A journalist from iWeekend, Anna Bonet, published an article today about her recent stay in the Writers’ Cabin: ‘I swapped the office for a cabin in Wales – and rewired my brain’.
Anna writes:
“It is hard to overstate what it feels like to arrive somewhere that has been so intentionally designed for focus. The cabin is compact but perfectly kitted out: a wide oak desk sits beneath a window looking straight out on to the valley, and is accompanied by a good office chair, warm lamps and plenty of books…
By morning, after sleeping in what is possibly the comfiest bed I have ever slept in, I brew a coffee, sit at the desk and open my laptop. I expect the usual routine: a hesitant sentence, a click over to my inbox, maybe a scroll through the news.
But none of that happens. I start typing. And I don’t stop. It is the kind of work I haven’t done in ages – not forced, panicked or clinging to a deadline, but focused, immersive, calm. It is as if something has cleared a path in my mind. And the more I sit with it, the more the work comes…
Which is why, throughout my stay at the cabin, I feel strangely alert all day long. Gone is my post-lunch afternoon slump, when a crash of energy usually gives way to aimless fiddling. There is something about the rhythm of the place that shows me a level of focus I didn’t think possible.
By the final morning, I have achieved more work than I had hoped. But it isn’t just the output that feels meaningful. It is how different my mind feels: less crowded, less noisy, less tangled. I haven’t just found focus. I have found clarity.”
Guests who have come here on a writer’s retreat report similar findings – in fact, many find that the retreat begins the minute they slam the boot of the car, or step onto the train to Machynlleth…
The effectiveness of going on a retreat such as this one in tackling writer’s block is the intention of the writer… They have actively chosen to book and to come to the Writers’ Cabin to re-discover that elusive focus, write the last chapter or polish up their PhD, their stand-up routine or their poetry collection.
Here are five tips to make the most of your retreat at the Cabin and tackle writer’s block:
1. Prepare. Think about what a stretch of uninterrupted time could gift your work-in-progress. Is it word count that you’re eager to work on, or setting, tone, voice, pov? Have a general idea before you come what you’d like to achieve during your retreat. Which leads on to…
2. Mindset. Rather than getting overly hung up on specific goals, try adopting a mindset of curiosity. In her recent book, Tiny Experiments, Anne-Laure le Cunff suggests we adopt a more experimental lens towards what we want to achieve.
3. Fuel. What keeps you going when you hit a bump in the road? For some writers, a walk around the block helps. For others, it’s caffeine and chocolate. Whatever your jam, bring the tools to make that possible: a pair of hiking boots or a selection of treats (we provide coffee, tea, milk and biscuits).
4. Comfort. The Writers’ Cabin is a self-led retreat and, while your hosts are on-site in case you need anything, you’ll be left in peace. Wear what you’re most comfortable in. Pack your go-to clohtes for the weekend – a pair of loose trousers, a slouchy jumper or warm socks. We provide little extras such as blankets, hot water bottles, cushions and several armchairs to read in.
5. Senses. Is there a soundtrack that you could align with your work-in-progress? Create a playlist before you come, and hook up to the Bluetooth speaker in the Cabin. Play on repeat.
If you’re curious to find out more about the retreat, head over to to the Writers’ Cabin page and book your next stay with us.
