Retreat Notes

The Lodge... the Lake... the Laughter!

The inaugural Write2TheEnd Writer's Retreat is over. What a wonderful weekend, shared with truly amazing writers!

Ami and Kim were thrilled to have Yi Shun Lai and Shawna Ayoub-Ainslie join us as facilitators. Retreat participants basked in the glow of so much solid, actionable information.

I know of at least three people who came with creative blocks who had those blocks lifted. (I was one of them!)

A huge thank-you to the staff (especially the cooks) at Camp Cedar Lodge for outdoing themselves in making our Retreat a success. We had a wide range of dietary needs -- from vegan and vegetarian to gluten free to ketogenic -- and the food was wonderful!

A special shout-out of thanks to our participants. You came from all over the Midwest, from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. You threw yourself into the camping experience. Even when it got cold (Because, Michigan. In May.), you never complained. Not once. About anything. Rather, you rallied. You adapted. And you wrote your way through.

Shawna, in one of our opening night exercises, had everyone write a letter to themselves from two days later. In the letter, we were to identify what we accomplished, what we hoped to achieve, and what breakthroughs we experienced throughout the retreat. And it worked! For many participants, those letters were practically prescient, in the best of all possible ways.

Some participants flew the Flag of Solitude and sequestered themselves to write their hearts out. Others took advantage of our excellent faculty and attended every single workshop offered, soaking in all the information they could.

Our esteemed faculty was made of awesome. They made themselves readily available to everyone, answering questions and offering feedback for hours. We can't thank you enough for your dedication and encouragement.

(Side note: extra w00ts to writer and editor YiShun Lai who discovered shortly after the Retreat that her novel Not a Self-Help Book: the Misadventures of Marty Wu is a semi-finalist for the 2017 Thurber Prize for American Humor. CONGRATULATIONS ALL OVER THE PLACE!!)

Actually: "YAAAAAAAYYYYY!!" is a rather apt illustration of how I felt about the Retreat. From movie night to a rather rainy campfire, from literally writing in the dark to experiencing a monumental breakthrough, I am overjoyed and honored to have had a part in the first Write2TheEnd Writer's Retreat. Here's hoping those who attended find themselves inspired for many months to come.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep...

With just a month to go until the WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat at Camp Cedar Lodge, Kim and Ami are giddy with anticipation. We can't wait to share a rustic weekend with you.

The lake! The woods! The clean air!  The camaraderie of other writers! Can't you just *smell* the creativity?

~inhales.... Aaaaaahhhhhhh~

We have discovered that one question -- more than any other -- is on the minds of people planning to attend.

It's not "Tell me more about the faculty and facilitators." Nope. Shawna Ayoub Ainslie and Yi Shun Lai have solid creds that speak volumes.

It's not "What's the closest airport?" [The answer is Kalamazoo, MI. But Grand Rapids, South Bend, Detroit, and Chicago are all easy drives, too.]

"I never want to hear the phrase 'business casual' again."

It's not even "What should I wear?" Because everyone knows that "women only" and "rustic" translates as "Wear comfy clothes; no makeup or heels necessary." Whew!

Hands down, the biggest question on everyone's mind is a variation on "where will I be sleeping?"

We've discovered that "cabins" and "camping" mean very different things to people. Huh. Who knew?

So -- to those who wondered if you needed to bring your own rollmat and mosquito netting...AND to those who asked if there was electricity in the cabins or a concierge, the answer is the same: no.

The beds all have sturdy hardwood frames with standard twin size mattresses. During summer camp they are set up as bunks, but unless you really, really want to check top-bunk-sleeping off your bucket list, there is no need for anyone to do any climbing.

Tall, four-tiered, wooden shelves stand in the cabin like trees in a forest, providing handy storage for important items like writing utensils, flashlights, and a deck of Exploding Kittens.

Bring your own bedding. And your own towels, washcloths, and toiletries. The concierge is you.

To help you visualize, we went to Camp Cedar Lake and made up two "demo beds":

Exhibit A: The Intrepid Explorer

This is the set-up for people who care more for function than form (koff - Ami - koff).

These hardy souls really couldn't give two rips about whether or not things color coordinate, as long as they do the job.

Essential Items

• Sleeping bag
• Blanket
• Pillow
• Hanging flashlight
• Large plooshy stuffed animal (optional)

Exhibit B: The Cozy Camper

Some people have an eye for beauty, elegance, and design. Instead of "gray," "blue," or "orange," they name colors things like "chickadee," "kingfisher," and "oriole."

Like Monty Python's infamous Knights of Ni, when they ask for a shrubbery, they want "one that looks nice." (Kim: these are your people!)

Though such aesthetes lean more toward spas than cabins when they go on vacation, they are no shrinking violets! They boldly bring civilization into the wilderness with them. 

Essential Items

• Top and bottom twin sheets with matching pillowcase
• Sleeping pillow
• Decorative accent pillows
• Down-filled duvet
• Handcrafted vintage quilt
• Retro flashlight
• Fresh flowers (not optional)

Regardless of how you decorate, the #Write2TheEnd WriteAway Spring Writer's Retreat is a weekend to tap into your creativity in fresh, new ways. Meet other great writers. Add some tools to your Writer's Toolbox. Produce some serious wordcount. Soak up buckets of advice and ideas from our faculty. Spread those wings and fly...

There is still time to register: just click the "Buy Now" button and sign up via PayPal. Better yet -- save over 10% if register before April 20. We won't make your bed, but we'll do everything in our power to help make this the Writer's Retreat of your dreams!

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.