Looking back: Hideout resident Deidra Dallas on getting away from it all

To celebrate the fifth year anniversary of The Hideout residency program, we caught up with a number of previous Hideout residents to learn more about their writing projects and their advice for those considering a residency at The Hideout.

Hideout Resident DEidra Dallas Visits the Goats at Island Hill Farm in Hampshire, PEI.

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Inspired by her love of PEI and Anne of Green Gables, Deidra Dallas returned to Prince Edward Island in 2023 for a weeklong residency at The Hideout, working on her novel-in-progress, The Goat.

Tell us a bit about the project you worked on during your week at The Hideout.

I worked on my novel The Goat: A Novel in 2 Acts, a humorous novel that incorporates elements of playwriting as well as traditional narrative elements to tell the story of Beatrice Smalls, a 32-year-old woman who moves back to her small West Texas hometown after the death of her father. Beatrice takes on the role of high school theatre teacher, and throughout the school year she falls a little bit in love with her new students, a lotta bit in love with the local agricultural teacher, and learns why living with your mother after the age of 18 is a terrible idea. Also, she adopts a goat. Chaos ensues. 

What did you enjoy most about your residency week?

That it wasn't home! I got to get away from all of my responsibilities and obligations and put my writing at the forefront of my mind and to-do list. My favorite part of my residency, though, was that I was on PEI, my absolute favorite place on earth. I got to spend time on the Island visiting places that inspire me (like Green Gables and the L.M. Montgomery homestead) and places that gave me much needed experiences that will help develop my novel (like Island Hill Farm, a local goat farm). And there's something magical about being in nature without worrying about whether or not you should be mowing the grass that really helps me to refocus my creative energy. 

Why are residencies and retreats so vital for writers?

Writing is such hard work mentally and emotionally, and it's especially hard to give it the commitment it needs when you have other mental, emotional, and physical draws on your time and energy. Getting to put everything else aside and focus on your craft is vital to anyone who wants to take their writing seriously. Residencies and retreats allow you to reset yourself and recommit to the big ideas swirling around inside your brain. 

Any tips for folks thinking about applying for a residency?

I suggest looking at places that you know you'd like to visit to help make your list of potential residencies (like PEI or Wales or Providence, Rhode Island--all places I've done writing retreats!). And then look at the financials. Money can be a big deterrent, so finding a way to get the most bang for your buck and making it a bit of a working vacation--the work being your writing!--is always something that helps me make the decision. And most importantly--just do it! If you are serious about writing, make time for your writing, and residencies are some of the best ways to prioritize yourself and your art.

Deidra Dallas is a freelance editor and quilter living in Ballinger, Texas. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University in 2022 and has been published in Go World Travel where she wrote about a solo trip to Prince Edward Island in the middle of winter. In her free time, she assists with the Ballinger High School band, travels as much as she is able, and follows her niece and nephews around to all of their respective sporting and artistic events. 

Meet Vanessa Bradley, 2021 Hideout residency scholar

Vanessa Bradley is one of two full scholarship winners to our 2021 Hideout residency program. Vanessa joined us at The Hideout in June. We had the chance to speak to Vanessa more about her writing, why residencies are so important, and her time at the Hideout.

Vanessa R. Bradley (she/her) loves reading and writing, but specifically fantasy novels and poetry. She is currently working on a new novel about magic and cemeteries that takes place on Prince Edward Island, as well as a collection of poetry about the meaning of flowers. She and her wife moved from South Carolina to PEI mid-pandemic and have both thoroughly fallen in love with this incredible Island. She has been published with Tilted House, Blank Spaces Magazine, and On Loan from the Cosmos. You can find her on Instagram @v.r.bradley and on Twitter @vanessarbradley.

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Tell us more about your own interests and preoccupations as a writer. And how does writing fit into the rest of your life?

I write poetry and fiction, and the fiction that I write tends toward fantasy. As a writer, my interests are always growing and changing. I have always felt that you can see the change in my style in my poetry, and the growth in my writing and worldbuilding in my novels. Writing has always been a really central aspect of my life, and something I've fought to fit in, even when things are "too busy to write." Even when I'm in a writing slump, I still describe myself as a writer.

Why are residencies and retreats important for writers?

Residencies and retreats are essential for writers (and not everyone has the privilege to have them!). They offer an opportunity to dig deeper into writing, to take time that we do not normally get in the day-to-day grind, and to learn more about themselves and about their process. Digging out time during a busy day to write can often feel like a waste of time (when you could be doing the dishes that have been sitting for weeks!), and I found that my writing residency really reminded me of the importance of writing for myself and for my mental health.

Can you share more about the project you worked on during your time at the Hideout?

I worked on a novel that I was only about three chapters into when I arrived at the Hideout. I have had the idea for a story like this for years, but it didn't come into fruition until I moved to PEI, and then the pieces began to fall into place. It is a fantasy novel that takes place on the island, where the main character has started a new life as she has left her old, oppressive position working with the organization that oversees magical use in the United States. While she's on the island, her old life catches up with her. The story has cemeteries and bone magic and it focuses on the power of community.

What were the highlights of your time at The Hideout?

The time that I had to consider my novel and my characters was such a highlight. I had been a bit stuck with the plot, and by day three I realized I had to give it a huge overhaul. I took the time to dig into what I wanted to do, what I wanted my themes to be, and what I felt the story was missing. Now that I have those (rearranged) bones of the plot, I feel so much more confident in my writing in my day-to-day. I also had the time to edit what I already had to fit into the new route I wanted my novel to take, and I was able to continue writing with a renewed sense of excitement. Other highlights included: sitting on the porch and journaling to start my day, the gorgeous sunsets, the hospitality of Trevor and Joshua, and the fact that I could nap whenever I wanted and write late into the night.

Any tips for other writers considering their first residency experience?

Two tips: 1) Don't judge yourself and 2) trust in the process. It's so easy to feel like you are not "doing enough," but you are doing just what you need. Most mornings, I didn't write, but rather I stared out into the fields and drank several cups of tea. That thinking time is also such an important part of the process, which doesn't always involve typing away for hours on end. Let the process come to you, if that's your thing, and it will reveal itself.