Writing Retreat Blog
Researching a Novel – How Things Have Changed!
Research for writers in the twenty-first century is not what it used to be. Decades ago, researching a novel might take months, and the entire process had to be completed before the creative writing process could begin. Researching a historical novel – any kind of novel, really - required a well-stocked library, and the more specific the research your novel required, the more specialized the library had to be. Writers might find themselves making long [...]
The Benefits of a Creative Writing Retreat
I've attended many Creative Writing retreats over the years. A writing retreat in a fishing village in Mexico. Another on the wind-swept moors in Devon, England. Retreats in Scotland and Wales. I've also run dozens of retreats myself. Our creative writing retreat centre in Canada hosted more than 100 writers, and these days, we run creative writing retreats in Costa Rica: and a new writing retreat in Mexico. Why Attend a Creative Writing Retreat? [...]
Poem from the Creative Writing Retreat to Merida, Mexico.
At the end of our creative writing retreat, we created a list poem together, reflecting our shared experience over the course of the week. Here is the poem, created by Shay, Nichol, John, Jeffrey, Virginia, Betsy, Sara, Patricia and Julie: Flying in the Depths The air is charged with creativity: we are writing stories to the sound of water falling and our tender words are received like party guests. Hearts pound as wooden steps descend [...]
Mexico Creative Writing Retreat, 2022
Yesterday I returned from teaching our second annual Creative Writing Retreat in Merida, Mexico – and what a studendous week it was. Great writers, wonderful scenery, memorable experiences, daily writing workshops and so much great food! Creative Writing Retreat: Merida! Such a special city. Street festivals, wandering the Plaza Granda and people-watching along the Paseo de Montejo. Visiting the Mayan World Museum. Exploring the art. Wandering the parks. Live music and dancing most evenings. [...]
A Creative Writing Prompt!
Welcome to the fifth in my series of creative writing tips, techniques and prompts! Today, I’m sharing a creative writing prompt you can use at any time. Creative Writing: Tell the Story of a Life On a trip to Spain a few years ago, I saw in Grenada a traveller with a typewriter and a sign reading, “I tell your life story in 10 minutes”. Tourists lined up before his desk on the street corner, [...]
Creative Writing Tips and Techniques: How to Create Characters for Fiction
Welcome to the fourth in my blog series on creative writing tips and techniques! Today I want to examine character creation. Read on for information on how to build characters for short stories and novels – and in the meantime, don’t forget to check out our Creative Writing Retreats in Mexico and Costa Rica! A Character Creation Technique There are many ways to build fictional characters for a novel or short story, and ‘status’ is [...]
