I joined The Writing Coach at the start of 2024, determined to get serious about writing Ellen’s Memoir. One of the first opportunities I had was to join fellow budding authors on The Sisterhood Retreat organised by Jacqui Lofthouse, Founder of The Writing Coach.
Elmley Nature Reserve is on the Isle of Sheppey, just off the Kent coast and has vast marshland, grasslands, and reed beds, all with a host of nature’s inhabitants. As you arrive and make your way to the cottages at the centre, you pass wide expanses of open space as far as the eye can see where as night falls, the only sounds to be heard are the distant calls of birds as you look out to the deepest dark skies.
(www.thewritingcoach.co.uk)
After an inspiring week in the cottage with my ‘sisters’, I moved into a charming little Shepherd’s hut, where I spent the next four days completely off grid. My day started with a lovely breakfast delivered to my hut, making a cup of tea on the stove – which was the first time I’ve ever had to light a fire on my own – then I’d pop up to the barn and spend the day writing. At 6pm I’d head back to my hut and a scrumptious dinner would be delivered. I spent the evenings planning each month with the chapters I was going to write. It was a really productive time which just goes to show without any distractions I really can knuckle down!
And here’s a little limerick I penned for fellow writer and published author of Colours of Siena, Judith May Evans, after she told me about a mysterious shop near where she lives…
Judith is an active member of The Writing Coach and is now working on her second book.