Trying to do too much is a sure path to burnout.  But in this fast paced world,  it can be easy to succumb to the pressures of working non stop, at top speed, trying to anticipate new trends and meet deadlines.  Sometimes, we need a break.  Time to step away from our normal routine and the daily demands that vie for our attention.  Writers retreats offer writers the best of both worlds, creating a stimulating and relaxing place to let our creative juices flow while allowing us some space and peace in which to work.

If your inbox is overflowing with subscriptions, your answering machines is blinking angrily at you to notify you of new messages, your Google Reader stacked with new posts, and your Twitter feed is glutted then perhaps a writer's retreat is just what the doctor ordered.

Writers Retreats are available in all kinds of varieties.  Some retreats are designed to help you focus on a goal, such as finishing a novel or developing the plot of your next book,  while others are geared towards writers from a particular genre such as poetry or short stories.  Some retreats offer hands on coaching and workshops.  Others simply provide a quiet and peaceful space to get away from it all, and meet like minded people.  It is worth looking into several options to see which is the best fit.

Here is just a sample of the huge variety of writer retreats available:

La Muse Inn,  in France offers a quiet place to think and create amongst other writers, surrounded by the beautiful scenery, gourmet food and rustic charm of France.  An ideal place to combine a writing break and a holiday.   Their blog has some interesting writing news, including this interesting post on Booktowns around the world.

Or how about writing at sea, on a cruise through an idyllic part of the Mediterranean?  The tutor for this cruise (running in September 09) is successful travel writer, Jeremy Seal, although the cruise is designed for fiction writing.

I have been thinking a lot about moving to New Zealand lately, so I am regularly scouting the writing landscape there.  Lake Ohau offers writing retreats in one of the world's most beautiful countries.  The location is endorsed by the New Zealand society of authors, and resident writers mean that this retreat offers some top class learning opportunities as well as the chance to bask in the stunning scenery.

Another gorgeous location offering writer retreats is Hawaii, which has a thriving artist community.  The Hawaii Writers Foundation holds annual conferences and retreats for writers from around the world.

Of course if you really want to be left alone to knuckle down and write, then you could always hire one of the many small private cottages dotted around countryside and coastal areas that are available exclusively for writers looking for some peace and quiet.

Or follow in the footsteps of some of America's most noted writers, and book in to stay at New York City's legendary Hotel Chelsea,  where writers such as Allen Ginsberg and Arthur C Clarke penned.  The history of this dramatic hotel is enough to inspire even the most burnt out of writers!