My research team usually meet a few times every semester on a writing retreat. Last semester we did Zoom writing retreats, and that worked somewhat but was not optimal. We had the same schedule but people did not get the same level of inspiration for writing, and it was not as good.

This semester we will meet at in a conference room with lots of space in the Covid-19 spirit. The plan is to write on whatever we want, and to spend nine to five writing.

Here are three tips for organising a great writing retreat:

1) Bring a specific projects, or several small projects. Start off the writing retreat with everyone telling about their plans.

2) When at a writing retreat do a digital detox and put sms, SnapChat or Mails aside in order to do the writing.

3) Bring nice and supportive colleagues. The team support is super important for the atmisphere and for concentration.

4) See to it that you have nice and long coffee breaks! Swedes are famous for their ”fika” and of course we focus on that at our writing retreats too. A fika is a break where you sit down and have Tea, coffee or similar and talk for 15-30 min.