One of the worst pieces of writing advice anyone ever gave me was that “no one can teach you how to write”. Sure, some people are more naturally drawn to it, but great ideas don’t make a novel. Writing well and being creative doesn’t magically translate into you writing a bestselling novel (sadly). I would say the most important part of being a good writer involves a very boring word: discipline. (And I feel somewhat qualified to say this, after getting a whole Master’s degree in Creative Writing).

Thinking of an incredible story is just the beginning – getting it down on paper is the hard bit. And sometimes you need to force yourself to prioritise your writing, by putting yourself in an environment where you have no other distractions – all you have to do is write. For budding writers, novelists, poets, etc, who have the imagination and the desire to write, but just need a little focus, a retreat is for you. Here are some great writers’ retreats around the world, so you can finally get a start on that novel:

The English Classics Literary Retreat, UK

The English countryside has served as inspiration for everyone from the Brontë sisters to William Wordsmith. So if you’re looking to cure some writer’s block, you might just need to immerse yourself in the English meadows. This 4-day experience deep in the countryside is set amidst ancient forest land and is quite the holistic experience. Start your day with yoga, join in with foraging, spend time reading, eat nourishing food from the land, engage in some healthy debate over evening book club sessions, and just enjoy a peaceful time away that’s all about focusing on yourself and your writing.

website: www.aweventurer.com

University of Cambridge Creative Writing Retreat, UK

If you’ve always dreamed of studying at the University of Cambridge but never quite managed it, this one’s not exactly a whole degree, but it gives you a tiny taste of it. At the University’s Creative Writing Retreats, you can look forward to tutor-led sessions with time to focus on your own projects, along with small-group workshops. Each short, intensive retreat is designed to inspire you to kick off your writing projects and also give you access to a strong writing community. There is scheduled time to write, discuss and share your work with other students, and you’ll be guided on how to develop your story or complete a draft you’re working on.

website: www.pace.cam.ac.uk

The Garsdale Retreat, UK

Garsdale Retreat offers courses at various levels, from new and emerging writers to experienced, published authors. The tutors are all professional writers, and you get to write while living in the remote and beautiful setting of the Yorkshire Dales, so there’s ample opportunity for inspiration.

Garsdale Retreat offers courses at various levels, from new and emerging writers to experienced, published authors.

There are untutored and tutored retreats – the untutored retreats give you time to develop individual writing projects and are fully catered with no distractions. Tutored Retreats are usually a combination of a course and an untutored retreat. They are designed to give writers space to develop their own writing, but with a focus on daily individual tutorials.

website: www.thegarsdaleretreat.co.uk

Ease Retreats, France

If you’d like to venture further away, we’d recommend Ease Retreats. The concept of these retreats is to travel to beautiful locations with best-selling authors and creative experts, and come away feeling inspired and motivated. From seaside escapes to countryside getaways, you can pick your most idyllic location – whichever inspires you more. In the pipeline is a trip to Provence, where you will spend three days on a reading retreat from 2nd to 5th October, and live in a beautiful French château, where your days will involve lots of book-talk, countryside strolls and rosé-fuelled lunches.

website: www.easeretreats.com

The Writing Room, Greece

There’s nothing like a sunny day on the beach to squeeze the best ideas from your head. Next year, The Writing Room is hosting two early summer writing retreats in Greece – the first week is for non-fiction and memoir writers, while week two is a residency that welcomes all forms of writing. This is a retreat offered for various levels, whether you just need the time and space to write or you’re halfway through a novel.

website: www.internationalwritingretreats.com

There’s nothing like a sunny day on the beach to squeeze the best ideas from your head.

Siyahi’s Writers’ Retreats, India

Time stands still at the glorious Ahilya Fort in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh. Located at the top of a cliff that overlooks the sacred Narmada River, it’s the ideal setting to sit down and write, in a place where every stone holds a story. The next writing retreat takes place from September 21st to 29th, and is great for anyone who is working on historical fiction or nonfiction. The retreat focuses on “exploring how to animate characters, ask critical questions about what’s missing from the record, and how to turn facts into arcs without flattening them.”

website: www.siyahi.in/writers-retreats-chapter-three/

Himalayan Writing Retreat, India

The Himalayan Writing Retreat is hosted in a homestay in Uttarakhand, established to host creative writing workshops and help writers hone their craft. The property has four suites and a two-bedroom apartment, with room for up to 18 guests. Fun fact: each room is named after an iconic author, so you can stay in rooms like Orwell, Emily, Agatha or Cohen. Rooms overlook the glorious Himalayas, with stunning orchard or mountain views – not the worst conditions for writing. Slated to run over the next few months is a poetry retreat with Rochelle Potkar, author of the book Four Degrees of Separation, a writing workshop with lyricist Varun Grover, a masterclass with Jerry Pinto (an Indian English poet, novelist and short story writer) and lots more.

Website: www.himalayanwritingretreat.com


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