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April 11-13, 2008
1 pm Friday - 1 pm Sunday
GardenSpirit Guesthouse
(overnight accommodations available)
Durham, NC You're a writer.
You're wildly creative, but can't make yourself sit down to write.
Or you've started dozens of manuscripts but never reach "The End."
Or you have a compelling Point of No Return, but get bored with the plot.
You may have an ADD(-ish) Writing Mind.
Join a group of women writers for a weekend retreat designed to help you write more efficiently and effectively by using your ADD(-ish) mind to best advantage.
During this three-day retreat you'll learn:
- How to get past "writers block" that attacks in the middle of a great idea (a.k.a. procrastination).
- What to do when the page is blank and so (you believe) is your mind.
- When to take a break from hyperfocus...or not.
- Which ADD-ish characteristics can be allowed to run wild while you write and which ones you might want to curb.
- How to recognize "transition terror" and its effect on your writing.
It's time to finish your novel or chapbook or biography or self-help book!
Authors Linda Roggli and Mary Cartledgehayes will present the first-ever weekend for ADD-ish women writers that will help you corral your incredible creativity into writing pieces that are cohesive, well organized and - best of all - COMPLETE.
You'll discover the best way to sift through those fits and starts of writing that clutter your computer, your desk and your closets so you can choose ONE (OK, maybe two) to work on. You'll learn to recognize when your ADD brain is on the loose, ready to frustrate your best efforts to "just do it." You'll work with writing exercises and discussions designed to move you deeper into the writing process. And you'll understand why "Butterfly Tasking" can be an ADD writer's best friend.
You don't have to be diagnosed with ADD to benefit from the weekend
Frustrations that plague ADD-ers are often lamented by writers, regardless of whether there is an official diagnosis. Many writers struggle against a parade of distractions that pull them away from writing: "I need to clean off my desk before I start writing."
Disorganization can also sabotage writers with ADD tendencies. "My outline is buried in a stack of papers....but which one?" " Too many great ideas can paralyze progress: "I don't know which story to write first - the children's book or the expose' on cancer-causing microbes. I think I'll do it tomorrow."
Ironically, ADD-ish writing minds sometimes skip over important details: "Oh, I don't need to check that source again - it'll be fine. And besides, I'm already over deadline." And at other times, obsess to the point of perfectionism: "I might need to edit that piece again before I turn it in today. After all, 11 is a charm."
ADD-ish minds are also infamous for negative self-talk: "I can't be a writer. Just look at all those other books that are better than mine."
This weekend is all about creating, organizing, writing, editing, finishing, submitting and CELELBRATING your inspired words.
About the retreat
The weekend begins just after lunch on Friday afternoon (1 pm) at GardenSpirit Guesthouse in Durham, NC. There will be introductions, discussion and writing exercises throughout the afternoon.
You'll enjoy dinner Friday evening at GardenSpirit with your retreat companions, then spend more time with Linda and Mary Jo as they lead you into the ease and flow of writing to your own personal rythm. The day ends at 8:30 pm. Guests of GardenSpirit Guesthouse will retire to their rooms or to the bubbling hot tub in the private back yard.
Saturday, the retreat begins at 9:00 a.m. and runs through lunch at 12:30 pm. A light lunch is included for all retreat participants. Then the fun continues until 6:30 pm. Dinner is on your own Saturday night, so feel free to bring your own snacks or go out as a group to a nearby restaurant.
The writing resumes at 9:00 am Sunday morning, along with some ADD tips and techniques for organizing story ideas, dealing with clutter and the challenge of being overwhelmed with your writing "To Do" list. The retreat ends at 1 pm Sunday afternoon, giving you plenty of time to get home, relax and get ready for the next week. About your retreat leaders
Linda Roggli and Mary Cartledgehayes know the ADD-ish Writing Mind intimately. In the past few years, these award-winning authors have discovered that their endless energy and creativity as well as their procrastination and distractibility are largely the result of brains wired for ADHD/ADD - Attention Defict Disorder.
Despite their ADD tendencies, these two women have completed books, essays, articles and poetry that have been published regionally and nationally. Linda Roggli is a Certified Life Coach who specializes in coaching women with ADD/ADHD. Her writing career dates back to 1973 when she was hired as a copywriter for the local radio station in central Illinois. She spent several years as a radio, television and newspaper journalist before founding her own advertising agency, Exclusive Writes, Inc. She was commissioned to write "Durham: Doorway to Discovery" which was published in 1995. Her latest book is "Confessions of an ADDiva: life in the non-linear lane."
Mary Cartledgehayes is the author of Semi-sweetness and Light (GoldenTree Communications, 2006); Grace: A Memoir (Crown/Random House, 2003); and To Love Delilah (Innisfree, 1990). Her publishing credits include Funny Times, Ms. Magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Christian Century. Her award-winning writing has been recognized for its sensuality, its unexpectedness, and its poetic mastery over language.
A nationally known speaker and seminar leader, Mary Cartledgehayes has led workshops on writing across the country. The founding director of the Mentoring Program of the Creative Nonfiction Foundation in Pittsburg, PA, she continues to mentor writers in both craft and process.
About GardenSpirit Guesthouse
GardenSpirit Guesthouse is a recenlty-acquired and renovated private retreat in northern Durham County, North Carolina. Set into two acres of pine forests and adjacent to a 5.5-acre tract of land that features meditation paths and a 50-foot Celtic labyrinth, GardenSpirit is an ideal place to relax, renew and retreat. There is a large sunroom at the rear of the house, the central meeting place for "The ADD (-ish) Writing Mind: For Women." There is a full kitchen, dining facilities and several nooks and crannies in which to dream, brainstorm and write. In The Garden Room at the front of the home is a wonderful massage chair with four shiatsu massage mechanisms that can loosen those aching muscles in your back and neck. Fees for "The ADD(-ish) Writing Mind: For Women" includes Friday dinner and Saturday lunch but do not include staying overnight at GardenSpirit Guesthouse. You may reserve a room at GardenSpirit (space permtting) or book a room at one of the many nearby hotels located within 10 minutes of the retreat center.
Staying overnight at GardenSpirit
The large, four-bedroom home will sleep up to nine people (double occupancy with privacy screens in each bedroom). Rooms are furnished in comfortable, vintage chic style with a distinct garden motif. Bathrooms are shared; staying at the house is like a big pajama party-- lots of fun!
Behind the house is an oversized hot tub bubbling with warm, soothing water to allow your best ideas to issue forth.
Accommodations at GardenSpirit are $60 per night (shared accommodations) and include continental breakfast and midnight snacks. Private rooms are available at slightly higher cost. To reserve a room, contact Linda Roggli directly - 919-309-9300.
It's not too late to register!
The ADD (-ish) Writing Mind for Women retreat is strictly limited to 15 women but registrations will be accepted until all space are filled (even at the last minute!). Fees are $395 for the three-day retreat. Fees include: writing instruction from Linda and Mary Jo; Friday night dinner, Saturday lunch and all retreat materials. Room reservations at GardenSpirit are available on a first-come, first-served basis at $65 per night (including breakfast and snacks). The Raleigh-Durham International Airport Shuttle can be reserved to and from GardenSpirit ($30 roundtrip) or carpooling may be arranged after registration.
Isn't it time you started/finished writing again? Click here to register! Contact linda@addiva.net for more information or to be put on our mailing list for future workshops and retreats. Be sure to whitelist this email address so that Linda's mail will get through to you! Email from your own account or use the form below:
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