Martha's Vineyard Recap
And a Resource on Fiction and Poetry Craft Books
I intended to write a June post, but the month got away from me. Between writing work and non-writing work, the month disappeared faster than free Costco samples on a Saturday. The non-writing projects are ones I’m especially excited about, and I can’t wait to share more when the time is right.
Anyway, I originally planned to write a day-by-day recap of the writers retreat I attended at the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing (MVICW). But once I got there, I found myself wanting to be present: breathing in the ocean air, wandering the island without a plan, and simply writing.
So instead, here’s the recap in one word — magical.
Getting there, though, was anything but.
I was stressed about the cost. One part of mental health we don’t talk about enough is money and how guilty it feels to invest in yourself. In the end, my husband convinced me to go. I wasn’t going into debt. It wasn’t irresponsible. But I still had doubts, even on the flight there. Was I going to spend the week feeling buyer’s remorse?
I received a Poet & Author Fellowship that covered part of my room and board. My husband took on a quick side job with his family for money to help me pay for remaining costs. Then I received a $1000 grant from a different organization, which helped cover costs. In the end, I paid for partial room and board, flights, and food. Altogether, I spent roughly $1,000 for the week.*
Was it worth it? Abso-fucking-lutely.
After my first day on the island, every doubt I had about going vanished into thin air.
I’m naturally skeptical of writing retreats (and even writing classes). Too many feel like they’re making money from writers instead of helping writers. But a writer I trust had attended the MVICW retreat before, so I took the leap.
And I’m freakin’ glad I did.
The retreat struck the perfect balance between vacation and conference, with optional craft workshops. I also got feedback on my partial manuscript. If you’ve taken any Script Anatomy or Rideback classes with Jessica Sharzer, the quality felt comparable. Even many of the more established poets and authors there, including those with MFAs, found the craft workshops valuable. The instructors/mentors care. This isn’t just a side hustle to make extra money for them. The people who run the retreat seem to invest in the writers, too. I also started and finished two books. I don’t know if the fact that my sinuses felt more clear despite all the greenery was a metaphor for anything, but it sure as hell felt like one. It was also nice to not talk about screenwriting for a week, even if it’s the island where Jaws was filmed.
So this month’s resource is fitting: a roundup of the craft books the retreat mentors and instructors recommended. INPO. Some are affiliate links.
Ordinary Genius: A Guide for the Poet Within by Kim Addonizio
The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination by Carl Phillips
Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos
The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field by Tara L. Masih
The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing the Lyric Essay Edited by Heidi Czerwiec and Lee Horikoshi Roripaugh
The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms by Ron Padgett (Editor) (I’ve seen this book recommended outside of this retreat, it must be the Save of the Cat or Robert McKee’s Story of the poetry world)
Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern (I have seen a lot about this book outside of MVCIW)
What It Is (Lynda Barry’s Creativity Series) by Lynda Barry (I hope this book is as good as Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics)
Rules For The Dance: A Handbook for Writing and Reading Metrical Verse by Mary Oliver
The Art and Craft of Fiction: A Writer’s Guide by Michael Kardos
A Swim in the Pond in the Rain (more literary) By George Saunders (A repeated rec)
Wonderbook (Revised and Expanded): The Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction By Jeff VanderMeer
I’m very curious about a book on songwriting and poetry. I asked the poetry instructors if they knew of one, and they didn’t.
I also plan to post again later this month to make up for missing June. Though we all know what they say about “plans”…
*I found out after the retreat, I received another $1500 grant elsewhere. What a time to be alive when my grant money is more than my screenwriting residuals.
Congrats on the retreat. Glad it was restorative.