Deep in the Scottish woods, something is stirring…

The line is from a Herald article on places to see snowdrops in Scotland. One of the best places to go is Cambo House, venue for the June writing retreat on telling your story.

Of course the snowdrops will be long gone by the time we’re there but the article made me think about our writing lives, our creative lives. Oh I know it can be a bit cliched but there is something about the snowdrop that moves us so.

Snowdrops

Reminds us of things that lie dormant, for a while – but not forever. That carry a determination to surface, to show their colours. To tell their story.

Even in the darkest coldest parts of the winter… things can still be stirring.

~~~

The June women’s writing retreat ‘Tell Your Story’ takes place at Cambo House, on the east coast of Fife (Scotland), June 14 – 18 2010. More on the retreat here.

This summer writing retreat is the perfect opportunity to:

• take time out to reflect on the stories you’ve been telling

• expand and develop the stories you want to be writing, and living

• add a creative dimension to the story of your life

• experiment and play with different writing forms & styles

• feel the connection between your story and the stories of other women’s lives

• let the natural world inspire you

• recharge, reconnect and have some fun

Who’s It For?

Women who want to explore, develop and expand the metaphors and stories that run through their lives.

You don’t need to be a fictionwriter to look at ways of telling your story: we’re constantly story telling in the language we use, the non-fiction we write, the photographs we take, the updates we write on facebook, the memories we hold on to and share with others.

We’ll be looking at lots of different ways to explore and write from life (and for life). You can write ‘creatively’ (whatever that means to you…) or not. You can write fictional stories… or not.

Or just write some of the truth you want to be telling about the life that you live.

The retreat is taking place at Cambo House, a Victorian mansion house set in a 1200 acre estate, just minutes from the sea.

Cambo House is near Kingsbarns on the east coast of Scotland, near to St Andrews.

We’ll be staying in the West Wing, a fabulous, spacious apartment including kitchen, sitting room, huge ceilings, windows out onto the gardens, and some amazing period furniture.

The house is a larger than life experience… the perfect setting for expanding our stories.

You can find out more about Cambo House here.

What’s the Format?

Small group setting (6 women) supported by me, Joanna Young.

There’ll be a mixture of group writing exercises to get your words flowing, plus time on your own to write…or walk, think, read, sleep, chill…;-) (Sometimes the best writing comes when you’re not deliberately trying to write!)

We’ll also be doing a bit of exploring in the area round about Cambo – drinking in ideas and inspiration about the extraordinary details of everyday life, time lines, history, the stories objects tell us… and more

Cambo House is set in lovely grounds including gorgeous walled gardens. You can wander from the gardens through woodland, along the banks of the river, to the wide open spaces of the beaches at Cambo Ness. We’ll be doing some walking as part of the writing programme, and you’re welcome to walk and wander on your own too.

There’ll be plenty of time and space for you to wander, read, think and write as well as the time we spend together as a group.

When?

Monday June 14 – Friday June 18 2010

Arrival 4pm on the 14th, depart 10am Friday 18th

How much?

£445 per person

What’s included?

• Writing tuition, coaching, prompts, feedback & support
• Accommodation, shared (in a very large, grand twin room)
• Breakfast and light lunch
• Evening meal on Monday night
• Last night dinner in sumptious Cambo House dining room (3 courses, wine, pre-dinner drink)

PS You most certainly don’t need to be ‘a writer’ to come on a Writing Space retreat. You’re very welcome if you’ve just written for yourself up to now, or never written anything… yet… but always wanted to, or wondered about it.

Writing retreats are good not just for writing but also for creativity, soul space, time out, fun, connecting with others and your self, they’re good for life!

Hills, mist, mountains, huge expanses of sky and layer upon layer of history: that’s what works for me.

And the place where I can encourage and create the space for you to write has to be the place where my words also flow most freely.

So Absorbing Writing is shifting its focus to Scotland.

Where I live, where I work, and where I’m now running writing retreats.

You’ll find out more about the programme of retreats for 2010 at The Writing Space.

Come join me?

Joanna