What I Learned About Character Development, I Learned from Joss Whedon

True story. I was thinking about character development  and how instrumental it is to my process and in my reading of books. My work tends to be more character driven (what often describes literary) and not as plot driven (what often describes genre), though, depending on the story, the two intersect a lot.

And while I read a lot and have read a lot in my younger days I also realized that television has had a big impact on my writing style.

It was after watching The Avengers and soon after the full season of the much too short-lived Firefly that I returned to doing (really contemplating doing) revisions on my YA novel that I sat still and looked up and (internally) said "Holy crap." I had just realized that much of what I'd learned about character development hadn't just come from books but came from a very specific place. And that place is a little show you may have heard of (especially for my generation) called Buffy.

YES. Buffy. Buffy was my LIFE. It was one of the reasons I had to have a television. I barely watch TV now. But then, it was imperative that me and my best buddy at the time call each other at 7:59pm on the dot and watch Buffy, in silence, and then discuss what happened over the commercial break.

Discussion often went like this in clipped sentences: Can you believe who died? I bet she's not really dead. Who's evil? Who's good? He's not going to college? He's getting his own show! Who's this douchebag she's dating? No...way...he's a werewolf?! Alternate dimensions! How creepy are The Gentleman? Wiccans!

When the show started (and ended) Buffy and I were the same age, so we hit our highs and lows together. She was a new student at a new school. (Been there.) She felt out of place. (Been there.) But she was also a good a** kicking female. (Not quite there yet but I do have some attitude, or at least I'm told.) She made friends and those friends (Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and Angel) were distinctive through their funny and/or acerbic dialogue and their own character arcs. The show was called Buffy the Vampire Slayer but it really was an ensemble (just like Angel would be and would become a Whedon trademark in general). There was adult intervention (thanks to Buffy's mom and Giles) and fantasy elements and it all worked so well yet felt realistic. And that was because of the characters. Even when fighting other-worldly beings the cast had the same issues we all did, just add the horrors of dating, of insecurity, of not knowing your path to the fact that they went to school on the Hell Mouth and faced an almost-apocalypse every week.

Whedon had written the Buffy movie, which I liked, but in the Buffy series I found fully layered characters, plot arcs that bonded both the realistic and the fantastical with the fantasy elements often serving as a metaphor for life.

As the show moved forward it gained more depth and poignancy. And as Buffy moved through high school, so did I. As she went to her first year of college, I did too. There was the point of first loves. Lost loves. Feeling like you'll never find love again. Losing parents and friends and not knowing what to do with your life. Being burdened with new responsibilities and feeling like you couldn't handle it. Man, oh, man, oh man.

Some episodes that still stick out to me to this day are:

Please note if you haven't watched any episodes of Buffy (and I'm not sure why you haven't yet) you may want to stop reading here so you don't hit spoilers.

• "Innocence" (season 2) - The night after Buffy loses her virginity to Angel he turns to an evil douche. Cue metaphor! How many times has a person, especially a young lady, trusted a guy only to have him do a complete U-turn on her after getting what he wanted? This isn't just a teen thing but a human thing and seeing Buffy's realization that the man she loves is not that person anymore is heartbreaking to a point that it doesn't matter he's a vampire or not, the realness of it is palpable.
• "Ted" (season 2) - A staple for me because it showed a very great performance by the late John Ritter. Since her parents divorce Buffy was fine with it being just her and Mom and then all the sudden this dude Ted shows up outta nowhere. And he seems too good to be true. In usual teen angst style she's opposed to the new addition already seeing him as bad and getting a nice once over from everyone else who sees Ted as a good guy. This won't be the only time Buffy is dealing with paranoia and wonder "Maybe I'm not giving him a chance." That is until... Again, here we get something relatable with outer-worldly elements or the sci-fi nature with a robotic guy who wants to have the perfect family and will try to live forever in search of it and Buffy who wants to keep what she has intact because she's suspicious of everyone. As a New Yorker, I get that. And as a daughter of a single mom, I got liking the two lady dynamic and not wanting any testosterone intervention. We ladies? We run this!
• "Normal Again" (season 6) - Well, the last couple seasons were a doozy and Buffy went through A LOT in them. So in this episode it's more about dealing with the stresses of life. What do you choose? The life you prefer or the one you have? Who do you help? What's real and not real? It's all so intricately woven together in a way that you start to believe the whole show is unreliable and you can understand both Buffy's want to disown the "fantasy" life she has as a slayer and embrace one that would allow her to be "normal" for once. Who doesn't want that? And after several seasons of following her life and her pain and wins you kind of want closure for Buffy also, but in the end you understand her ultimate decision. A great episode dealing with internal conflicts manifested as a big old demon.
• "Entropy" (season 6) - Anya, a secondary character, was a vengeance demon turned human and goes back to her roots. Bitter and hurt to a point of no return she wants to get revenge on the man that hurt her. When Anya was introduced the vengeance demon thing was cool sounding, still is. They preyed on the hurt and got them to make wishes and give them powers. It was great. And then Anya became one of the Scooby gang and she was short and to-the-point filling a gap left by the equally brutally honest Cordelia and became a friend. And then, well, pain makes you do bad things. But again, taking these fantasy elements and putting forth what our biggest wish would be "To hurt those who've hurt us" and whether or not we'd make the choice is a tried-and-true question of morality and also consciousness. Again, I could understand the choices Anya made whether positive or negative.
• "The Replacement" (season 5) - My man Xander is split in two. One of him contains all his desirable and strong traits and the other his less desirable traits. And guess which one is better at life? Weak Xander watches Strong Xander succeed and is jealous of his own self. Yet, he's not incapable of doing these things because this guy is him after all. Sound familiar? I know I've been jealous/envious of friends who've succeeded and realized that there was just as much potential in myself to do the same. You just needed that fire to push you to DO those things. And when Xander sees the woman he loves charmed by his alternate self he finally steps into action. Character growth through forced events making him/her see what they really are capable of.

But even beyond these moments where the bigger story has a kind of Boom! Bang! Pow! momentum to the action there are quieter ones too like at the end of "Potential" when Xander notices that Buffy's sister Dawn is feeling out of the loop and group because she doesn't have powers and he can relate to her on that level. Or in "The Body" where Buffy loses her mom and much of the episode is just dealing with that loss on a human level. These are elements of a show that takes a break from that fantastical or science fictiony bits and just relates to you as a person and continues to do so throughout every episode, every season.

So yeah, I learned a lot from that show and it hit me about a decade after it left the air and years after I'd seen an episode. Yet, in reading summaries I am reminded of character development, evolution of self, and the writing and experimentation that catered to making these characters people you'd want to fight for and fight with. And when I go back to my revisions for my YA project I'll keep that in mind with every word and scene to make sure that these people I created could make even the smallest difference in their world and for a potential reader.

In summary, thanks Joss Whedon and the writers of Buffy. Keep up the good work. No pressure.

Residency 2013: @BrushCreekArts Overall

This is an overdue post. And for that I apologize. Reality hit me smack-in-the-face as soon as I landed back in NYC with the humidity enveloping me after being in a WY hailstorm just several hours prior. And being atop a mountain means rain turns to snow, people. Snow in May. Yup. So what sums up my thoughts on Brush Creek? Peaceful. QUIET. Calm. Comfortable. Yes. What I may have missed out at Ragdale I had at Brush Creek. So, as I am prone to do. Let me break it down for you:

PROS

Space

For the writers this is spacious and warm. Mine was designed more for comfort while I feel like the Rancher's Daughter studio beside me was a bit more stylish. Either way I really liked both spaces as they were twice the size of Jentel (which was lovely and cozy) and separate from my room unlike Ragdale. Each writer's studio equipped with extra chairs (each studio had a La-Z-Boy), a couch, I had bongos for some reason, and lots of pillows, lighting, and a blanket. It was definitely cozy and if I could have or had more time I probably would've napped in there at some point.

The visual artists studios are a bit smaller than ones I have seen. Lighting comes in straight through the glass doors in the front and via some windows higher up that you'd need a ladder to reach for on the other side. They are spacious but again, not as big as I've seen visual artists work in at other studios.

The composers have houses! The Schoolhouse is massive and was a school house so it has several rows of pews and a stage. Armstrong studio has a piano and a good amount of space for a couch and fit several people in for a jam session so I'd say that's a nice space in and of itself.

The resident rooms were small, not really meant for lounging, but more as a place for rest and storage. But the bed was super comfy (foam) and the bathroom spacious. You get a robe and several sets of towels and cute toiletries. You have a big dresser and area to hang items with wooden hangers and a nice spot for your shoes/boots. There's a lot of light and a heater/air conditioner and it is QUIET. Everyone is respectful of being quiet once back in their room and you cannot hear sounds from the other studios. The housekeeping ladies are the sweetest and clean every Monday morning and they do a phenomenal job. Love them to bits.

The artists lounge is a bit small in terms of the library and computer area but very cozy as I read in there a bit. The library is still being built so feel free to add to it and send donated items! There are also games and some more additions we made when we went to a couple rummage sales on Saturday in the town of Saratoga. The kitchen is great but not well stocked in terms of cooking items since you're meant to reheat more than cook but this may get fully stocked as time goes on and if things change.

Out and About

Hiking you can do in abundance here. And not just hiking along a road but on trails, on roads too, but going to see land and nature and animals! Mainly moose, deer, and dogs, but still nature!

Also you can use the facilities at the main lodge. Colette and I tended to go to the gym every few days and once Jim started us in on the game room Hoop Fever and Buck Hunt became staples in our routine when we needed to get out and were restless. Plus, unlimited Gatorade in the game room!

CONS

Wifi

You have to log into the open access internet once every 24 hours which can be burdensome and irritating if you're using the internet steadily in that it'll conk out on you in the middle of something. Also range isn't the best, mainly suitable in your studio but not as great in your room if you can even get access on your computer/devices.

Culinary Delights?

As I may have mentioned, the food was mighty lackluster. And if you're a vegetarian be forewarned that the kitchen staff didn't seem to comprehend that there's a vast amount of things you can make for vegetarians outside of salad, quickly fried tofu, and pasta/pizza. A lot of times one of the other residents off-set the vegetarian items with leftovers and store bought items to appeal to the vegetarians who did not get as much protein as necessary.

In addition to that it seems that the variety of food doesn't improve for artists unless guests are present. Which is sad. It seemed that we were an add on and not a focus so the food was often uninspired and not great. The desserts were standard fare once guests came but nothing outstanding. You know I'm a foodie so that is important. But dinner was often better than lunch which I ate twice out of the ten lunches I was provided because I got sick of sandwiches doused in mayonnaise with lettuce and tomato on plain white bread that was heavy and soggy when I received it--often sandwiches were made early in the morning (around 5 or 6am) and left out until delivered to us around noon.

Activity-less

I did not get to go on any activities as by the time this was all sorted I was on my way out. Residents are allowed one activity per two week stay and it was odd that it would not be until the guests arrived that we residents would be allowed to get in on their activities. Which just seemed weird. So by the time guests did come which was the 16th we were waiting to be told every morning of what activities were available and after three days it was just not a good way of communicating/organizing. The director tried her best but it seems there's a real disconnect between staff at the lounge and the artists camp and hopefully this'll be fixed with new leadership.

In Summary:

If I could take Linda, Ragdale chef, and bring her to Brush Creek and add in a bit less tension between staff and the Artists Camp this would've been ideal and on par with Jentel for me. Speaking with other residents who had gone to Jentel and were at Brush Creek with me we agreed, hands down, that Jentel is the best residency experience we've ever had.

Of course you shouldn't always compare things. Every conference, retreat, residency, everything has it's pros and cons. But for the fact that the staff of one director was super attentive and kind, add in the amazing amounts of quiet, the cool people, the atmosphere, the cleanliness (in my room at least), and the lack of bugs it was delightful. I got so much more done at Brush Creek and I enjoyed every moment. Food be damned, though that is a big point for me, I would go back to Brush Creek and definitely recommend it to others to apply to with the caveats above. I think knowing more about your residency location can help you be more productive rather than being surprised. So, as a new residency they did a really great job and I'd encourage others to go if not for the peace and quiet in itself.

Day Five at @BrushCreekArts

Did you hear that? No? EXACTLY! It is friggin' quiet here in Saratoga, WY. I loves it. I've gotten so much sleep it's ridiculous. I arrived at Brush Creek on May 6th and after two days of orienting myself with the area, getting treated to some ice cream, bonding with  the other residents, and attempting to catch my breath in high altitudes I have to say I am making progress so far. And am happy to be back in the place I had my first residency.

You know what's funny? A couple people here at Brush Creek, including the interim director Beth, has been at Jentel and loved it. So high five on Wyoming residencies. What else is funny? Practically every resident here was at a residency before this one or is going to another one soon after Brush Creek. We're multiple residency peeps!

So, as per my routine, let me break it down for ya.

The Digs

We reside in a cabin, a lengthy place that holds eight rooms (each with their own private bathroom!). A few feet away to the left is the artists lounge (where the kitchen is for dining), library (for lounging), and visual artists' studios (for working, obviously). Though one composer is in one of the visual artist studios. To the right of the cabins is the Schoolhouse.  A huge studio for composers with a stage and grand piano. Lovely.

Past the artists lounge & artists studios further down near the road leading up towards the mountains, river, and yurts are the writers' studios (Peryam-mine, and Rancher's Daughter-the other writer). Between the lounge/studios and writers' studios is a small shack that the interim director uses as her studio for writing. Behind that along a road that leads to cabins for guests further up the mountain is Armstrong, the second studio for a composer.

The Artists Camp is set apart from Brush Creek Ranch which is a spa and resort. Pricey per day and has nice activities like shooting, horseback riding, biking, yoga, and in the winter months snowboarding and skiing.

The Routine

So, like Ragdale you get meals made for you for dinner. But you get a bag lunch from the main Brush Creek Ranch staff and have materials available for you to make your own breakfast. There are also leftovers for you to munch on. So far the lunch options have been a bit lax. Egg salad, tuna, and the latest PB&J sandwiches. While the dinners are more diverse with options if you are vegetarian. We've had stir fry, tacos, pasta with meatballs, pasta with veggies and so on. Not as extravagant or filled with love as from the lovely Linda at Ragdale or at MacDowell as I've heard but it's good and filling and the carbs  keep you warm.

First day is orientation and the director gives you a tour around these parts which is expansive and gorgeous. Beth took us into town for the second day and we got ice cream! Beth is awesome, we'll miss her terribly when she goes. If you've been to Jentel don't expect a weekly trip per se. Beth was nice to give us one and since Brush Creek Arts doesn't yet have it's own car and must borrow from the larger ranch it may not always be weekly. But this may become something steadier with the new director,Sara, coming in end of May.

For the most part we seem to get together and talk but everyone can be on their own schedule. Dinner is a nice time for us to all sit and talk for a bit and bond, which has been great. And yes, wine has been available every evening.

The Artists

There are three composers, though one just came from a residency in which he focused on his visual art and he also does videos. There are three visual artists, and two writers. We all get along and the personalities are great. Every is generally interested in each others work and we have a good rapport which I've been extremely lucky to have with residents at each of the residencies I have been to so far as well as at conferences. So in general I have a deep love for artists and for the ones I'm housed with for the next week plus.

We had a jam session in the Armstrong studio on Wednesday and it was so much fun! Way better than karaoke. One of the composers is creating an opera and is friends with another composer. It turns out they applied to work together. So one played the cello, the other rocked the guitar, bongos (which I brought from my studio), and piano. Another used his guitar and another visual artist brought his guitar and we looked up chords for songs along with lyrics and sang everything from Johnny Cash to Adele to Garbage to Oasis to the Beatles and Queen. It was awesome.

Next night one of the visual artists made a fire and we just hung out while smoke blew in our faces and we attained a hickory flavor on our clothes and bodies. We didn't make s'mores though we have the goods for them and instead just talked and tried to evade the smoke from blinding us.

We have a presentation coming up next week on a Tuesday which follows the Jentel model of having the residents present our work to  those interested in the community so that should be fun. I plan on reading some short sections from my Collection and we'll see how that goes.

My Plan

So far it's been hanging with the residents. Whether by the fire or on Friday going hiking with the other writer and just hanging and having her kindly hold my hand while going over a disturbing swing bridge. It's been to do work but also get to know people. One of the other artists said it best: He's essentially here to learn from others and he can and will work at any time of the day but it's important to also form these relationships and get a better sense of you and what others do to inspire your work. Well said, Jim!

However, as for my work, I laid out a plan. As you know the first part of Ragdale was not as productive as I'd hope. I think if I do get into another residency I'll opt for 3 weeks or more if I can swing off the time from work. Two weeks proves to go very fast and so when a few days pass by you already feel behind.

I had had a plan at Ragdale of sorts and at Jentel I just let everything flow on a day-to-day basis. But here I made a 9-point plan. Basically 9 things I wanted to get done while I'm here and not necessarily do everything to perfection but to get it done as something I can revisit so that I at least have content to work with down the line. So my plan is to draft several things and edit several things. And in this way it works because I can work on one thing a day and it may take a few hours out of my day but not the entirety of it per se. And since the first two days were a wash with travel and orientation and my last day will be more travel it means in reality I have 11 days to work and not 14. Having 9 items to focus on leaves me the opening of missing a day or even doubling up. But, the plan has been to only work on one project a day.

Being on day 5 (going into day 6 by the time this posts) I'll have gotten 4 things done of the 9 and at anytime can go back and try to solidify. Even in the drafting phase I am not entirely happy with the product but I am at least not feeling like I got nothing done and have options should I feel blocked on one project and go on to something else.

At Ragdale I just flipped a coin and worked on whatever won the toss. I think this is a better method for me. So hopefully when I return home I'll be able to devote time to what I've done here and can move forward. We'll see. Wish me luck!

Residency Time, Again! Next Stop, Brush Creek (Residency 2 of 2)

So April brought me April showers, in abundance, at Ragdale and hopefully May will be all sun at Brush Creek in Wyoming. I am particularly amped about Brush Creek because it means returning to Wyoming where I had my first and most exuberant and wonderful residency experience. And while the first several days (week) of Ragdale was a bit of a bust in terms of mental capacity and creative flow I am hoping that my time at Brush Creek will entail much, more, much more productivity and not an end of time burst. But we will see.

Brush Creek is a newer residency in Wyoming. It started over a year ago or at least their trial started. I had heard about Brush Creek from those who run Jentel and then later one of the residents I was housed with at Jentel did  trial run for Brush Creek and said she enjoyed it though they were still getting their bearings in terms of structure. So, now that there's been a bit more time in terms of defining Brush Creek I'm eager to see what it can offer and what I can produce.

Residency 2013: @Ragdale Overall

Well, I'm a few days in from my return from Ragdale and am doing okay. Writing is at the wayside while work and freelance and reviewing take precedence before the next trip. But, I did want to write about what future applicants/participants may want to take note of. Overall, enjoyed myself at Ragdale. And that was increased mainly because of the people. The other residents were great people all around. Attentive and keen and kind. Talented and intelligent and open. We all bonded within hours of meeting each other. Compliments and wine and laughs flowed at every dinner and you'd find yourself meaning to only get a bite and jump into some great conversation. So the residents and kind staff and especially Linda the Chef made it a really great and relaxing experience. Despite the lack of my own brain mojo working I got away from a major metropolis and was surrounded by other artists to discuss our work and our goals and our doubts and our appreciation for getting a bit of incentive as artists by being accepted to Ragdale. So, in that sense, and what a residency is supposed to provide in general, is that time away to get what you need. Yes, you want to get work done. You may even have a plan all laid out but if it doesn't happen: Do. Not. Freak. Out. Some of us are fast writers, composers, painters, etc. Many of us work at our own pace and when you don't have a paycheck or deadlines to push the creative process it can make things a bit slow going. But it gets done, as long as you maintain focus and take yourself seriously as an artist.

So let's break it down shall we?

The Digs

As mentioned in my previous three posts the working area for writers is the same as where you sleep. Essentially your bedroom is your studio. Now, would this work for you to get out of bed and fumble around a bit before writing (or just jumping right into it) in your sleep space?

For some having a studio set apart from your living space is ideal. And for the visual artists they have this at Ragdale for the most part. Three of the four spaces for visual artists are separate from their room, with one exception being the Chandelier Studio in the Ragdale Barn. While a spacey room it may be somewhat cramped for those who are used to a larger working space.

Will noise be an issue for you? Because it was for me, initially! The Ragdale Barn is also home to the Ragdale main office where staff is from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. Conferences are held in the conference room but being an older space, literally it was a barn, now turned into a living/working space it may be distracting to hear the ins and outs of staff and visitors throughout the day during the week.

When I had brought this up to staff originally there seemed to be a misunderstanding of how much sound can travel in the barn (or how sensitive some of us can be to sound) and thus I had to move the following week. If sounds aren't an issue for you and neither is a smaller room (the smallest is the Sewing Room in the Ragdale Barn) than you may be suited for the Barn. However, if these things will be a problem and you need a more spacious spot to work and sleep then the Ragdale House is where you need to be.

The Ragdale House is large and drafty and creaky. But beyond the residents (and perhaps staff coming to clean) this is more ideal a setting. The rooms are spacious and each has it's own bathroom. So, unlike the Ragdale Barn, you do not have to share a bathroom and this can also be more conducive to getting work done, especially if you are a solitary person. The Ragdale House has a full kitchen (whereas the Barn has half a kitchen since the chef works out of the majority of the area) a huge living room, a plant room, and is a historical landmark and so forth. Most of the rooms, if not all, in the Ragdale House have sun porches attached!

Now, I was told that there's no "code" for who gets what room but I noticed a trend. Those (writers particularly) who were staying 3 or 4 weeks or more got a room in the Ragdale House, while writers staying a shorter time got planted in the Ragdale Barn. And perhaps even veterans got preferential treatment of the Ragdale House as well. Code. Cracked. Or at least it was for my session.

There's also the Friend's Studio which has one side for a composer and another for a visual artist and is big and has ample windows. This studio is set apart from the House and the Barn. If you're a writer who needs a lot of space like the writer who was in this studio while I was there this may be good for you. The table situation isn't the best since there's no formal desk but in terms of spreading out it's great.

And one of the largest studios for visual artist is: The Meadow. This place is like it's own house. It has an island for a kitchenette, Northern light (which I hear is a big deal for artists), a bathroom, and a couch (albeit small) should you want to stay overnight. It's located beyond the House, Friend's Studio, and Barn but not too far off at the beginning of where the prairie begins. One of the residents who had the smallest rooms to sleep in (Sewing) got the largest studio in The Meadow. So it kind of balanced out. If you're a visual artist I do hope you get either space in The Meadow or Friend's Studio because the space and lighting would be ideal to spread out.

The Food

You will not go hungry at Ragdale. Guaranteed. Though I am not a picky eater. But, Ragdale is one of the few residencies that provides food and caters to your meal preferences. While the chef only makes dinner Monday through Friday she is very cognizant of what your restrictions are and knows how to make sure flavors litter every meal. So no worries there. Linda also takes requests for items that you may need/like. But there are some (like ice cream) where you'll be on your own. But the bare necessities like milk (regular, almond, soy), eggs, butter (or butter like products), bread (gluten free, wheat), etc. will be accounted for along with pasta and lentils and canned tuna/salmon, turkey, salad, fresh fruit and veggies, and peanut butter-filled pretzels which is my new addiction. Thanks, Linda!

Linda makes an abundance of food so if you don't go to dine with the residents (and occasional visiting staff) during the week you'll be okay if you check the fridge later on in the evening. But try to get at that food before lunch because people love their leftovers.

Since most of the food is housed in the Ragdale Barn (which Linda works out of) you'd have to make sure to remind her about some items needed for the Ragdale House and don't hesitate to go back and forth between houses in case stuff is needed, but try to put it back in case people want eggs or juice in the morning! (Sidenote: I'd highly recommend making fresh OJ every morning with the electric juicer in the Barn. Excellent.)

The Locale

Lake Forest is a small town where the inhabitants have money. You will not see houses, you will see HOUSES. McMansions as some like to call them. People have land not just yards and Ragdale also has an abundance of land in the prairie behind it and beyond. You will even see many of these lovely places peppered around the prairie as you walk.

Should you want to go to "town" it's about a ten minute walk from Ragdale. Most of the liquor can be purchased from the Jewel Osco which is the supermarket. There are brunch spots and lunch spots and areas to get drinks but on a Saturday most bars call it at 12:30am or 1am. Yup. One am on a Saturday. It's a small town like I said. So don't necessarily expect to party it up there.

If you want to go to Chicago it's about a 30-40 ride via car. A car service from Lake Forest to O'Hare airport will cost $50 not including tip. If you take a cab expect to pay $80 and up. So just don't, people. You can also take public transit but that can take a couple hours since you have to take the rail from Lake Forest to downtown Chicago and then take the rail back up to Chicago because there's no direct route via the rails, but it's way cheaper.

The Staff

Everyone is super nice and well meaning at Ragdale. The executive director Jeff and his partner currently reside in the Ragdale apartment which is connected to the Ragdale House. They came to dinner twice a week to get to know the residents for the session and also came out to drinks with us once! So nice and they're super friendly and personable and get to know you on a personal level not just as someone who's paying to be there.

Regin who handles the whole resident process, and was a former resident at Ragdale, also came to dinner once a week. He and I spoke about art and being an artist of color and what that means for the expectation versus our product which was really cool.

Everyone in general was super helpful and friendly and kind and generous. Even when I complained and complained about the noise factor for me they adjusted it because there was a work around, so I appreciated that.

There's usually a line between staff and residents. And while people may want to welcome you they also understand your time is your time and do not want to impede upon it. So it was nice that having dinner was a nice break and lended us and staff the opportunity for us to get to know each other more.

Marta and David (part of the grounds crew) were very sweet and helpful. I do want to provide a side note that if you are in the Ragdale House one of them will come to your room during the day to clean it out. So this could be disruptive to your process for an hour or so once a week.

And I think that covers it! Since I summed up my personal experiences (and ebbs and flows) in previous posts I wanted to mainly focus on what to think about and expect should you want to apply or be on your way. And if you have specific questions call the staff. I had to call a few times to get my questions/concerns answered. At the moment the staff is looking to update the website to give a better idea of what Ragdale is and what the grounds look like because it may not be properly outlined and visually available on the website nor in their guidebook. So, take things into consideration of what you need to work and how Ragdale may fit into your plan.

Again, I am very appreciative for being accepted and for having the opportunity to get away and work on my writing once I was ready to go full force and was no longer blocked. I ate well, slept in comfy beds, and got away from the day-to-day minutiae that can make you a bit stir crazy. And already being thrust back into full work and freelance mode I am missing that time. So check out Ragdale and their application process and go for it! It's a paid residency but very affordable and well worth the costs and more.