Thursday, March 23, 2017

Announcing the #W2TE WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat!

For several years, Kim and Ami have talked about putting together a writer's retreat.

Our retreat would be in a place that encouraged creativity. A place that inspired. A place off the beaten track, full of natural beauty: hills... trees... maybe a lake...

We would eat meals together, share a few drinks, hash out ideas and projects.

We would bring in expert writers and facilitators with diverse skill sets who were both accessible and willing to share their knowledge.

Our retreat would offer workshops to benefit all levels of writers, from beginners to pros, helping participants hone skills and put new tools in their Writer's Toolbox.

Our retreat would also offer the Gift of Solitude: providing blissfully uninterrupted writing time from Friday evening through late Sunday morning for those inclined to become ornamental hermits.

Ami insisted there must be readily available coffee -- lots of it. And dogs. And access to the sort of inspiration only horses can provide.

Kim championed the importance of making the most of local wines. And social networking with other women writers. But mostly wine.

Finally, we realized:

The time for talking is over. 

With great excitement, we announce the #Write2TheEnd WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat.

Aerial view of Camp Cedar Lodge in autumn.
From Friday afternoon on May 19 through Sunday morning, May 21, we invite you to join us at beautiful, rustic, Camp Cedar Lodge in Lawrence, Michigan.

That weekend, we will do everything in our power to help you indulge and nurture your Inner Writer.

Our fabulous faculty includes:

Yi Shun Lai
Novelist, non-fiction editor, writing coach, and essayist Yi Shun Lai.

Yi Shun holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. She is the non-fiction editor of the Tahoma Literary Review, the former fiction editor of the Los Angeles Review and has worked for a variety of publications including The Atlantic, Audubon, AARP the Magazine, and many more. 

Her debut novel, NOT A SELF-HELP BOOK: THE MISADVENTURES OF MARTY WU, published in 2016, is in its fourth printing and is taught in classes ranging from Critical Thinking to American Literature. 

Yi Shun is a consultant in external communications with experience in journalism, social media and business strategy, copywriting, and line and developmental editing. She lives in the greater Los Angeles area.

AND
Shawna Ayoub Ainslie

Essayist, writing coach, consultant, survivor, and poet Shawna Ayoub Ainslie.

Shawna holds an MFA from Indiana University. Her work has been featured in the Huffington Post, Art Saves Lives International, and others. She is the former editor-in-chief of Open Thought Vortex Magazine.

Shawna's work addresses themes of race, place, abuse, mental health, family, and faith. She founded the Writing Through Trauma series to help survivors of trauma shed their fears and heal. She resides in Bloomington, Indiana.

Of course, Ami and Kim will be there too!

The #Write2TheEnd WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat is open to only twenty participants. For our inaugural session, it is open to women only. Ladies -- whatever your writing goals, we invite you to come and join us! Just click the "Buy Now" button at the upper right. Save $50 if you register before April 20, 2017!

For more information, check out our WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat page.