Beaches, Writing, and Friends — 2026’s First Adventure

Starting off the year with a writing retreat with one of my favorite authors teaching about story magic is exactly what I needed—and, from what I heard, what other attendees needed too. A break from regular life where I could focus on writing and get away from the snow, surrounded by other writers, became the inspiration and motivation I needed to keep going on this long, long path to publication.

Last week, I gathered with about 20 other writers at the Realm Makers Winter Retreat in Panama City Beach, Florida. The theme for the week was Telling Truer Stories, taught by Lindsay Franklin, who’s a successful author and very involved with the publishing industry. Over the course of the retreat, we dug into stories, story magic, and who we are as writers. Or, telling the stories only we can tell. This is a topic that’s not taught on very often, because it’s easier to focus on craft and genre and marketing. But more than those things, it’s the story magic that captures readers and keeps them coming back.

Some of my favorite and most relatable quotes from the week are:

• The magic of storytelling is a necessary component to writing a story that transcends.
• Art is very personal and very individual—stories won’t vibe or resonate with everyone.
• God has called storytellers to speak to the human experience.
• There is no such thing as a universally liked author.
• Who we are as human beings creates the lens through which we view the world and the engine that drives our storytelling.

There was so many amazing things I learned at the retreat, and the many journaling prompts helped a lot with that. For me, understanding who I am as a writer and what’s important to me and why has been a huge help as I explore and refine my own novels. Overall, this week for me was a confirmation. A confirmation that I’ve been doing the work I should be, despite the lack of success breaking into the publishing industry.

That was my other favorite point of the week—the ability to sit down with Lindsay and talk about what I’ve been struggling with. Her expertise and understanding helped me organize my thoughts and come up with some paths for success. I have a way forward now, other than just “write the next book,” which I’ve been doing over and over again for many years. For me, that alone gave me peace of mind and made the week a success.

Aside from my personal publishing issues, I wanted to be able to really focus in on drafting Project Snow Swan, my Swan Lake retelling. Guys, I wrote so much and learned a lot about the story as well. I have several notes of things to add on my next writing pass, and the characters and world are becoming extremely clear.

The retreat was a much needed break from regular life, and the chance to meet new writing friends, catch up more with old friends, and focus in on my writing life was so very wonderful. I’m so glad I went and, even though the beach didn’t inspire much for the world of Project Snow Swan, the warmth and change of scenery pushed me forward in drafting in the best ways.