
The art of surging
Last month I spent four days in the company of acclaimed author Charlotte Wood and seven other writers. Well, I didn't actually meet any of them. Instead, we spent time with one another virtually as I participated in my first on-line writer's retreat. Wood calls this a "surge" and sets you up a month out to clear your diary, get food in the fridge and focus your mind on the creative tasks ahead. Whilst I hoped dedicated time would enable me to get parts of my third novel into