The Lavender Dawn Saga

Okay, that title is a bit overdramatic…all you introverts out there, don’t be afraid! Attending a writer’s retreat is 100% recommended! Trust me, it will change your life and fill your creative well! From noteworthy sessions, to thoughtful conversations, to rejuvenating workshops, this is something you will not regret. 

Last week, I was blessed to attend The Young Writer’s Retreat, a 5-day conference hosted by The Young Writer. I learned so much, and my passion for writing was reignited. I got to listen to sessions by brilliant authors like Kara Swanson, Millie Florence, and Victoria Lynn. These sessions covered various topics, like editing, characters, storytelling, and time management. I have over 15 pages of notes that I took throughout the week!

But it wasn’t all sitting and listening to sessions (even though they were AMAZING). Each night of the retreat, the staff had something special planned! Thursday night, I learned how to Ceili dance, Friday night I got to sell my book, The Hidden Haven, at the book fair, and Saturday night was an epic cosplay competition! 

Between all that and free time, I hardly had time alone, and as an introvert, that can be quite draining! Here is how I, as an introvert, survived my first writer’s retreat!

Spend Time With People Who Don’t Drain You

I often drift towards groups of people who are quiet like me. People that I know will encourage me and charge me. People I can be quiet around, and they understand why. With 350+ young writers attending the retreat, there was never a dull moment! While it was so exciting, I found it easiest to spend my free time doing something that doesn’t require a lot of my energy. I played several games of The Bible Is Funny (a hilarious game! You should check it out!) with good friends, and found some quiet time to write with another friend. (Who I almost randomly met on the street…quite a funny story!) 

Spending time with people who don’t drain your internal battery is a great way to keep up your energy during a big event! I also recommend finding time to spend time with friends one on one if possible! It is so refreshing to be able to catch up with a friend and spend quality time with them one on one rather than trying to keep up with a conversation in a big group. I made sure to find time to talk with each friend and get a special moment with them at the retreat. Even if it is something simple like sitting together for a session or writing together. You will still gain so many memories from those little moments. 💕

Stay Hydrated and Eat Enough

This is SO important!! I brought my water bottle everywhere this week and made sure to fill it often. Being out and around so many people is already exhausting for an introvert, so if you don’t hydrate you will feel even more drained. 

Let me admit something: I am a snacker. I have a fast metabolism, so I’m constantly hungry and always snacking on something. Some people don’t feel like eating breakfast. Me? I’m starving as soon as I roll out of bed. 😂

At the retreat, we only had time for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I didn’t get to snack much at all this week, so I made sure to eat enough at each meal. Lunch and dinner were served at the dining hall, a wonderfully busy place to hang out with friends while bonding over fried chicken, hot dogs, or whatever food the camp staff had prepared. 

Speaking of the dining hall, it was quite a long walk out in the heat from the auditorium, where the sessions took place. Another good reason to stay well hydrated! Our retreat manager had a firm rule: NO DYING! It was so important to take care of ourselves and our body when out in the Missouri heat. 

Find Creative Ways to Rest and Recharge

As you may have guessed from the rest of this post, it was a busy week! I was on the go from about 7:30 in the morning to 11pm. I hardly ever got time by myself to rest and recharge, so I had to come up with creative ways to do so. 

This was usually finding ways to spend some quiet time, whether by writing with a friend, taking a walk by myself outside to get fresh air, or simply just observing the chaos. 

There was a day when we had an hour of free time, so my friend and I went to our lodge to work on our writing together. By the time we had collected our belongings, we had about forty minutes to write and walk back to the main auditorium. 

But I found peace in those forty minutes, sitting against the wall in the breakfast room, with my friend beside me and my computer on my lap. It was a relaxing break, even if I wasn’t by myself. I also wanted to prioritize my time with my friends, because the retreat lasted only for a few days. And I’m so glad that I did, because I have special memories that I can look back on and smile. (JUST DON’T, Fred! If you know…you know 😉)

Most of All…Have Fun!

This is obviously the most important tip of them all…have fun! A writer’s retreat isn’t meant to be draining; it’s meant to be rejuvenating and inspirational! And as you can tell, as an introvert, you can still have fun at big events. 

I had so much fun, even though I was so tired! But I have so many lasting memories, from dancing the Cotton Eyed Joe and Church Clap during one of the free sessions, to signing my friends’ books, to taking notes together at sessions, I had an awesome time, and I’m so grateful!

If you’re feeling weary and overwhelmed, all you have to do is take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is only for a few days, and thank God for the time you have. Once you get going and start enjoying yourself, it’s easy to have fun and feel charged. You got this!

Pictures From The Retreat