Point Reyes Writing Intensive Guided Retreat Fiction & Creative Nonfiction

February 10 – 15, 2018

Led by Kate Moses

Let the unspoiled beauty, natural drama, and timeless sanctuary of Pt. Reyes National Seashore be your inspiration during a guided writing intensive designed to deepen and refine your work-in-progress. Acclaimed writer/editor/teacher Kate Moses will prepare you, feed you, and support you as you write and revise in company with a small, intimate group of committed writers at the Blackthorne, a former inn nestled among the redwoods just an hour north of San Francisco.

REGISTRATION CLOSED

THE RETREAT

This writing intensive offers participants a manuscript reading & assessment and targeted revision plan for their work-in-progress prior to the retreat, to take full advantage of writing and processing time in Pt. Reyes. This is not a group workshop for which you will review peer manuscripts, but an intensive writing retreat for writers who need experienced analytical feedback; dedicated time to focus on their projects without competing responsibilities; and the creative energy of a community of supportive peers to refuel the imagination and renew the drive toward completion of a manuscript. Kate will be available throughout the retreat for practical support, consultation, reviewing pages, and encouragement while also providing meals, a respectful low-key social structure, and opportunities for refreshing activities, including beach & forest walks, local explorations, and visitors from the San Francisco Bay Area literary community. Limited to 7 writers for full retreat with lodging. Daily participation without lodging is also available.

THE SETTING

The retreat will be held at the Blackthorne, a one-of-a-kind, hand-built former inn that's been described as a giant, elegant treehouse. Adjacent to Pt. Reyes National Seashore and only a mile to the town of Point Reyes Station, Blackthorne is set on 3 private acres of redwood forest, its four stories connected by multiple decks and staircases, abundant with spaces inside and out for reading, writing, and solitude. Inside there are 7 bedrooms and 6 baths, soaring 20-foot ceilings and a walk-in stone fireplace, a baby grand piano and spectacular views all around. Outdoor amenities include a hot tub, outdoor shower, and rackets for the tennis court. One of West Marin County's most charming towns, Point Reyes Station is home to farmstead cheeses, world-class oysters, several good restaurants and a wonderful independent bookstore. In total, the Blackthorne and its surroundings has an ideal ambience for a group of writers intent on focused individual work and relaxed socializing. Contingent upon availability and group interest, daily yoga by a certified instructor may be offered as part of the retreat, as well as the opportunity to book add-on massage treatments or private yoga consultations. [Note: when available, massage treatments or private yoga consultations are not included in retreat fee but may be purchased on-site, separately. Details to follow.]

WHAT IS INCLUDED

The full retreat includes individual manuscript reading & evaluation,* consultation & planning prior to the retreat, and hands-on support and guidance during the retreat. Also included are 5 nights/6 days lodging, daily group yoga instruction, and most meals prepared by Kate, using local organic & sustainable foodstuffs whenever possible (two dinners will be no-host at local eateries, including Hog Island Oyster Company). A limited number of double-occupancy and no-lodging spots are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Optional appointments for individual yoga instruction and massage therapy will be available on site for additional fees. Please note that long-distance travel is not included. *Up to 200 pages. Longer manuscripts for additional fee.

COST

$1950 with private room
$1575 with shared room (limited availability) -- SOLD OUT
$1200 for retreat only (lodging not included)

REQUIREMENTS & HOW TO APPLY

This retreat is ideal for writers who are already working on a literary fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid form manuscript at any stage of the project, and think it would benefit from a fresh perspective and concentrated attention. Attendance to the Point Reyes Writing Intensive is by application -- not to be elitist or intimidating, but simply to make sure that your project is something that Kate feels she could help you to improve ("a good fit," in other words). Email Kate if you have any questions about whether this retreat would be helpful for you!

To apply, please hit "APPLY" and fill out the Point Reyes Writing Intensive Application; follow directions for submitting a 5-10 page sample of your work. Accepted applicants will be notified on a rolling basis. A 50% non-refundable deposit will be due by December 8, with the remaining balance to be paid by January 8.

RETREAT LEADER

Kate Moses is the author of the internationally acclaimed Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath, published in sixteen languages, and Cakewalk: A Memoir, chosen by National Public Radio as one of their favorite memoirs of 2010. Recipient of a Lannan Literary Fellowship, a Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Best Fiction by an American Woman, an American Book Award, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, a Poets & Writers Debut Fiction selection, and a Prix des Lectrices de Elle, Kate is also co-editor of two bestselling anthologies of essays on motherhood, Mothers Who Think: Tales of Real-Life Parenthood and Because I Said So: 33 Mothers Write About Children, Sex, Men, Aging, Faith, Race & Themselves. A founding editor of Salon, former literary director at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco, and former senior acquisitions editor at North Point Press, she has taught writing at more than two dozen universities and is currently on the faculties of the Gotham Writers Workshop and the Key West Literary Seminar. Her literary journalism and food writing have appeared in many publications in the U.S. and U.K. Learn more about Kate’s books at katemoses.com.