Last week I got back from attending Karen Hering‘s latest writing retreat, Worth Writing About. This is the second year I’ve taken a writing retreat with Karen at the Christine Center; I highly recommend going on writing retreats, though as with all writing-centered professionals, ymmv based on who’s facilitating the retreat. (I also recently saw a retreat being advertised that didn’t list the location; I would definitely not sign up for a retreat at an undisclosed location.)
Writing retreats can be expensive, but depending on what’s included and the accommodations you select, attending a five day retreat can be less expensive than attending a shorter conference or staying at a hotel for a few days. (My stay was a little more than $750, which was $200+ less than staying at an AmericInn in a small Wisconsin city for the same time period, and that’s not counting meals, entertainment, or even hotel fees.)
Many of the retreat centers I’ve visited over the years, including the Christine Center, offer scholarships and more rustic accommodations that lower the price; for example, both the Christine Center and Hollyhock (in BC) allow for tent camping on their campuses. Both also allow you to include the price of your meals in your stay or opt out (though I highly recommend taking your meals with your retreat cohort if at all possible).
Generally, writing retreats offer focused writing time and direction at a slower pace than workshops and intensives.
I’ve found Karen’s retreats extremely helpful because part of the process is going on deep dives around some of the internal motivations, and fears, and drivers of my writing. I’ve found myself making connections during her retreats that have propelled my writing forward and in some cases have helped me revisit projects that have been stalled out for a year or more.
As someone with a full-time, demanding job, there are times that I need to disappear into the woods and write. I need to give myself permission to feed my soul and think about myself and my place in the world. Retreats help me do this, and I appreciate that Karen’s retreats focus on more than the basics of writing.