar lower. 

It takes the pressure off. If all you have to do is to show up to the page for 15 minutes, that’s a lot less for your brain to resist doing.

But if you commit to doing that every day, you’d be surprised by how much you could write in 6 months.

So the ideal is to find that balance - write in short bursts every day AND do longer sprints when you can.

On a recent free Zoom retreat day that I ran, here’s what one participant achieved:

“A really productive day - I’ve explored my “why me” and made good progress on that, written a first draft of my blurb, written 500 words of my prologue and discovered a possible structure for my Book Proposal. A huge thank you Sophy. I only came across the retreat a few days ago but it was perfect timing. Lovely to be in community with other writers. Thank you.”

Other people who joined the retreat wrote a book chapter, or a series of blogs, or rewrote their website copy, or wrote a full module of an e-course.

Others just made notes, but still found the retreat extremely helpful:

“I find such sessions extraordinarily beneficial. Whilst a lot of what I got down was in the realm of random thoughts and threads, I know that is almost always where I begin from. The flow created seems to have followed me into the week, too, which is most marvellous!”  

Sound good? Join us at our next co-working writing session. You can get all the details by signing up to my newsletter.