10 Ways InterVarsity's NISET Writing Workshop was Awesome (You won't believe number 8!)

1. I found an encouraging, supportive writing community.

I learned the value of having several people speak into my work. Reading my work to a group who then responded to my writing was a new experience for me. I loved it, and my work was better because of the interaction and input from other writers. 

I found beauty in our differences. Each of us had a unique style, voice, and message; and each was valued. Our writing was honed together, in community.

NISET Writing Group July 2014

2. Food Trucks

Need I say more? Had a delicious Indonesian lunch for $7. So many food trucks. So little time.

3. Writing a Book

I came away knowing that I don't have to be famous or be able to prove that I can sell 100,000 copies to write a book. Which is good, because I'm not and wouldn't. I got to know some authors, regular people, who had good ideas and simply (or not so simply) took the time to write. 

4. Running along the lake in the morning.

I ran every other day at around 7am. The lake was beautiful, the wind cool and lovely. It was easy to push myself to running past three miles.

5. Staying in a hotel across the street from the capitol building.

Hotels are beautiful things. Having someone else come in and pull my sheets and bedding tight while I'm off at meetings was lovely. Having a white dome against blue sky as the view from my window was perfection.

 6. Quotes about writing littering our tables

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that I later I can build castles.”  Shannon Halt

Chocolate was piled on top of the quotes later in the week to add to the inspiration.

7. Madison's Saturday morning farmer's market.

Flowers, fruits and vegetables, eclectic people, glorious cheese curds, and more.

Cheese, glorious cheese.

Purses made of discarded upholstery samples.

I would buy fresh flowers through the summer if I lived in Madison, which I won't because they have winter.

8. Friendship

Nothing like sharing in-process work to encourage vulnerability and friendship. Sharing gourmet Wisconsin ice cream helps too.

Serious workshopping

Serious ice creaming

9. Lunch with friends I haven't seen in a while...

I hadn't seen Renée since our debriefing in October of 2012...

and about eight years since I last saw saw Shannon at our Spain debriefing.

10. And a finished article that went online this week as a cherry on top.

I worked on three pieces during my week in Madison, and one of them, Louie Zamperini and Loving the Other was published at The Well, InterVarsity's blog for women in the academy and professions. 

When I started working on the article, I got stuck and thought I wouldn't be able to write it. So I left it and worked on another piece. During a morning run, I decided to work through it in my head and was able to get it down during writing time that day. The process reaffirmed the value of pushing through even when writing doesn't come easily. Inspiration is important for me; it's how I get started. But discipline is how it gets done.