If you’re a writer, chances are you’ve heard of novel writing retreats and how beneficial (and fun!) they can be.

If you’re looking to make new writing buddies and get a little further in your novel, a writing retreat might be just what you need. But it’s more than just a week’s worth of writing. There are loads of perks to attending one. Here’s what you need to know before booking your retreat:

The Benefits of Attending a Writing Retreat

Who doesn’t enjoy watching their word count rise? On a writing retreat, it’s a given that you’ll get a good 10-20k words (or more for you speed writers!) while at the retreat. But you could also do that anywhere. These perks of attending a writing retreat will enhance the words you’re able to churn out.

Community Building

The author’s life can be a lonely life. When you’re on a retreat, you’re surrounded by like-minded people who will encourage you and give you their own experiences and insights. You might just end up with a new writing buddy as well or a new Discord channel tailored to writers!

Dedicated Time for Your Novel

Life is busy and furiously chaotic. Booking a writing retreat allows you to set aside time to give your novel the full attention it deserves. Even if it is just for a week.

Tailored Resources and Knowledge Sharing

It can be difficult to get genuine feedback on your novel because we all know our loved ones are going to say it’s the best thing they’ve ever read. Writing retreats will have time set aside to workshop a chapter of your book and give you helpful feedback and writing resources to make it the best it can be.

Vacation Experience

Pairing novel writing with a vacation can’t get much better. When you know you’re going on a relaxing getaway you’ll feel refreshed and recharged to get a good chunk of writing done.

What to Expect at a Writing Retreat

Remember that feeling you’d get when attending summer camp? How it felt daunting and uncertain if you’d enjoy it or not? Writing retreats might evoke those same feelings, but with the right people and experiences, you’ll end up walking away with more than just a few more words on the page. 

Dedicated Time Spent Writing

Novel writing time might simply be informal writing sessions after lunch where everyone works on what they want, but it could also include structured sessions as well. 

These structured sessions might be writing sprints or a specific writing lesson that you take your novel through. 

Regardless of the type of writing session, this time is for you to work out your novel.

Author Talks and Q&A’s

Some writing retreats will host author talks and Q&A sessions to allow attendees the opportunity to poke a professional’s brain. Get insight into the publishing world and learn how to make your novel the best it can be from their experience during this time.

Discussions on the Craft of Storytelling

Writing can be very nuanced. Your writing retreat might have discussions on best practices where everyone gives their opinions on subjective storytelling. You might walk away with new ideas for how to best tell your story.

Planned Vacation Activities

Of course, a retreat isn’t a retreat without the relaxing vacation aspect. Depending on the location of your retreat, you’ll be doing fun things like unwinding in hot springs, hiking, wine tasting, and whatever else your hosts have cooked up.

Is a Writing Retreat Right for You? 

Writing retreats offer great structure to get you further in your novel while tailoring feedback specific to you. If you’re a hands-off kind of person, writing retreats will have everything planned so all you have to do is show up and get to writing. 

But…writing retreats can be quite the investment. While you don’t have to plan anything for the retreat, you’ll see that reflected in the cost. Most writing retreats range from several hundred dollars to thousands, which, depending on your budget, might exceed what you’re willing to spend.

Try Hosting Your Own Writing Retreat

If purchasing a ticket to a dedicated retreat is out of your budget, you could always DIY one. Gather some friends who share your love for writing and plan out a little getaway. While this may take a lot of planning months in advance, you’ll have the luxury of creating a retreat that is perfect for you and your group. 

Plus, you can control how much you spend by picking and choosing what activities you partake in and where you have the retreat. 

Fun fact: that’s how we got our start here at Author’s Grove Writing Retreats! 

What to Expect from Author’s Grove Writing Retreats

If you’re considering attending a writing retreat, here at Author’s Grove Writing Retreats, we cultivate them for aspiring authors just like you. 

If you have a sense of adventure, a desire to meet other writers, and love to explore new places, you’ll find a spot reserved here with us. 

Our retreats take place in Texas and emphasize affordability because we know how expensive life can get. 

We’ll do the planning, all you need to do is bring your notebook, laptops, and anything else you’ll need to get working on your novel.

Have questions? Let’s get in touch!

We hope to see you at our 2024 retreat! (Stay tuned for our location and activities reveal!).