During my twelve-week virtual cohort with PocketMFA, I had the luxury of sitting by my window during the months of spring. Every day, I curled myself into a comfy chair, sat my caffeinated beverage of choice beside me on my desk, and stared out onto a lake as the trees came back to life. Not all writers have this freedom or quite as much beauty to absorb from their writing nook. This is where a writing retreat comes in.

If you feel your writing needs a jolt and you have the opportunity to tear yourself away from distractions for a week, here are a few writing retreats worth your consideration.

Live Free and Write

Spend five days and four nights in Carmel Valley, California. A blend of creative writing workshops and speaker sessions makes this a spectacular retreat for writers as they are surrounded by the freshness of a remote setting. The retreat is held in Hidden Valley, an Institute of the Arts in the Santa Lucia Mountains. Each participant gets a private room with an ensuite bath. 

One of the benefits of the Northern California Writers Retreat is the free time you get to recharge. Be it a one-hour yoga session taught on-site,  massage therapy, or live piano music in the theater, there are many ways to unwind.

Designed to give emerging and established authors a glimpse into the writing industry, this retreat hopes writers leave better equipped for their journey.

You must be at least 21 years old to apply. The application process requires no more than 20 pages of writing for review, along with a $20 application fee. Work can be published or unpublished and does not have to be what you workshop during the retreat. The cost of attending this writing retreat is $2797 and requires a $900 deposit upon acceptance. All meals are included.

“The Northern California Writing Retreat is it! A writing retreat, workshop, residency, and mini-MFA all in one, NCWR is for any aspiring writer who’s ready to level up…more intimate and nurturing than any other workshop I’ve participated in.” – Cecilia Rabess, author of Everything’s Fine

The next retreat will take place on March 12th – 16th, 2025 and will feature Alka Joshi, Margaret Sutherland Brown, Amy Bishop Wycisk, and co-founder Heather Lazare.

Much like PocketMFA, the NCWR has many guest lecturers and speakers who attend to answer questions about their publishing journey and other insights on the industry.

Past guest writers have included Chloe Benjamin and Zakiya Dalila Harris.

Firefly Creative Writing

The perfect retreat for people who thrive in communal settings, Firefly Creative Writing is for writers who are passionate about delving deeper into their craft. The Summer Glow Retreat is a weekend sleepaway getaway with small groups and lots of sharing. Like the other retreats mentioned, they offer seasonal retreats throughout the year that vary in length.

Because of the intimacy of these retreats, each participant is required to help plan, bring, and prepare one meal for the group. All dietary restrictions are respected. This cozy writing weekend is best for people who are excited about the idea of creative self-reflection, introverts and extroverts who can thrive in communal spaces, and folks who align with the mission’s fundamental beliefs.

Eight participants visit this 600-acre property and meet two facilitators for one weekend. There are workshops, group meals, and silent writing periods interspersed with free time to take in the scenery of the deep woody landscape of Kingston, Ontario. The quiet barrier-free home is remote enough to stargaze while sitting by a private lake. Rooms are mixed, but solo rooms are available upon request. Take the time to meditate in a devoted room or on one of the two screened-in porches.

The cost for attending the weekend retreat with Firefly is $825 for a shared room with one other person and requires a $225 deposit. It is $930 for a private room with a $330 deposit. If you are new to the program, you will talk with a facilitator on the phone to ensure you are a good fit. No writing samples are required to apply.

Community matters here, and creativity flourishes best when it is watered, an experience I felt at PocketMFA too.

Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

On the beautiful coast of Massachusetts, writers are immersed in sunrises and sunsets that span over the ocean for seven days. Week-long classes on craft, evening readings, and panel discussions make this retreat something special.

“Our goal is to provide a nurturing place to create.”

Generative seminars are craft-based and last two hours on Mondays through Thursdays to help participants continue growing in their genre of choice or try out different genres.

On Fridays, visiting authors present panel discussions to inspire and provide context for professionals in the writing field. Literary journal sessions shed light on how to prepare work for submission. Other events that might spark your interest are the manuscript sessions and readings. You won’t, however, find classic workshops or agent pitch sessions here. This is a space to focus on what it takes to create while granting you the time to be inspired.

All sessions are held at the Vineyard Arts Project located in the seaside village of Edgartown. Participants can either stay on campus or book separate lodging nearby in guest houses or hotels in the area.

The summer sessions take place over the course of two weeks: June 8- June 13 and June 15 – June 20. Registration for the retreat is $2000 without lodging. Room options include one bedroom for an additional $1000, a double room for $850, or a triple room for $650. No application or writing samples are required. Five fellowships are available for an application fee of $20 and offer those awarded various levels of financial assistance. Apply for as many as you would like. Registration and fellowship awards do not include the cost of travel.

In addition to attending the MVICW Summer Writers Conference, you will receive a 45-minute manuscript consultation, so writers are recommended to come prepared with a single prose piece of up to 15 double-spaced pages, or 3-4 poems, eight pages or less.

Tuscany Writing Retreat

Perhaps you’re interested in a writing retreat much farther away from home. In that case, the Tuscany Writing Retreat might be your calling. From May 25th to May 31st, 2025, visit the hills of an Italian village that has inspired countless writers and artists. The recently restored and renovated Tuscan Gelso Farmhouse on the hills is stunning and overlooks vineyards and the Casentino Valley. 

Writers at the retreat will enjoy a community pool, private bedrooms with an en suite bath and meals prepared by a private chef included in their stay. Daily sessions include discussions centered on the craft and workshops paired with hours to explore the grounds. Evenings follow a round table workshop with facilitators where writers are encouraged to share new pieces in a supportive environment. Enjoy Tuscan wine tasting in a secluded, private oasis in the hills.

Here you’ll find a curated creative community where participants are encouraged to learn how to make writing an integral part of their lives once they return home. Read some testimonials from past participants to see how they’ve been able to achieve their writing goals. Think of this as the perfect picturesque escape from the confines of your typical writing routine.

The Write Away Tuscany Writing Retreat is $3950 and requires a $1000 deposit. Private transfer from the Florence Airport costs an additional $220.

 PocketMFA’s Twelve Week Cohort

If you don’t have the luxury of stepping away from your responsibilities at home, the PocketMFA twelve-week virtual writing program may be the perfect fit for your needs. 

PocketMFA was founded by Joshua Roark and the Discover New Art team in 2022. The program is designed to provide a non-traditional academic model of a typical accredited MFA program at a university. PocketMFA, however, is more affordable, inclusive, and accessible.

Throughout my 12 weeks in the program, I was mentored by Courtney Harler, the Editor-in-Chief of my favorite literary magazine, CRAFT. I received her targeted, direct feedback, complete with in-line comments, on three short stories. Each workshop session was three hours on an agreed-upon day of the week, and the groups were kept intimate with two to three other writers. 

Together, we learned new methods for workshopping: focusing on impact and possible opportunities for our pieces. During my workshop, I gained a better understanding of how to better frame my stories, resulting in the publication of one.

Following the twelve-week writing workshop, participants have the opportunity to embark on a retreat comparable to the ones listed above: a two-week writing residency with guest speakers, generative writing sessions, multiple panel sessions, and consultations with an agent to learn more about the traditional publication route. Sessions devoted to self-publication and branding are included as well.

PocketMFA is a selective program, requiring two writing samples and a completed form with three short answer questions. There is no application fee.

The total cost of this twelve-week, fully-remote cohort is $3,297. Included in the price is a lifetime community with helpful resources shared weekly. Unlike the destination writing retreats mentioned, payment plans for PocketMFA are available for up to 24 months. They also offer limited partial scholarship opportunities for writers in financial need. 

Schedule your in-person info session today.