Writing retreats and you
Get away to find yourself. And your story.
For years I’ve dreamed of going on one of those perfect, luxurious writing retreats where one can take a reflective walk through the countryside, write in the meditative peace of an elegant castle, and then dine in the evening with inspiring artists—much like the photos above (keep reading for more!).
I dream of facing down the challenges of my novel, day after day, refining its shape like a sculptor, my thoughts deepening to the point where the lines between the real world and my fictional world blur.
I’ve applied to a few writing residencies over the years, and, in fact, I wrote an article about different residencies for Poets & Writers years ago—everything from a cabin in the Denali wilderness to a retreat in Jack Kerouac’s house to prestigious fellowships at places like Yaddo.
Beyond the difficulty of getting accepted for one of these residencies, I realized I didn’t have the time to go to them. Most are for a month, and my life as a working parent just doesn’t allow for that.
What I realized is there are the retreats you apply for, and then there are the retreats you make for yourself, and I want to tell you about a few possible retreats since we’re heading toward summer—and maybe you can break away.
Getting away is important, because as Pam Houston said:
“I learned more about my novel in one week of retreat than in six months of writing at home—the silence creates a different kind of conversation with your work.”
I’m co-hosting a retreat at a castle in Italy—Spir!
Spir means to breathe in Latin—to have a longing for—and it’s at the root of inspiration, aspiration, and what we’re calling “spirituation.”
For one extraordinary week in April 2026, we’ll breathe in imagination, moxie, exploration, curiosity, storytelling, melodies, and colors of all kinds in the perfectly imperfect Castello San Sebastiano da Po, Italy—see the photos above!
Join me, my renowned friend the artist Karima Cammell, and guest musician Raphaella Hero, along with 18 fellow creators, storytellers, alchemists, and artists, for an unforgettable journey into artistic renewal.
Through hands-on workshops, one-on-one guidance, and shared meals, we’ll dive into the rhythms of daily practice, experiment with new techniques, and find inspiration in community and place. There will be time to paint, write, sing, wander, and simply be.
The self-made mini writing retreat
If you can’t afford to go on such a writing retreat, years ago I came up with the idea of a “mini writing retreat”—to go someplace for just a few days and do some extreme writing to propel a writing project forward a month in time, in essence.
Here’s my recipe for a successful mini writing retreat.
I go to a town (Petaluma) an hour away. Too close, and it won’t feel like a retreat, and I might be distracted by home matters. Too far, and I will waste precious time getting there.
I stay at a nice-enough but not too-expensive hotel (the Metro Hotel) which has a room I am comfortable writing in, and a downstairs café with self-serve coffee (I start writing at 4 a.m., so the coffee is crucial).
The hotel is just a few blocks from downtown, so good restaurants and coffee shops are nearby (I tend to be a roaming writer, so it’s important to have other places to go to write). There is a movie theater downtown. When writing 12 hours a day, it’s important to find an entertainment break.
There is also a brewpub nearby where I can have a beverage at the end of the day to celebrate the day’s work (see the importance of taking a break in no. 3).
The town is nice, but not full of diversions, so I am not tempted to be a tourist.
I have a goal driving me—if I don’t set a goal, I’d probably settle for writing less time. I can easily make it a reading retreat, or a dawdling retreat.
I make sure I am well equipped in all matters, whether it is books I need for research, Moleskine notebooks, or my favorite writing foods.
I am well rested to start. Extreme writing takes the kind of energy and endurance a challenging sporting activity does. I know I can’t muscle my way through 12 hours of writing a day if I start at a deficit.
It’s important to get support from your partner, and maybe even your friends and family. You want a clear head, not a guilty or distracted head.
My life probably only allows for one writing retreat each year at most, but it is nice to move a creative project forward not in dribs and drabs, but with speed and force and resolution. I’m going to consciously plan these retreats every year, and hopefully jumpstart several more creative projects.
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Because a quote or two
“A change of environment can shock the system into new realizations. I often solve narrative problems on retreat that seemed insurmountable at my desk at home.”
—Tayari Jones
“Sometimes you need to step out of your life to remember why you write in the first place.”
—Roxane Gay
I’ll be at the Understory retreat this July
By writers, for writers, Understory is a new writers’ conference located in beautiful Park City, Utah, that explores and celebrates the art and craft of storytelling.
From July 24 to July 27, 2025, one hundred writers will have the chance to take more than 30 fiction and nonfiction workshops taught by renowned instructors. Understory is craft based, intimate, and focused on spending as much time outdoors as possible.
I'll be there and I'd love to see or meet you there!
Need a writing mentor?
In this program, I’m hosting a group made up of five writers. We’ll hold weekly meetings designed to improve your writing—no matter what stage you're in—through generative writing and constructive critiques.
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Because a photo
This is what I see when I get my hair cut. I love Bobby Jean.
I am a huge fan of the self created writing retreat. The ideal: a daily writing practice that genuinely feels "retreatful." It's hard when there are other people around, and when the environment itself is filled with reminders of what needs to be done and invitations to sloth and distraction. Still, the human mind is very responsive to ritual, and wants to peg ritual to space. We can carve out special corners, define special times, show up for them consistently, close our ears and close the door. It's remarkable how we can make a separate world inside our daily one.
"I’ve dreamed of going on one of those perfect, luxurious writing retreats" I've dreamed of having the $$ to go on one : )