FIVE 2009 WRITING RETREATS!

1, 2, 3, 4: Retreats at Glendale Springs and Little Switzerland – in the North Carolina mountains. And the always sublime annual oceanfront retreat at Holden Beach, one of North Carolina’s loveliest non-commercialized oceanfront locations.

And 5! A weekday ‘artist colony’ where you work privately on a project and meet in a private session with this editor for personalized editing assistance. At Wildacres Retreat Center in Little Switzerland. Wildacres is a heavenly place. It’s hard to leave it and return to the real world. One draw is the absolutely delicious three meals a day in the dining hall. (Second year for this opportunity and it’s more flexible than before: stay 2 or 3 or 4 nights.) www.wildacres.org

I hope that this year you can join me for a writing getaway. The benefits are tremendous. Freewriting is a powerful and accurate self-discovery tool. You’ll find at these retreats a joyful reunion with your spirit of creativity – and get some imaginative writings on the page effortlessly. Oh the delight! Guaranteed!

A brand new school of the arts is opening in North Carolina this year at Glendale Springs. I am excited at the prospect of leading writing sessions there – in one of my favorite N.C. counties. Ashe County. A quiet restful place. We will have breakfast and lunch at the school, and dinner on our own. The biggest town in the county, West Jefferson, is nearby, and like a second home to me. www.florencethomasartsschool.org

See dates below and plan now to join me. A nonrefundable deposit holds your spot.

If you live on a budget, feel free to send me prepayments in small amounts. That’s an easy way to make sure you go, and all except the nonrefundable deposit will be returned to you in the event you are unable to go.

A $40 NONREFUNDABLE DEPOSIT is required for your registration. Make check payable to me and send to Barbara Lawing, 6211 Jim Kidd Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078.

THE DETAILS:

JUNE 12-13, FLORENCE THOMAS ARTS SCHOOL

Friday and Saturday, at Glendale Springs, NC.

Continental breakfast and lunch included. Fee is $180 for the two days of writing sessions and meals. Lodging available on the grounds at $45 for double occupancy, $60 single. Please note: for this event registration is not paid to me. You register through the school.

www.florencethomasartsschool.org

AUGUST 8-9, FLORENCE THOMAS ARTS SCHOOL

Saturday and Sunday. Details same as above.

AUGUST 21-23 OASIS WEEKEND RETREAT

Wildacres Retreat Center, Little Switzerland, NC

www.wildacres.org Includes three delicious meals each day in the lovely dining hall. $192.

AUGUST 17-21, OASIS WRITING INTENSIVE (weekday)

Private project time: work on your fiction or nonfiction or poetry manuscript and get personalized feedback in private appointments with this editor.

Wildacres Retreat Center, Little Switzerland, NC

www.wildacres.org (If you cannot stay 4 nights, check with me. Wildacres has agreed to let you stay a shorter time, depending on room availability.) For 4 nights, $289. Includes 3 delicious meals each day in the lovely dining hall.

NOVEMBER 6-8, OCEANFRONT WRITING RETREAT (weekend)

Holden Beach, NC

We stay in a house by the sea and write write write, with breaks for beachcombing! $263. Find more details at www.barbaralawing.com

I look forward to hearing from you, and by all means share the info with any friend who may be interested. Beginning writers welcome. You may find your own roommate, for housing is double occupancy unless you pay a bit extra for a single room.

GENERAL INFO ABOUT THE RETREATS:

Prerequisite for joining me for a writing retreat: You like to write! We will write and write. I give suggested starting points that you either go with or choose your own. You may also bend the suggested starter to a project in progress. I always use some of the writing prompts for my fictional character – see what she has to say on the subject. One thing’s for sure. We will have lots of fun. The retreats usually see at least 50% re-enrollment, so that statistic alone proves how wonderful they are.

We engage in the adventure of writing to a prompt – launch into the inner self and see what we find. It’s like fishing. The word or phrase we start with will catch something inside and deliver it to the page. Like magic! We surprise ourselves with what we write. Anyone can do this. It is the process described by Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones.

I take seriously my responsibility to give you interesting starting points, to make you go with your writing where you would not go otherwise. You may focus on memoir, fiction, nonfiction or poetry. Though we have no time for editing, you have the advantage of an editor in the circle. I am always pleased to offer suggestions on how to organize or slant your writing for publication.

I look forward to the pleasure of your company at a writing retreat soon. Barbara Lawing

About Wildacres Retreat Center, Little Switzerland, NC (Marion exit, I-40)

Wildacres is the kind of place where you wish you could stay for an extended visit. It was dedicated in 1946 by I.D. and Madolyn Blumenthal “to the betterment of human relations and interfaith dialogue.”

Our writing retreat will allow us interaction with other groups. There are usually two or three groups at the center at one time.

Buildings are beautiful. Meals are served family style in the modern dining hall. There are many walking trails.

All rooms are double occupancy. (If for health reasons you need a private room, we can make arrangements for that.) I hope you will begin now to make your plans to join me at Wildacres. And let your friends know about it. You may want to bring your own roommate.

Once the date is announced, go ahead and reserve your space by mailing a $40 check to me (nonrefundable deposit). The remainder of the total amount is due at the retreat. Make the deposit check payable to me and mail to 6211 Jim Kidd Road, Huntersville, NC 28078. Contact me at 704-875-6112, bklawing@earthlink.net

About the Holden Beach Writing Retreat:

Holden Beach, NC, is a quiet non-commercialized beach – actually a small island reached by a tall bridge. We stay in a spacious modern house and sit in rocking chairs overlooking the sea.

Go ahead and make your plans now – you won’t regret the decision. This is a very informal and relaxed yet stimulating and creative weekend for beginning and seasoned writers. Limited to 8 participants, men and women welcome.

Plan now to join me. Go ahead and put it on your calendar.

We keep food costs minimal by taking along sandwich makings, cereal, fruit, snacks. (We eat well if each person brings a small amount of food. We always eat well.) On Saturday night we enjoy a candlelit seafood feast, and cash to pay for this feast is all the money you’ll need while at the retreat. You’ll remember this retreat for years to come. I’ve got photos in my office of smiling groups – people who have been on this retreat. It’s a weekend you won’t forget.
704-875-6112, bklawing@earthlink.net