My friend Colleen and I just spent a week on a writing retreat in the cocoon of her family’s cabin home in Northern Minnesota. In the quiet isolation of the lake we were able to reset our creative clocks and write with purpose and vigor. Free from the demands of our typical schedules and responsibilities we were able to write for hours, stay up late, skip normal meal times, indulge in two hour Skype collaborations, brainstorm, dream, strategize, and then, write some more.

But it wasn’t all work. One day we blew off steam racing around the lake on jet skis. We started taking walks in the afternoon and one night we even went out to have dinner and cocktails at the local establishment. Our cocoon afforded us the luxury of both blinding productivity and sheer laziness.

It was incredible, but after five days it was time to leave our cocoon and head back into the real world. I packed my bags with memories, new opportunities, big plans, 7,500 new words in my manuscript and a few left over snacks.

Colleen and I stood in the driveway delaying the inevitable. Our cocoon was safe. Fun. Productive. I didn’t want to leave. But there was work to be done that couldn’t happen in the isolation of our quiet space. It was time to go. And so I did, but with me I took so many things, including these lessons, which I am now sharing with you… Advice from a Cocoon.

Colleen and I plan on having many more retreats together. In fact, we are in the process of planning an epic series of writing getaways. If you are looking to spend time in a safe, fun and productive cocoon and would like to join us, drop a comment below or email me at wordnerd@amandazieba.com and I can keep you in the loop. But for now, I wish you all the best as you spread your wings in the real world. Fly away... and then write about it.