Absorbing Writing

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you ~ Maya Angelou

Is it time to find the words to tell your story, writing from life, for life?

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.

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!

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)

The west wing is self-catering accommodation, so rooms are not serviced daily. You’ll be able to organise snacks & drinks during the day (and please feel free to bring any must have items with you (including wine etc if you’d like it – there’s plenty of kitchen space). We’ll also need to do our own washing up.

We’ll be having breakfast in the dining room.

You’ll need to budget for an evening meal on Tuesday and Wednesday, in a local bar or hotel (c£15 max per night).

Where?

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.

How do I book?

Email me to register your interest – joanna [@] thewritingspace.com or just go ahead and book your place.

You can reserve your place a 20% deposit of £90 (non-refundable).

You can pay the deposit by paypal here (you don’t need to have a paypal account for it to work):

The balance is due 4 weeks before the start of the writing retreat.

Do you have any discounts or special offers?

I run a tell-a-friend scheme: tell a friend about The Writing Space and I’ll send you a £20 Amazon voucher when they book on a writing weekend or retreat. (Remind them to give me your name & email when they sign up!)

Why is this retreat just for women?

Well, it’s partly to make it easier to organise the shared accommodation, and partly to create the space for the different narratives and themes that emerge in the stories from women’s lives.

Any Other Questions?

Please do just email me at joanna [@] absorbing.com with any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.