There’s nothing quite like a writing workshop, conference, or retreat to get writing inspiration flowing and help overcome writer’s block. They provide a change of pace, a chance to relax and unwind, and space to focus on your craft. These events can also offer opportunities to connect with other writers and build community and a network of support. If you’re thinking about going to a writing retreat or conference this year, here are some options that involve traveling to new places which will certainly allow you to step out of the everyday norm and into a new creative headspace.   The Writing by Writers Tomales Bay Workshop When: October 26-30, 2022 ​Where: The Marconi Conference Center is located along the east shore of Tomales Bay near the quaint community of Marshall, California. The location provides dramatic views of the bay and lush inland hills of the Point Reyes Peninsula. This writing workshop in California brings emerging writers into close community with nationally known poets and writers. Classes are limited to 12 participants for manuscript critique workshops and 15 for generative workshops to ensure an intimate setting. Workshops are held each morning for four consecutive days. The workshops allow participants to work closely with a nationally known writer, to receive constructive feedback from their peers, and to spend four intensive days dedicated to creativity. Afternoons are reserved for panels by our faculty on craft, student readings, and time to write. Evenings feature readings by faculty and special guests. Find additional information regarding pricing,…

Sometimes you just know when something is right. A combination of factors led me to sign up for my first writing retreat and it started with an email from a classmate of mine. Launched by Dulcie Witman and Regina Tingle, both MFA graduates of Goddard College, the retreat Wide Open Writing brings together creative people at a farmhouse in Tuscany. It was easy to say “yes” for a number of reasons, starting with Regina and Dulcie themselves, who I knew from my graduate program. The Master of Fine Arts program at Goddard College requires students to develop personally as well as academically—it ensures authenticity in writing. It’s a natural fit for mid-career professionals who seek to develop their creative talents. Strange, huge things tend to happen during the program—divorces, major career transitions, physical transformations. I quit my job and moved home to concentrate solely on the work. Goddard was magic to me: my Hogwarts. At Goddard we learned the standard of good writing is authenticity. Are we being authentic to our work? To our characters? Ourselves? I knew this is what Dulcie and Regina would translate into the Wide Open Writing retreats—with the added bonus of medieval sun-soaked towns, rolling vineyards and bottomless glasses of Chianti. Thinking of signing-up for a writing retreat? Don’t have the luxury of knowing your retreat leaders? Check your chosen retreat’s website for testimonials. Ask organizers to connect you with past participants. Find out what you’re getting into, because all retreats have their own distinctive…

Interested in a writing residency or retreat but worried your application to MacDowell will end up in the slush pile? If what you’re after is quality writing time and connections with other writers, go for function rather than prestige. Plenty of writing retreats and residencies offer quiet space in idyllic settings, sometimes with reduced or subsidized costs based on need. Some require engagement with the community, either through a workshop, a reading or a visit to a school. What are you looking for? Do you simply need some silent time—away from kids, spouses, pets, bosses, TV? Or are you looking for some guided writing support? An adventure? As a fiction writer I’ve often sought out places where I could clear my head, recalibrate my writing, and spend some serious focused time honing my work. I’ve been to three different kinds of writing retreats. What you’ll discover if you attend more than one retreat is that none are exactly alike—just like artists and writers, they each have their own personalities, quirks and style. There’s one for you. (1)  Completely independent. Generally, at retreats and residencies like these, you pay your money, get a place to stay, and they leave you alone. Centrum in Port Townsend, Washington, is one example. It offers residencies for writers and artists at a weekly cost of $400, which includes a heated cabin with a full kitchen. Centrum has a simple application form and acceptance is mainly based on space availability. It encourages but doesn’t require community…