A Word Nerd Workshop and Retreat!
Getting away to do what you love is incredible. And getting away to write is no exception.
Without the constraints of responsibility, creativity can be free to run wild… no matter what time the clock says. Meal time, but not hungry? Keep writing. Should go to bed, but just had a plot breakthrough? Write on. Normally the time to pick up the kiddos from daycare? No worry, your tribe back home has it handled. Keep creating!
When I talked about attending a retreat earlier this year my son commented that retreat, in his mind, meant to go backward. But it’s actually the opposite. A retreat is a great time to reconnect to a project and move it forward. Or maybe dive head first into an idea that has been brewing in your brain. Retreats are rejuvenating. Retreats are invigorating. You should go on a retreat.
There are hundreds of retreats out there. I could list them for you, or describe the ones on my calendar that I plan attending this year. But instead, I am going to tell you about the retreat that I planned especially for YOU.
August 13-16 I will be hosting 8 writers at the gorgeous lakeside Stambaugh House on the Green Lake Conference Center campus. This two-story English Style stone house has a sunken living room, and a large dining room with a table to accommodate each and every one of us. These will be the perfect places for delicious meals, conversation and group writing. Each person will get their own single bed, but will share a room and common bathroom. The house also has it's own private dock/pier that will allow us to sit near the water spinning stories as the sun rises and sets.
I’ll take care of the meal prep and bring along a boat load of inspiring resources. I’ll structure the day with plenty of time to write with new friends and write alone. I’ll take care of curating creative thinking experiences and lining up plot progressing writing prompts. I’ve got all of this… all you have to do, is sign up, and show up. Interested? Here are a few more details.
The Schedule
Day 1
4:00- 5:00 Arrive and settle in
5:00 - 6:00 Social/Happy Hour
6:00 Dinner
7:30 - Evening Activity
Day 2
8:00 Morning Writing Prompt (lead by Amanda)
8:30-11:30 Individual Writing time
11:30-12:30 Lunch (on your own or as a group, your choice)
12:30-3:30 Setting Workshop
3:30-5:00 Individual Writing Time
5:00 Social/Happy Hour
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Evening Activity
Day 3
8:00 Morning Writing Prompt (lead by Amanda)
8:30-11:30 Individual Writing time
11:30-12:30 Lunch (on your own or as a group, your choice)
12:30-3:30 Conflict Workshop
3:30-5:00 Individual Writing Time
5:00 Social/Happy Hour
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Evening Activity: Final Sharing (Including Q/A/Resource Share with Me)
Day 4
8:00 Morning Writing Prompt (lead by Amanda)
8:30-9:00 Packing
9:00 Brunch
10:00 Departure
Each morning guests can wake at their leisure and eat when they choose from a variety of breakfast options (menu below). I will lead a morning writing prompt from 8-8:30. The rest of the morning is yours. You can write, take a walk, sleep in… whatever you choose!
Lunch will available around 11:30. Writers can choose take a break and eat together, or take their meal to a quiet place in the house for a working lunch. At 12:30 we will gather as a group and I will lead a three-hour fiction writing workshop. We will specifically focus on the story elements of setting and conflict.
In the afternoon there will be another chunk of time for individual work. Or, that walk you were meaning to take, or maybe a nap since you stayed up writing until 2am the night before. We will gather at 5 for a social happy hour and then eat dinner at 6.
The evening activity will be something social… but also something that will move our writerly lives forward. I’m leaving it as a surprise for now… but I may leak some hints as the retreat looms closer.
The Food
Here is a quick peak at the menu for our time together! (While subject to change, this is what I have planned for now. If you are attending and have any food allergies, let me know and I will accommodate you. All are welcome… even the picky eaters like me!)
Breakfasts will be a low-key affair with a selection of fruit and pastries to choose from.
Lunch will also be simple with build your own smoothies, salads and sandwich options.
Dinner Night 1: Pot Pies (chicken or veggie), Roasted Baby Red Potatoes and dinner rolls
Dinner Night 2: Mexican Fiesta!
Dinner Night 3: Lasagna, salad and garlic bread
Brunch on Day 4: Egg bake, coffee cake and fruit
Snacks and appetizers for the social/happy hour will be provided, but feel free to bring along a few of your own favorites if you'd like!
The Resources
One of my strengths is accumulating good writing resources. Books, websites, courses, online forums, conferences, writing organizations… I’ve acquired a lot of knowledge in this area… and the best news? I am a good share-er! I can’t wait to tell you what I know, and also to answer your writing, self-publishing and word nerd questions! Here are a few physical resources I plan to tell you about and also have available for use throughout the workshop.
I will also bring several healthy doses of inspiration, that you can choose to peruse during your individual writing time.
What else do you want to know? Email me your questions! Can’t go this year, but are interested in next year? Email me that too! Feel free to pass this on to a writer that you think might be interested.