If you’ve been thinking about going on a writing retreat, you’ve probably wondered what actually happens. Do you spend the whole day writing? Are there workshops? Will you have to share your work? Will everyone else be more experienced than you?
They’re all good questions. If you’ve never been on a writing retreat before, it’s easy to imagine two extremes. Perhaps you picture long, peaceful days writing beside a window overlooking the ocean. Or maybe you worry you’ll spend the weekend reading your work aloud to strangers while trying to look like a ‘real writer’.
The reality sits somewhere in between, and it’s far more interesting than either of those images.
What is a writing retreat and how does it work?
Writing retreats come in many forms. The general idea is that you are ‘retreating’ away from the world to give time for your writing. This can involve solo retreats, retreats with friends, guided retreats, virtual writing retreats, writing residencies and writing holidays.
Solo retreats involve escaping to work on your writing at a holiday house, cabin, hotel or AirBnB. Writing retreats with friends can be a great way if you are all in agreeance about how it will work. Guided writing retreats allow you to turn up and let your writing be the focus. They can vary from ones that are packed with workshops to ones that allow you the space for your writing. Virtual writing retreats are guided writing retreats. They often involve logging on at different times of the day for workshops and reflections.
Residencies vary in their form and usually involve an application. If accepted, sometimes you may have to run a workshop or provide proof of the writing you have done. Residencies usually provide time for writing without having to take care of the meals.
A writing holiday can overlap any of these.
There is no one right way to retreat for your writing.
Over the years I’ve seen writers create retreats in all sorts of ways. Some have escaped to a cabin for a weekend. Others booked hotel rooms close to home so they wouldn’t be tempted to put on a load of washing or answer emails. The location matters less than giving yourself permission to focus on your writing.
Why is it important for writers to retreat?
This is a great question, because ideally, can’t writers write anywhere, and if so, why not just write at home?
Unfortunately, writers often need to step out of their normal routine to get big chunks of writing or editing done or allow their writing project the headspace to really understand what it is. There’s a few reasons why retreats are useful: restoring your attention, having deep and uninterrupted focus, getting into and staying in flow state, and incubating your creativity.
Attention restoration
Have you ever noticed that a problem in your manuscript suddenly feels clearer after you’ve gone for a walk? Many writers experience this on retreats. Environmental psychologist Stephen Kaplan’s research[1] suggests that spending time in natural environments can help restore our ability to concentrate after periods of mental fatigue. That’s one reason so many writing retreats are held in places surrounded by nature. It’s not just beautiful scenery. The environment itself can help you return to your work with fresh attention.
Deep work and uninterrupted focus
One of the biggest advantages of a writing retreat is uninterrupted time. In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport argues that our best thinking happens when we can concentrate without distraction for extended periods. At home, writing is often squeezed between emails, housework and everyday responsibilities. On retreat, those interruptions disappear, making it easier to become fully immersed in your work.
Flow state
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described ‘flow’ as the state where we’re so absorbed in an activity that we lose track of time. Many writers experience this on retreat because they have long stretches of uninterrupted writing without constantly switching their attention to other tasks.
Creativity and incubation
Creative insight often happens away from the desk. Walks, meals and quiet moments aren’t distractions from writing. They become part of the writing process. Research from cognitive psychology consistently supports incubation as part of creative problem solving. While on a writing retreat, it’s worth stepping away from your notebook or laptop from time to time. Take a question with you on a walk, or bring it to the group over dinner. Some of your best ideas will arrive when you’re not actively trying to solve the problem.
What does a typical day on a writing retreat look like?
A typical day on a writing retreat will be different depending on the option that you choose. It is important to understand what your creative rhythm is so that you can utilise that while you are at your writing retreat.
For example, on my writing retreats, mornings tend to be quiet when many writers do their best work. We begin with uninterrupted writing, followed by an optional workshop. Afternoons are spacious with more writing, coaching conversations, walks and time to think. Evenings are slower with shared meals, reflections and the opportunity to connect with other writers if you choose.
When I do solo writing retreats, I use mornings for journalling, writing, reading and walking; afternoons for reading, napping and writing; and walking and evenings for reading and journalling.
Some guided writing retreats have many workshops and not much down time, which can be wonderful to get a lot of generative writing done to use in projects in the future. Every retreat is different and it is important to understand what will work best for you and if you are looking to attend someone’s writing retreat, make sure you have a chat with them about this if the information is not upfront.
Will I have to share my writing?
This is one of the questions I’m asked most often, and the answer is no.
Reading your writing aloud can feel incredibly vulnerable, especially when it’s a new piece of work or you’re sharing it for the first time. On my retreats, sharing is always optional. I’ve had writers arrive absolutely certain they wouldn’t read a single word, only to choose to share a paragraph or two by the final evening because they felt safe enough to. Others never share at all, and that’s equally okay.
It’s also important to understand the difference between sharing and workshopping. My retreats aren’t critique groups. If writers choose to read their work aloud, it’s an opportunity to practise hearing their own words, celebrate the progress they’ve made and give others a glimpse into the project they’re immersed in. It isn’t a time for detailed feedback or having work picked apart.
Other writing retreats may take a different approach. Retreats with friends or retreats that include structured workshops might involve constructive feedback, which can be incredibly valuable when everyone understands the purpose and expectations. If receiving feedback is important to you, or something you’d rather avoid, it’s always worth asking the retreat organiser how sharing is approached before you book.
If I’m not writing a novel, are writing retreats for me?
Writing retreats can encompass any type of writing. Whether you are writing memoir, poetry, fiction or non fiction, essays, journalling, articles or writing for children, it is all writing. And it all needs space and time to allow the ideas to grow and clarify.
It is always worth checking this when working out if a retreat will be the right thing for you. Make sure you get in contact with the people organising to ensure your writing will be included in their workshops or program.
At my retreats, I have had poets, playwrights, journal writers, fiction and non fiction writers, essayists, flash fiction writers, content writers and more. I fine tune the workshops to make sure whoever is coming will get something from the workshops so that they can deepen their relationship to their writing.
The unexpected benefits of stepping away
Writing retreats remove many of the small decisions that drain our attention every day. You’re not thinking about the washing, replying to emails between paragraphs or wondering what to cook for dinner. That mental space allows your attention to settle more deeply into your writing. Spending time in natural surroundings may also help restore mental focus, making it easier to return to creative work after periods of distraction.
What surprises people most
People often arrive at a writing retreat hoping they’ll leave with more words on the page. While that certainly happens, it’s rarely what they remember most.
Writers are often surprised by how quickly they settle into a different rhythm. Without the usual distractions of everyday life, they rediscover the joy of spending uninterrupted time with their work. Many leave with greater confidence in themselves as writers and a clearer understanding of where their project is heading.
Another surprise is the sense of community. Even on retreats where everyone arrives as strangers, friendships often form quickly because everyone understands the highs, lows and vulnerability that come with writing. Many writers stay in touch long after the retreat has ended, continuing to encourage one another’s creative work.
Perhaps the most common feeling is wishing the retreat could last just a little longer. Living in a space where writing is the priority, meals are taken care of and conversations revolve around creativity reminds many writers what it feels like to give themselves permission to focus on their work.
A good writing retreat doesn’t just help writers make progress while they’re away. It also helps them return home with a clearer sense of how they can make writing a meaningful part of their everyday life.
What happens on my retreats?
I hope writers leave my retreats with exactly these kinds of experiences. Alongside progress on their projects, I want them to return home feeling more confident calling themselves writers, supported by a community that understands them and with practical ways to make writing a priority once everyday life resumes.
I designed my retreats around what many writers struggle to find in everyday life. As a writer, I know how difficult it can be to protect uninterrupted creative time. I know that writers need uninterrupted time, gentle accountability, thoughtful conversation and the encouragement to trust their own creative process.
My retreats are intentionally small because I want everyone to feel seen and supported. Alongside generous blocks of uninterrupted writing time, I weave in coaching conversations, creative mindset sessions and gentle opportunities to connect with other writers. There are no compulsory readings, no pressure to perform and no expectation that everyone writes in the same way.
One of my favourite moments happens on the second day. A quiet settles over the place. Everyone has settled into their own project and the nervous energy from the first morning has disappeared. You can almost feel people trusting themselves again.
Writers who come are diverse in their writing journey: people making their first marks on the page to established authors writing to deadlines. Some arrive with a finished manuscript to edit. Others are beginning an idea they’ve carried for years. Some write thousands of words. Others spend the weekend rediscovering why they wanted to write in the first place. All of these are worthwhile outcomes.
Every retreat finishes in a similar way. People pack their bags wishing the retreat was longer. They exchange phone numbers and head home carrying notebooks that are fuller than when they arrived. But what they’re really taking home is renewed confidence in themselves as writers.
A writing retreat isn’t about escaping your life. It allows you enough space to hear your own ideas again. Whether that’s a quiet afternoon you’ve carved out at home or several days away with other writers, the value lies in giving your writing the attention it deserves.
If you’ve been wondering whether a writing retreat is right for you, perhaps the better question to ask yourself is, what might become possible if I gave my writing uninterrupted time?
FAQ
How long is a writing retreat?
A retreat can be any length of time, but from my experience, anything under four days feels tight. Four days allows you to arrive and settle on Day 1, do the deep work on Days 2 and 3 and close out and leave on Day 4. My retreats currently are four and five days.
Are writing retreats suitable for beginners?
Most retreats are suitable for beginners. Make sure you check with the organiser to see that it will suit where you are at with your writing. My retreats always have writers of every stage of their writing careers. I have established authors and beginner writers.
Can I attend if I’m writing memoir, poetry or non-fiction?
Again, this is important to check with the organiser of the retreat to ensure that what your writing will fit with the retreat. My retreats include all kinds of writers as I find that there is a lovely symbiotic effect that happens with the writing and writers.
Do I have to share my writing?
Check with the retreat organiser. I meet with every writer in a pre-retreat consultation to go over this and all other aspects of the retreat. Writers coming to my retreats don’t share their writing in print form, but are invited to do one reading in an evening during the retreat. The reading is 500 words of their current project and this allows the other writers to gain an understanding of the writing project and often this is a moment when they may be able to offer ideas of other books to read. There have been countless times that I have heard a writer offer their expertise in a setting or something else.
Are writing retreats worth it?
Writing retreats can provide you with the transformation for your writing that you are looking for. You are likely to leave with more vigour and energy for your project and a deeper understanding of what you are trying to write.
What should I bring to a writing retreat?
It depends on what is provided at the retreat you are going to. Make sure you check in At my retreats, all you need to bring are:
- your current writing project
- notebook and favourite pen
- laptop (if that’s how you write)
- comfortable clothes
- walking shoes
- curiosity, of course.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0272494495900012