Writing Retreats & Other Updates
Last Call for the Fall Retreat, New Dates for the Winter, and More!
Hi there.
I’m tired. It’s the end of the week, more or less, and I’m spent. It’s time for a break.
I spent this week working with a client on a book rewrite. It was a little grueling but rewarding. Every day, I got up, made a little breakfast for myself and the woman I love, drank my coffee, and went to work.
In the mornings, I would meet with my client and talk through who needs to do what, then we would dive headfirst back into the project. It was long and necessary work, and we’ll likely need a couple more of these in the coming weeks to finish this round of revisions.
But it was fun. And it was worth it.
As I shared last week, I don’t know how other people get their writing done. But this is how I do it: in short bursts of energy, with breaks in between. Then there’s the occasional bouts of lesser writing on a more frequent basis (i.e. those few hundred words per day you eke out just so you don’t forget what you’re working on).
I truly believe writing a book is really a series of sprints more than a marathon. And this, I think, makes the most sense for most people. Sure, you may be able to work on the thing in between all-day intensives and writing retreats, but the quality of output is markedly different, in my experience. The best way to do it is to just carve out some dedicated time and get it done.
It’s exhausting and necessary and how most professionals I know get their works-in-progress done. Whether or not it works for you remains to be seen.
But if the other thing—writing a little here and there as your schedule allows, in occasional fits and starts—definitely doesn’t work, why not try something new?
A New Writing Retreat This February
To that end, an update:
I recently announced an October writing retreat in Tennessee, and the response was overwhelming. Lots of people were interested in getting together to sit in a room for a few days and work on their books.
We still have a couple spots open for the October retreat, but to accommodate demand for these in-person gatherings, we’ve also added another spot to our schedule for the late winter of 2026.
The dates for the next retreat are February 23 to 27, 2026. Same deal as before: arrive Monday night, leave Friday morning. I cook, you write, and we gather round the table each evening to discuss our progress.
This writing retreat includes:
three full days of writing;
morning teachings and evening Q&As with me;
food and lodging for four nights; and
maybe some surprise entertainment from yours truly.
Transportation to and from the event space is your responsibility, as are snacks if you are a picky eater (I only cook delicious food for omnivores, sorry).
We’ll do one Zoom call before the retreat so that everyone can meet one another and ask their questions.
Spots are, of course, limited, and it’s first come, first served. Once we sell out, we’ll take the page down and start planning the next one.
What This One Entails
In terms of accommodations, there are three single rooms ($2000 per person) and one double ($1500 per person).
This is a different venue from the fall retreat. Each room is different, so you pick your own when you arrive (if you have special accommodation needs, you can let me know this ahead of time, and we’ll do our best to make you comfortable).
If you want a single room, pick the $2K option on the dropdown menu. If you want one of the two doubles (you’ll be sharing the room with one other person), pick the $1500 option.
Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.
These spots will likely go quickly, so if you want in, sign up at the link below.
New Writing Circles
In other news, I’m doing some more writing circle groups.
These are small-scale coaching groups (limited to five people per group), one this fall and another in the late winter / early spring.
These circles are intended for serious writers working on a book who need a little coaching and encouragement to get the job done. We meet once a month (every fourth Tuesday) for two hours (from noon to 2 p.m. CT), and update each other weekly via email on our progress.
You can either pay monthly or all up front and save about 20%. See more details at the links below:
As per always, if you have questions email me.
Thank you for your attention. Now, back to writing . . .
All the best,
Jeff
P.S. I forgot to mention. The new writing retreat in February may or may not involve alpacas (hint: it definitely does involve alpacas).