Virtual Rainforest

For the last six years or so, I’ve run off (with great delight) to attend the Rainforest Writers Retreat right on Lake Quinault in the wilds of the Washington rainforest.

This year, due to the very nature of lots of people traveling from lots of places, it was decided the writer’s retreat would go digital.

Digital retreat. So…sit here at my desk and do what I usually do? It didn’t sound like the best way to suddenly write more words. After all, part of what makes the Rainforest Retreat work for me is it is a whole state away from my home, has spotty internet connection, rainy weather, and somehow acts as both a write-together while also being a write-in-solitude type thing.

I decided to sign up anyway. Wow!

Amazing Zoom talks by wonderful authors, a fantastic Discord group with channels for chatting, brainstorming, and encouragement.

The Work Together video feed (where authors could hop on, camera optional, to work at the same time with other writers) was brilliant. (Sorry, writer friends, for headbopping to music while on camera. I DID have the foresight to turn off my camera every time I needed to do some chair dancing. You’re welcome.)

There was a tea social, a whisky party, a soup lunch, and a DJ’d music night.

But for me, the big thing was a virtual scoreboard where writers could record daily word counts.

Now, I’m not a competetive person–I play games just to play. I don’t care who wins, and really don’t care if I win. However, when it comes to word counts, I. Will. Show. Up.

I’m not there to take top prize, but I am most certainly there. (The prizes are wonderful though–check out Bryan Monson’s fabulous handmade pens.)

That board, people. That board (and the Work Together channel) made me work.

How did I do? I wrote 20,006 words in 3.5 days (3rd place on the board) Not. Bad.

BIG THANK YOU to Patrick Swenson, founder/captain/heart-n-soul of the retreat and Rebecca A. Demarest, digital wizard/genius/badass who made it all possible this year. You two are the best!

Virtual or in-person, I can’t wait to do it all again!