The Joys of a Writing Retreat by Margaret Simon

Summer is here!  Just what I’ve been waiting for, long expanses of free time to write. But when it comes to writing, sometimes I’d rather dig in the flower bed or clean out a closet than sit down to a blank page.

So I prescribed myself a writing retreat. This could work to jump start my summer writing.  I signed up for a writing workshop at an arts center about 30 miles away.  Far enough away that I had to commit.  What made it even better, I reserved Jen’s rental space at her nearby farm, so I wouldn’t have to drive home at night.

Writing can be like exercise.  It’s easier to do in a group.  I invited my writing group to come to the farm studio to spend the day writing.  They showed up with food and journals and enthusiasm for quiet writing time.

Throughout the school year, I look at invitations to writers’ retreats, but they are usually expensive, far away, and/or require an application with a writing sample to get in.  I did apply to one in Maine but didn’t get selected.  Rather than beat myself up with disappointment, I took the initiative to create my own. Jen invited us to return any time we want, so we’ve booked a day in July. 

I highly recommend creating your own writing retreat. Three key ingredients are
1. an inspiring and comfortable place
2. food and drink for sustenance
3. commitment to doing the writing.
For me, scheduling a writing retreat made me commit to the time.  Sharing it with writing friends was a bonus. 

Dianne, one of my writing group partners, wrote this poem expressing how we all felt about time away to notice and note:

Lawless Road

I’ve only been to this place
Down Lawless Road
Once or twice
I should come here often

This place
where the words flow
From deep within
A habitat of mind

This place
Where the tiny frogs
Let loose and croak
Bold and brave

Dianne Dempsey-Legnon, 2019

Writing Groups by Margaret Simon

Belonging is a basic human desire. Community is a safe place where one can belong. 

Writing is a solitary act.  A writing group provides a community for a writer, a group where you are honored and supported in your writing life.

A true working writing group is hard to find.  I've been through quite a few in my lifetime.  They don't all fall apart, but when they do, it's usually due to very normal every day things like a move, a new job, or a different direction.  I am one of the lucky ones.  I met with my face-to-face writing group last week, and asked "How long have we been meeting?" We figured it was more than 18 years, but less than 20.  We used to meet more often, but now we meet only once a month, and the place changes periodically.  The reason we meet never changes.  We love each other.  We support each other. We share a love of writing. 

I joined another writing group only 3 years ago.  We met at the Two Writing Teachers yearly dinner at NCTE. Some originals have dropped out and new members have joined in.  We meet by Zoom on the first and third Sunday night of the month.  This group started out as a picture book writing group but has evolved into more of a poetry focus. 

All this to say that I believe that I am a better writer because of my writing groups.  I belong.  We are on a shared journey.  

My writing groups do not follow strict rules, but there are some universal understandings.  We do not criticize without praising first.  We honor each other's unique voices.  We try to be equitable with time.  And we are, above all, kind.  This is not to say that we don't push each other because we absolutely do with gentle nudges into a direction we would likely have discovered ourselves along the way. 

If you are looking for a writing group whether face-to-face or online, be discerning.  Try to find someone whose writing you admire and that closely resembles your style.  And if it doesn't work, don't be discouraged, and don't take it personally.  Writing is an intimate act and we writers are sensitive people.  The just right group evolves with time, careful attention and dedication.  Belonging to a writing group is an important step in nurturing the writer in you.

Margaret Simon is a teacher-writer who lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, LA.  She teaches gifted elementary students in Iberia Parish. With a Master's degree in gifted and National Boards in early childhood literacy, she offers her love of reading and writing to her students.  She writes about her teaching and shares her poetry at reflectionsontheteche.com. Margaret tweets @MargaretGSimon. You can also connect with her on Facebook at Margaret Gibson Simon.

Falling In Love with Poetry Friday by Margaret Simon

Sustaining a writing life is both a struggle and a pleasure. I struggle to keep ideas flowing and to stay motivated.  I found a community that helps with both--Poetry Friday.

Poetry Friday is a weekly blogging community specifically designed around teaching, writing, and sharing children’s poetry. Renée LaTulippe wrote a blog post in 2015 that answers many questions you may have about Poetry Friday.

I’ve been posting and linking up to Poetry Friday for around 5 years. When I was new to the blogging scene, fellow teacher/blogger Linda Baie took me under her wing.  She commented regularly and led me to the Poetry Friday community.  “You like to write poetry, so you might enjoy linking up with Poetry Friday.”  One of the best gifts ever.  I found my tribe, so to speak.  Writing and linking up each week not only encouraged me as a teacher/writer, I also made new friends, friends whom I now work with in a writing group or in presentations at NCTE.

There are three main reasons Poetry Friday sustains me as a teacher/writer:

1.  A community of writers:  Writing is usually a solo activity.  Finding your tribe is important to sustaining your life as a writer.  Connecting with other poets and teachers of poetry has enriched my life in many ways. I’ve grown a writing group and have poets I can turn to for honest critique. At conferences like NCTE, I’ve met them face to face, raised a glass of wine, and celebrated friendship.  This community, in particular, is full of kind and generous people who communicate to make you feel welcomed and loved.

2.  Feedback: Comments sustain me.  Receiving a comment like this recent one from Ramona Behnke pushes me to be the best poet and the best teacher of poetry that I can be: “I love your “Popcorn Poetry” especially the phrase “magical words wander.” Your wand extended to the students in front of you. They wrote beautiful poems.”

3.  My teaching is enriched: Exploring posts on Poetry Friday leads me down different paths from writing my own poems to teaching a form to students.  Last week, I read a post by Irene Latham and used the prompt that day with my students.  I sent her a link to my students’ poems, and she kindly responded to each one.  Being able to reach out and touch a poet on any given Friday is a gift to my students.

In order to sustain a writing life, I need to be in close contact with other writers.  Finding groups of writers that feed my writing spirit is important and inspiring.  If you are looking for more poetry in your life whether to read and appreciate or to write and teach,  turn to Poetry Friday.  You can find the line-up of hosts listed here.

Find this week’s Poetry Friday posts with Donna Smith at Mainly Write.

Be a brave writer; Jump into Poetry Friday.  I promise we will welcome you with open arms!


Margaret Simon is a teacher-writer who lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, LA.  She teaches gifted elementary students in Iberia Parish. With a Master's degree in gifted and National Boards in early childhood literacy, she offers her love of reading and writing to her students.  She writes about her teaching and shares her poetry at reflectionsontheteche.com. Margaret tweets @MargaretGSimon. You can also connect with her on Facebook at Margaret Gibson Simon.

Write for Us!

The #TeachWrite Twitter Chat Blog is dedicated to providing a space for our community to connect and share their voices about writing and teaching writing.  We are looking for guest bloggers who would like to blog on topics related to being a teacher-writer. Educators and writers of all levels are invited to join us in this space. More information can be found at https://teachwritechat.blogspot.com/p/write-for-us.html.

Being Present for Writing by Margaret Simon

"This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it's done. It's that easy and that hard." Neil Gaiman

I subscribe to the Enneagram Thought of the Day from The Enneagram Institute. The Enneagram is a spiritual personality tool.  You can take an online test to find out your number, then you are on your way to discovering who you are. I find it helpful guidance in my daily life.

On New Year’s Eve, I received the message that I should only make one resolution, to be Present.  I’ve received this message multiple times, but it never changes its impact on me.

Every year I carefully choose a One Little Word to guide my year.  Present was my 2015 OLW. This year I want to choose Presence as my One Little Writing Word to guide my writing life.  

Being present to writing means...

1. being open to the muse. Open an email, read a Facebook post, take a photograph, and the muse may be there waiting.
2. being present to a writer’s life. Take a journal/notebook wherever I go. Be ready to notice and note.
3. to turn off the critic. Being present doesn’t allow the critic in.  Let go of those thoughts that hamper progress.
4. opening the blank page.  A blank page is so intimidating. I hesitate to turn to the blank page in my journal or to open a new blank document. This is where I must begin each day.

Like resolutions, setting goals for writing can send me on the road to disappointment.  But if I decide to merely be present for my writing, I can realistically fulfill this goal.  Just show up to the page every day.  That’s it.  No judgment. No grandiose expectations of word count.  Just be there.  Writing.

Have you thought about setting a goal for writing?  What about a One Little Writing Word?  

Margaret Simon is a teacher-writer who lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, LA.  She teaches gifted elementary students in Iberia Parish. With a Master's degree in gifted and National Boards in early childhood literacy, she offers her love of reading and writing to her students.  She writes about her teaching and shares her poetry at reflectionsontheteche.com. Margaret tweets @MargaretGSimon. You can also connect with her on Facebook at Margaret Gibson Simon.

Write for Us!

The #TeachWrite Twitter Chat Blog is dedicated to providing a space for our community to connect and share their voices about writing and teaching writing.  We are looking for guest bloggers for January who would like to blog on topics related to our January theme -- GOALS.  Educators and writers of all levels are invited to join us in this space. More information can be found here.

Give Yourself Permission to be a Writer by Margaret Simon

I’ve travelled a long road to becoming a writer, to feeling like writing is an integral part of who I am.  Early in my teaching career, I went through a summer institute for the National Writing Project.  I began to see that my jottings and my stories and my poems could make me a better thinker, a better teacher, and a better person.

Through the writing project, I met many mentors.  One mentor told us that the best writers were the ones who gave themselves the most permissions.  I have thought of this quote often.  What does it mean to give yourself permission?  When I was contemplating my manifesto,  I asked myself, “What permissions do you give yourself as a writer?”

• I give myself permission to be vulnerable.  I never know how something I write will resonate with a reader.  Will it be rejected? embraced? understood? or misunderstood?  Communication is a tricky thing.  To write, one has to let go of expectations for the reader and let it be.  
• I give myself permission to revise, rethink, reimagine. One of the most satisfying parts of the writing process is revision.  It’s reworking the clay that brings about magic.  
• I give myself permission to be myself. If you are a reader, you know what it’s like to long to write like one of your favorite authors.  But we can’t all be the same.  And who would want us to be?  We must be our truest selves in our writing. 
• I give myself permission to write anywhere.  I learned this one through NWP writing marathons.  Each marathon began with us teacher-writers turning to each other and saying, “I am a writer.”  There is a sense of pride in that statement, but there is also permission to be a writer wherever you are.  Writing out in the world helps me capture those seeds of ideas and voices that speak to me. 
• I give myself permission not to write.  In our #TeachWrite Twitter chat for December, Jess Keating said that non-writing time is just as important.  Many mornings, I leave my computer and go for a walk with my dog, Charlie.  It feeds my soul and refreshes my mind.  

• I give myself permission to share my writing.  On my blog, Reflections on the Teche (pronounced “tesh” for the bayou that runs behind my house.), I publish regularly.  I write for round ups like Slice of Life and Poetry Friday and Celebration Saturday.  This regular posting pushes me to be a brave releaser of my words into the world. The responses feed me as a writer as well as connect me to other writers.  

In what way do you need to give yourself permission to be a writer?  No one but yourself is going to give you that reassurance.  Put on your bravest self and put your words out into the world.  You may be surprised at what you receive in return.  

This month, the #TeachWrite Chat Blog will be sharing the Writing Manifestos of our community. What do you believe about being a writer?  Would you like your Writing Manifesto featured on this blog?  Are you interested in writing for us at another time? More information is available here.