Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat-Epilogue

I brought you along on my journey to find my inner author at a Tom Bird Write Your Book in 5 Days Retreat in Sedona, AZ. You’ve read about my initial struggles as I searched for my “writer” and my jubilation when I found my novel. I’m home now and integrating what I learned from Tom into my daily life. For those of you who are wondering, I did not finish my novel. Let me add though, that I was one of five people out of thirty-five who did not finish.

The term “novel” is a loose concept at Tom’s retreats. His intent is to help us change the way we connect with our writing. One person’s “novel” might be a 90 page pamphlet on personal finance, another’s might be a 300 page book on dealing with grief. What matters is the connection to your soul when you are writing, not the length of the work.

Opening this connection to the soul or heart can cause some participants to go through difficult experiences as the gunk standing in their way comes to the surface. The blockage can be a traumatic experience that seems completely unrelated or a self belief deep down inside that you are undeserving of success. Other people, like the lady who lost her entire manuscript, have lessons to learn about trust. That woman learned that the book was truly inside of her and could not be lost. She found the courage to begin again and finished a novel with 52,000 words.

Whatever your gunk is, Tom will help you through it—he will pull that novel out of you and the gunk along with it! Perhaps it is better that my experience was not as smooth as I’d hoped so that, should you attend one of Tom’s retreats and begin to have a bumpy journey, you will know that it is somewhat expected. My gunk came out in a very physical way; if it hadn’t been for Lori Zeltwanger at Advanced Release Therapy I don’t know what I would have done. She kept me going when I was certain I was falling apart. If you are ever anywhere near Sedona I highly recommend a visit with Lori.

Would I do it again?

Yes!

What did I bring back with me?

A new connection to my author within and a new set of priorities. I used to begin every day by grabbing a cup of tea and turning on my email. I now sit quietly and work on my book before I do anything else. There is no email so important that it can’t wait 15 or 20 minutes. That is the promise I made to myself—15 minutes or 500 words minimum. With the technique learned at Tom’s retreat the writing just flows!

I also returned home slightly transformed and, since my family did not take this journey with me there, is an adjustment period. That is okay though, I prefer the new me--the challenge is holding on to the glow when others would rather you dim the lights. For this reason I suggest that if you are in a relationship, encourage your partner to sit in on the preparatory webinars with you before you attend the retreat. Even better—have them take the course with you!

Who would benefit from this workshop?

• Anyone stuck in writer’s block or those with no time to finish project


• Someone who wants to write a memoir but doesn’t know how or what to include


• If you are emotionally closed down or find your characters are flat


• This would also be a great gift idea for a college student.

Learn more about Tom’s retreat in my upcoming review for WOW-Women On Writing.

Robyn Chausse

Visit Tom's website to sign up for a retreat or download a free webinar.

Use these links to read the previous posts in this series.

Preparing for the retreat: First, Second, Third.

Arrival in Sedona, Class Has Begun, Finding My Novel, A Novel Is Born

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Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat –A Novel is Born

The soft, snow white cottonwood blossoms juxtapose the jagged edges of the painted rock behind them. Shimmering in the morning sun, the flowers seem to laugh as if sharing in a joke. I breathe in the freshness of the mountain air and continue across the street to indulge myself in a cup of my favorite tea and a scone.

I’ve found my second wind! Today I will begin the novel I have carried in my heart for these past four years. I walk slowly back to the meeting room, feeling fully within myself in a way I can’t remember feeling before. Past the medicine wheel, through the pool area, into the meeting room…I am ready.

I can’t type fast enough. It is as if the entire story is mapped visually in my head, impatiently waiting for translation into written text. Not wanting to stop, but needing to eat, I reluctantly close my manuscript. It is lunchtime.

Now, being on a budget (and knowing nothing of the area) I brought a small suitcase of food; I’ve been living off of bananas, trail mix and miso bowls. Today I feel so good I think I will splurge. Reds, the hotel restaurant, has been creating enticing buffets for the group each day. Today I will join them!

Today’s menu is…miso.

For those of you planning to attend on of Tom’s retreats in Sedona let me assure you that you will be within walking distance to anything you might need. The Sedona Rouge Hotel and Spa feels like one of those fancy resorts tucked away in the foothills with it’s gorgeous views, walking paths and open courtyards yet it is literally across the street from a Safeway, a Staples and a Walgreens—all the comforts of home! (Yes, there is a Starbucks in the Safeway.)

We mingle before the next session; lowering our boundaries, forming friendships. Interspersed throughout the day are rounds of applause for those who are finishing their books, the clapping also fueling the hope inside of us. Often where there is joy there is also tragedy; one of the participants loses her entire manuscript. The resident techy tries in vain to retrieve it from her hard drive. Our writing time ends far too soon, for tonight is query night!

Tom spends the day reading query letters and offering advice. By the end of the day each of us possesses a Tom-approved query letter. Several of us also posses sick–feeling tummies. I am nervous of my reputation with the professional community, knowing that agents do not appreciate queries for unfinished work. Others struggle with fear of rejection and apprehension at the follow-through. Drinks again are ordered—it is a query party!

Tom offers us the easiest way possible to send our queries. He has a database of agents and a mail system already in place. Copy and paste your letter, click on fiction or non-fiction, see your list of 195 agents you will be contacting and hit “send”. Done. The relief around the room is palpable, we have just graduated ourselves from hobbyist to author. Our books are real. Tom says we should begin receiving replies by tomorrow.

Robyn Chausse

Come with me on my journey to find my inner author at Tom Bird’s Write your Book in 5 Days Retreat at the beautiful Sedona Rouge Hotel. Previous post can be accessed here. Preparing for the retreat: First Post, Second Post, Third Post. Arrival in Sedona. Class Has Begun. Finding My Novel.

Through April 7th you may download a free copy of Tom's Book You Were Born to Publish from his Free page.

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Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat- Finding My Novel

It is my first full day at Tom Bird’s Write Your Book in 5 Days Retreat. I awaken at 6 AM to The Star Spangled Banner. I have nothing against the song but it’s a little too much first thing in the morning. Note to self: change radio station before you go to bed tonight.

During class I see other people breaking into tears; the mentors go over to them with boxes of tissues. I don’t understand why they are crying—my problems are more physical. My lower back is in searing pain. I have difficulty sitting, can barely get out of the chair and am terrified that my back will lock up and I will be stuck in the bed at the hotel with no one to help me. Needless to say, I can not concentrate on writing—it’s like pulling taffy. Luckily, Lori is in the next room giving 20 minute sessions. She has been kept constantly busy so apparently I am not the only one having a difficult time here.

Lori squeezes me in at the end of the day. She is trying to help me connect with why I decided I should not express myself. My mind is a blank as I search for a memory. She begins a muscle stripping technique on my leg.

“It’s okay to say ow,” she says.

My hand instinctively lands on top of hers, “F*%# !”

By the time we are finished the classroom is empty.

The next day…

As far as the writing goes, so far I have some kind of download about “feelings” from Thursday night which, I swear, felt like it was channeled to me-- someone was talking to me and I was taking notes. Then yesterday, after much pleading with my muse, the universe, and anyone else who may be listening, I finally began what I hope to be my novel. Tom says I am trying to hard and to just let it flow. So, after spending the entire night crying I have decided to accept whatever comes through and not be attached to an outcome. I dab on some eye cream and head out the door. I look like a hound dog.

We are all milling around choosing seats and fetching complimentary tea from the restaurant downstairs. I take this opportunity to inquire how others are coming with their novels. The consensus is that everyone is struggling with content. Thursday night was Emotional Dump night and Friday was Get Acquainted with the Process Day. A woman walks in wearing sunglasses; apparently her eye cream didn’t do the job either.

The day progresses with the playing of Tom’s subliminal CDs (which everyone loves), our relaxation/meditation exercise prior to writing, and the timed writings. Whenever the room begins to feel heavy and the group tense, our appointed breathing coach will lead us through some deep breathing.

6 PM. We all order drinks from Red’s, the restaurant downstairs. A nice man named John picks up the tab for all 35 of us! Our writing is done for the day, now we all kick back to listen to Tom’s lecture on the world of publishing and how it is changing.

Our homework tonight is to write a query letter. On what? I have 21,415 words of mishmash! Time to talk to Tom.

“What have you got?”

“I have something about “feelings”, a fictional story that I thought would be a novel but ended up a short story, and something else that seems to be about releasing ourselves from our demons.”

“What would you like to write?”

“Well, I have a novel I’ve been toying with for about 4 years now…collecting research notes.”

“Write that,” he says. “You light up more when you mention that one. Put two hours into it tonight.”

Walking back to my room I feel unresolved. I would love to work on that project but the book I envision is more than I could write in the days I have left, isn’t it? Also, I’m not so sure I want to risk this baby… Tomorrow we are supposed to send off our query letters and from what I’ve heard agents don’t like receiving queries for unfinished manuscripts—I’d hate to be blacklisted on this one.

I need to let this set a bit. I think I’ll go take some pictures.

Robyn Chausse

Through April 7th Tom is offering a free download of his book You Were Born to Publish. Find it on his Free page.

Need to catch up with the story? I'm taking you along as I experience Tom Bird's Write Your Book in 5 Days Retreat at the beautiful Sedona Rouge Hotel. Follow these links to my previous posts. First, Second, Third, Arrival in Sedona, Class has Begun.

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Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat-Class Has Begun

I'm bringing you along on my journey to find my inner author at Tom Bird's 5 Day Writing Retreat. You can catch up on previous posts by following these links: First, Second, Third and my arrival in Sedona, AZ

The excitement is tangible as participants take their seats. Tom lays down the rules for the next five days:

• We are to switch seats each day; he doesn’t want us feeling that our comfort with writing comes from a particular seat or sitting next to a particular person.


• We will begin writing long hand on large pads of unlined paper. This helps connect the heart and mind.


• Once our speed is up we can switch to our laptops.


• There is an energy field behind our facial system, if we are feeling stuck we should smile.


• Mentors are here to help us through emotional outcomes. Hmmm…


• Our writing will be literary, personal, spiritual and passionate. Okay, that sounds good.

We begin with a demo by Lori who worked on me earlier; she is demonstrating a seated technique she will be offering participants throughout the workshop to work through physical tension and emotional distress. A volunteer sits in front of her; Lori instructs her to allow her body to move. The woman begins rocking and swaying. Lori uses her hands to help balance and hold positions.

“If you feel pain, go into it. Pain is just the unraveling. Your body will not move into injurious positions. What will happen is that you will find a still point. Your body will just stop at the positions holding the trauma.” Lori tells us.

Next up is Anne who practices Holographic Repatterning. As a group, she says, we share certain patterns of beliefs which she can access in a group session. By using a technique known as muscle testing she determines that we share a belief through the lineage of our fathers that we are not good enough. This is an intrinsic belief that we don’t question and may not be aware of.

A woman volunteers to stand in for all participants. Anne goes through a lengthy process of having the woman place her hands in certain positions and repeat certain positive statements. Determining that the pattern has been changed she goes on to the next limiting belief. Several beliefs later I look around the room; people are tired and hungry and losing attention. It’s time for dinner.

I finally take a moment to check into my room. Two queen beds, two upholstered chairs, a mini fridge and a patio. The décor is what I like best, in a place where Southwestern is the norm Sedona Rouge is refreshingly European—not a kokopelli in sight. Most intriguing to me is the shower/tub combination. Large class doors open into a large shower area. On the right is a rain-shower shower head and in front of me, the full length of the enclosure, is a massive tub. So, the tub is actually in the shower. That’s different!

A quick bite at the buffet and back to the workshop…

We will be writing in 15 minute segments at the end of which we will count our words and continue for the next 15 minutes—our goal is 400 words per session.

• Tom will be coming around to check our word count; if we are not meeting our goal he will give us tips on how to reach it.


• If we do not make our daily quota we will be given homework.


• We will be given two 10 minute breaks per day and one 45 minute lunch.

We begin now. Tom turns on the subliminal CD we all received in our attendee packages.He leads us in the breathing exercise designed to center and focus our attention. He asks us to go back to the first time we realized that we wanted to be a writer and ask that part of us what it wants to say. Then the writing begins.

It is 10pm and everyone is exhausted, just what Tom was aiming for. He said his job tonight was to wear us out so that our resistance would break. We will start meet tomorrow at 8 AM.

I’ve written 1708 words of something, but I’m not sure what.

Robyn Chausse

Interested in the Tom Bird Method? Check out Tom's website for information on his upcoming retreats as well as free webinars.

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Finding My Inner Author: My Experience at a Tom Bird Retreat - Arrival in Sedona

For those of you who were waiting for updates on the Tom Bird Retreat–I apologize. We hit the ground running and I absolutely had no time to put anything together. If you do make plans to attend his workshop don’t schedule any social appointments…there won’t be time.

It is early spring in Arizona’s high desert. A baby tumbleweed scampers across the lazy two lane hwy, seconds later a hawk dives in to a field up ahead. I rummage into my purse for the camera hoping to I can get some good shots while I’m driving—I want you to see this view!

I want to slow down and enjoy the meander through the canyon, but there were some traffic delays and I’m running late. My destination is the Sedona Rouge Hotel and Resort where I will be attending the Write Your Book in 5 Days Retreat. This will be my first writing retreat and I’m so excited! Thirty-five writers all attempting to write a novel in 5 days or less. We were told to come without any attachment as to what the novel would be about. But first, I’m on my way to see Lori, a therapist who will be working with us during the retreat to help us release the physical manifestations of stress and other emotions that come up.

Whatever baggage has kept us from publishing that novel will most likely become active during the workshop. Lori wants to help us release the underlying energy so the results of what we learn at the retreat can be permanent. Using a variety of techniques she can assist the client in acknowledging and releasing regrets, self judgments and false beliefs. Advanced Release Therapy is located just down the road from the Sedona Rouge in a casita next to Lori’s house; a large window looks onto the red rock mountains. Lori will be using Myofascial Release today to help me gain some movement in my shoulder (my arm locked up last week).

Lori scans my energy and begins to work. Using rocking, a bit of massage and stretching she is able to ease the rotation in my hips and gain back the range of motion in my arm. I also learn that I hold a lot of energy in my navel and that I need to be more willing to voice my feelings and to embrace my empathic gifts. She did get some emotions to release…I didn’t even know they were sitting there! We had a little talk about how and why I put up these walls (I won’t go into that here), and by the time we were finished I felt ready to embark on my little journey.

I’m off to the resort, the meet and greet session is already underway…

Robyn Chausse

(Miss the first posts of the series? Follow these links to read the first post, second post and third post.)

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