 Photo credit: Leslie Archibald “Houston Writes” is a blog of writerly essays, reviews, and interviews written by or about the Houston writing community. If you are interested in contributing as a guest blogger, you can send your pitch to [email protected]. Blogs may be included in a biannual print anthology. 7/24/26 Write away By Leslie Archibald Stepping out of your everyday can inspire and motivate. If you are working on a big project and feel your pace slowed by distractions, I suggest you step out of your world to a weekend getaway or even a day trip to give you time to write and move your head back in the project. I recently found myself slacking on a novel project and took a weekend to myself to write and gain some perspective on the project. I wanted to find someplace that would inspire me, someplace where I could take a break if needed but not encounter too many distractions. I looked for some place within an hour or two of Houston so I didn’t encounter extreme travel time, and I looked for someplace that would not be too crowded. What I found was a lovely little vineyard in Santa Fe, Texas just South of Houston (about an hour travel). Haak Vineyards and Winery is a small winery off Highway 6 that has options for overnight stays on the grounds. I stayed in a cozy one room “over the garage” type apartment they call “the treehouse.” I loved the cute little kitchen with a table where I could eat and write, a couch if I needed a break to read or channel surf, and a comfy bed positioned under a skylight. I arrived Friday afternoon and got the key from a lock box with a code they emailed to me prior to my visit. The space was clean and cute. There was a thank you note and some chocolates (which I enjoyed later) on the table. I found a pleasing music channel on the TV, ate a snack and started writing. I wrote until midnight before falling into bed for the night. The light through the skylight served as a gentle alarm clock. I woke to a gray sky and a mist hanging over rows of grapevines. I made a cup of tea, heated up a pastry and headed to the screened in porch to enjoy the peaceful setting and continue writing. After my second cup of tea and several thousand words, I noticed tents going up in a clearing near the winery and vendors arriving to set up for an artisan market that would be held later in the day. Steps away, I found the tasting room where I had the best charcuterie board and a smooth cabernet for lunch, after which I perused the market and found some soup mixes and a candle that I brought home with me. Then, I went back to writing. Overall, the weekend proved to be beneficial to my project. I not only wrote over six thousand words, but the change of scenery exposed layers to the work that I had not seen in my everyday world. I also found a space where I could relax, focus, and enjoy my work. Weekend retreats can be costly. The price was not bad for the space and the progress that I made. I would not be able to do this every month, but it was a nice treat. I suggest quarterly getaways, so you have time to save, and it doesn’t strain your budget. If your budget is already strained you may want to take a day trip or lunch somewhere inspiring. Let me know how it goes. Haak Vinyard and Winery was the perfect host for my writing retreat and is also perfect if you just want someplace to slow down and get away from our huge city for a day. If you want more information on Haak vineyards you can visit their website at https://www.haakwines.com/. 6/24/26
When I started my website, I wanted a page for blog posts from my reviews on reviews page and thoughts on craft and the business of writing which would include guest posts from other writers who would like to share their experiences and opinions. I initially envisioned it as a roundtable discussion for people to comment thoughtfully and engage in conversations about writing. In 2024 I created a zine for Zinefest that was a small collection of articles from Houston writers about writing. “Houston Writes” was born from that zine. “Houston Writes” is a collection of writerly essays, reviews, and interviews written by or about the Houston writing community. Today, I am merging the two ideas to create the “Houston Writes” blog, I will invite Houston writers to write essays, reviews, or interviews with or about local writers. I hope to have enough pieces to create an anthology of writerly insights so emerging writers will learn and grow their own practice. My goal is to create a safe space for discussion so feel free to comment. However, I do ask that comments focus on writing and publishing and that they do not attack others or their opinions. If you are interested in contributing to the Houston writes blog pitch me at [email protected]. If you would like to be added to my email list, please fill out the form on my contact page.
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