Is this the year you’re going to treat yourself to a writing getaway? If so, I have a list for you! Whether you’re splurging for an international retreat or staying closer to home, there are plenty of options for the upcoming year that accommodate many availabilities and budgets.
Read on for some of the 2024 highlights. Just keep in mind that if these don’t strike your fancy, there are countless options happening all year. Local universities and colleges in particular are great resources for finding additional opportunities in your area.
Writing And/As/About Resistance 2-Day Weekend Zoom Intensive
Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21, 2024 (2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. ET) via Zoom
If the idea of leaving the warmth of your living room in January sounds a bit much, don’t worry; you can attend this retreat from the comfort of your very own home. That’s because 2022 LARB Publishing Fellow Eraldo Souza dos Santos—who has taught creative writing at the Center for Fiction and history, philosophy, and political science at the Sorbonne and the University of Chicago’s Vienna Human Rights program—leads this weekend workshop exclusively over Zoom.
He’ll start the discussion with the work of Teju Cole, whose 2018 essay “Resist, Refuse” contemplates the role of writing as resistance. Participants will write a minimum of two short pieces based off assigned writing exercises, workshop their pieces (both with other participants and in one-on-one sessions), and get written feedback from the course leader.
The Darling Axe Retreat
Monday, February 5–Friday, February 9, 2024 in Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Watch the storms roll in while cozying up at the first-ever Darling Axe Retreat. Workshops, solo time to write, and one-on-one sessions with senior editors Michelle Barker and David Brown will be punctuated with free-time activities like whale watching and walking the beach.
Barker and Brown are both award-winning authors whose book Immersion and Emotion: The Two Pillars of Storytellingwill form the basis of teaching participants the process of writing and revising a book-length manuscript. There are only ten spots available, so they recommend you reserve your place now.
The Nature of Narrative
Thursday, March 21–Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Whidbey Island, Washington
Imagine yourself writing away in the historic Captain Whidbey lodge. This retreat is led by Steph Jagger, author of Unbound: A Story of Snow and Self-Discovery and Everything Left to Remember: My Mother, Our Memories, and a Journey Through the Rocky Mountains.
A maximum of thirteen participants will learn about Steph’s writing rituals, engage in a series of guided writing sessions and group shares, and be left with plenty of solo writing time to practice what you’ve learned. The retreat costs $2,250 and includes lodging, all meals, and nonalcoholic drinks. In April, Steph will lead a Zoom call with all the participants to follow up on post-retreat writing activities.
Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty, and Change: A Weeklong Retreat
Tuesday, May 7–Monday, May 13, 2024 in Watsonville, California
This retreat is designed especially for people who are interested in pursuing grief-centered writing, whether that takes the form of a memoir, essays, or journaling. The weeklong course is led by Laura Davis and Evelyn Hall. Laura is the author of seven nonfiction books including The Courage to Heal and I Thought We’d Never Speak Again. Evelyn is a social worker, minister, and master hypnotherapist who specializes in somatic awareness, meditation, healing through nature, and the overseeing of sacred ceremonies.
Past participants have coped with difficult issues including the loss of a loved one, becoming a caregiver, a grim medical diagnosis, and other life events that can be challenging to handle. Small groups will write together for an hour every day, while the whole group will meet twice each day. Afternoons leave participants free to write, get a massage, or go hiking. Accommodations are in Mount Madonna Center, a 380-acre oasis full of redwood groves and trails.
Wide Open Writing Retreat
Saturday, June 1–Saturday, June 8, 2024 in Tuscany, Italy
For those yearning to get a little farther from home, the Wide Open Writing Retreat holds a weeklong get-together at a private estate atop a hill in Tuscany. You’ll attend two writing workshops per day, along with some evening sessions and one-on-one gatherings upon request. Prompts will be provided, so don’t worry if you don’t have a specific idea or work in progress.
Daily free time allows participants the chance to swim in the pool, engage in morning yoga, or just roam the hills. Prices range from $3,600 to $4,500, depending on room choice. The price covers your room, all workshop fees, group transportation to and from the Florence airport, all meals (including wine), a wine tasting, and optional daily yoga classes.
Rocaberti Writers Retreat
Thursday, October 24–Tuesday, October 29, 2024 in Dordogne, France
Another exotic writing retreat on the list . . . but this one is for horror lovers! Held at the Marouatte Castle in France, this writing workshop features four different mentors from which to choose from: Joe Russo, a producer, writer, and director whose credits include thrillers like Nightmare Cinema, Hard Kill, and The Locksmith; Scotty Mullen, an award-winning writer of fifteen screenplays who is known for his productions with Syfy, Lifetime, and Lionsgate; Chris Deckard, who represented actors at major agencies for seven years before cofounding his own management/production company; or Joan Lane, a film and theater producer known best for developing the Oscar-winning movie The King’s Speech. Participants will meet with their chosen mentor every day to work on things like story development, revising, and turning a book into a screenplay. The daily schedules run 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., but there are built-in times for free writing.
Andrea Moran lives outside of Nashville with her husband and two kids. She’s a professional copywriter and editor who loves all things books. Find her on LinkedIn.
