A Writer's Retreat of One's Own

Have you ever dreamed of having a writer's retreat of your own? Imagine a writer's retreat set off all by itself, away from the daily grind - a place full of natural light to energize you, a place that inspires you, and a place where you (hopefully) won't be bothered. Whether you place your writer's retreat in the backyard or on private property, I've found a way you can have a one - and at an affordable price.

Yurts, geodesic domes, tent bungalows, and small cabins or sheds are fast becoming popular as inexpensive artists' or writers' retreats. They can be made extremely comfortable, with your own personal stamp on them. Some are pre-fabbed, some are kits, and in some cases, you buy the plans and build your writer's retreat yourself. Some writer's retreats are even portable

Before you build, first ask yourself what you want in a writer's retreat. You need to be as comfortable as possible, so that means a decent small desk, good chair (very important), access to food or drinks (like coffee!), Internet access, some bookshelves, and a large wastebasket. There should be no TV's or phones in your writer's retreat. You may want to add files and some extra shelves or other storage space for things like printer paper, pens, and pencils. Add some personal items like pictures and you're all set to go.

The setting and location for your writer's retreat is all important. If you have some private land, consider putting it there. If not, the backyard is fine for your writer's retreat, as long as it is fairly quiet. If not, consider putting up some sound deadening boards inside your writer's retreat.

Do check your local building codes before building your writer's retreat. In many areas, if there is no foundation and/or if the structure is smaller than 10' x 12' or 8' x 15', you will not need a building permit. But do check anyway, because there would be nothing worse than building your entire writer's retreat, only to have to tear it down because the city got involved.

Below are listed different types of writer's retreat structures and where to get them.

Writer's Retreat: Yurts and Geodesic Domes

Geodesic Yurt Dome Lightweight construction, easy to set up, and quite affordable. From $290 (50 sq ft) to $2900 (750 sq ft); $640 for 14 ft diameter dome (150+ sq ft)

Go Yurt A little bit harder to put together than the one above, but worth the effort if you want something more permanent. Takes a portable wood stove easily. 13' diameter $2900 - $3900 for 133 sq. ft.

Writer's Retreat: Wall Tent or Bungalow
If you think a tent retreat has to be minimalistic, think again.

Sweetwater Bungalows ¹ These upgraded versions of basic wall tents run about $25 per sq. ft. and are available in three sizes. They are easy to assemble (see plans). As a writer's retreat, these are basically small eco-lodges - they let natural sounds into your workspace, and the natural light is energizing. A number of tent resorts use Sweetwater Bungalows.

Wall Tent Shop Camping wall tents (about 120 sq ft for $350 and up), small pyramid-shaped tents, and tipis (from $245)

Kwik Kamp Tents Camping wall tents, 144 sq ft for around $1300

Writer's Retreat: A Small Wood Shed or Cabin

Summerwood manufactures more permanent wood mini- cabins, the perfect size for a writers' retreat. Virtually endless designs - no matter your tastes, you are sure to find something you like here. Whether you want a white picket fence around a gingerbread cottage, or a rugged mountain cabin look, it's here. Prices range from $3800 for an 8 x 10 workshop (Palmerston) or $2900 for a 6' x 8' Haida cabin to thousands of dollars for a house-sized writer's retreat. (Their sheds go down to as small 3' x 7'.)

Cedar Sheds This company has a great small cabin design that runs about $3100. There is a short video (wait for it to load) showing you how easy it is to put together. Also, check out a smaller version (basically a potting shed) for $2200+. Notice the various customizations such as additional windows, storage cubbies, and cupolas.

Gazebo Creations Pool houses, sheds, cabanas, freestanding sunrooms, even playhouses or small cabins can run $5 - 8000 for a 10 x 12 depending on design; 10 x 12 Gable style base price is $3100.

Once you build your writer's retreat structure, don't stop there. Put down some kind of flooring, either carpet or wood. Add windows and doors; add some color with window boxes with flowers, curtains, landscaping, small tables, and whatever suits your fancy to give it the feel of a real writer's retreat.

Other Resources:

Books, Ezines, and Videos:

- ¹ Sunset Magazine video with full virtual tour of Sweetwater bungalows

- Cabins: A Guide to Building Your Own Nature Retreat

- Online magazine "Country Living" article: Build the Shed of Your Dreams

- A Writer's Shed of One's Own Take a look at the writing shed in this article by the author of "The Scent of God"

Purchase plans:

- Vermont saltbox style cabin 16' x 16' with wrap around deck, $25 for plans

- Cedar colonial 10' x 12', $29.95 for plans

Misc:

- Lowe's has a number of large sheds from cedar to wood siding, steel to aluminum construction.

- Shed Shop

__________________________________________

To read more articles from this author, click here.