My Ideal Writing Weekend

Joanna over at Confident Writing is sponsoring a contest on ideal writing weekends to get ideas for the upcoming Writing Workshops in Italy in 2009.  While it would be cool to win (you, too, can enter!) an Amazon gift card, I think the contest itself is cool.

My ideal writing weekend involves my cabin in the mountains.  There's something about the vista.    Something very basic and almost primal that inspires me.  When I was visiting Shenandoah last year during a creative weekend, I met a guy at one particularly amazing hiking spot.  He said,  "M' grandaddy always said to stay close to the mountains.  They wrap you in their arms." 

In the mountains, I feel at one with nature, and maybe even myself, as silly as that might sound.  Of course, there's the whole idea that one is away from distractions:  work, kids, laundry, e-mail, maybe even phones in general.  All that exists is the writing.  And I'm wrapped in the mountains' arms as I write.

Then, there's the getting out in nature.  Hiking, walking, being out in it.  Freeing one's mind and making it easier to get to that "at one with one's self" place.

All I need are mountains, shelter, and something to write with.

If you would like to play, visit Confident Writing for the contest guidelines.  Have fun!