TWENTY-TWO OF THE MOST INSPIRING WRITERS RETREATS IN THE COUNTRY

YOU will always be the best judge of whether a writers retreat is right for you. You know better than anyone whether this conference’s programming or that colony’s writing cabins or this festival’s events or that residency’s schedule of seclusion is a good match for your own needs, experience level, and temperament. Scanning the websites of the more than three hundred writers retreats listed in our carefully curated database at pw.org is a great first step, but thanks to the power of our literary imaginations and the wonders of high-resolution, professional photography, let’s be honest: They all look pretty fantastic. Sadly none of us are lucky enough to be able to attend every one and formulate our own opinions based on firsthand experience, so the next best approach is to ask others who have been there to give their recommendations for which ones are exceptional. That’s exactly what we did while compiling this list. We reached out to some of the most generous, supportive, inspiring, and discerning authors we know and asked them to recommend retreats that are among the best in terms of productivity, motivation, networking, or any other criteria that is important to them as writers. Many writers based their recommendations on the adventures they had as attendees, while others drew on their experiences as workshop leaders or guest faculty. All of them offer a personal take on what makes these retreats unique—and what rewards they offer those who make the personal decision to devote time and resources to concentrating on one’s art in a new setting, among new people, and working toward a new understanding of one’s writing. We added some practical information about each to help you decide whether you agree.

Kaveh Akbar

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BOAAT WRITER’S RETREAT

“The BOAAT Writer’s Retreat was a blessing for me early in my poet life. I was among the retreat’s first cohort of writers, applying after a number of factors caught my eye. I wanted to work with Eduardo C. Corral, a hero of mine, who was leading that workshop. It was a beautiful space full of good food, games, karaoke, time to write and read, and real substantive discourse with Eduardo. It was among the first times I was truly taken seriously as a poet, where I was in a community of writers not as student but as peer and friend.”

Weeklong residency and workshop program for poets in the mountains of Vilas, North Carolina. Tuition is $1,100, which includes workshops, lodging, and meals. Applications will open in June.
www.boaatpress.com/boaat-writers-retreat

Alexander Chee

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VIRGINIA CENTER FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS

“When I went to VCCA it was a mix of established artists and new ones, with visual artists, composers, and writers—which, to me, is always good