Why go on a Writing Retreat?

The Four ‘C’s – Confidence, Creativity, Camaraderie, Continue…

When I was presented with the opportunity to attend a writing retreat in Abruzzo, Italy, I jumped at it. I had already contributed to an anthology with fellow writers from the creative writing courses I’d completed during lockdown (with the Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education). And I had a substantial portion of my own book completed, thanks to the support of a fantastic editor (and former tutor). But I’d reached a bit of a standstill and needed fresh ideas, input, and inspiration to move forward.

Confidence

Wendy Ridolini, a British expatriate living in Italy, has worked as an English teacher for many years. Her passion for books and affinity for Italy made her an ideal host for the writing retreat. As a freelance editor and book blogger in her own right, Wendy has organised three retreats in Italy and the UK, so I was confident that she would equip me with the tools I needed to advance my writing project—and I was right.

First, the location: a picturesque hill town in Abruzzo, set against the majestic backdrop of the snow-capped Maiella and Gran Sasso massifs, part of the Apennine Mountain range. Five of us ‘retreaters’ found ourselves in two beautiful adjoining villas, complete with an inviting outdoor pool. Each day began with a hearty breakfast lovingly prepared by Wendy, fuelling our spirits before we dove into a transformative writing workshop led by the skilled creative writing tutor, Karen Holmes.

Camaraderie

What about my writing chums? Two of them were already self-published, courageously pursuing agents and publishers. One was a semi-retired actress, storyteller, and voice-over artist driven to develop her craft further, while I had taken my first steps in writing and sought fresh ideas and support. The fifth member of our group, new to writing, possessed an incredible story waiting to be told, and I can’t wait to experience it. Despite our different beginnings, we bonded instantly, sharing ideas and igniting inspiration as we sat down for meals on the sunlit terrace, surrounded by a breathtaking mountain backdrop, fuelled by creativity and camaraderie.

Karen provided us with ideas about character, narrative, structure, and finding our voice before setting us a task, usually to create a piece of writing inspired by a photo or setting, using the techniques that we had learned that morning.

Each morning, a new perspective on writing in our workshops – drilling down on perhaps narrative styles – first-person, third-person, or mixed narrative – and the importance of the narrative arc. In the afternoons, we were free to write, swim, read, or simply relax.

Creativity

For pre-supper entertainment, Wendy hand-picks authors and publishing experts as guest speakers and chooses a different theme each year.  In the past, speakers focused on ‘writing short stories’ or ‘researching historical fiction.’ This year, the theme was ‘international writing’.

At 5pm, before dinner, we had our first Q&A (via Zoom) with industry professionals and acclaimed authors.  The first of our guests was highly successful romance fiction writer, Leonie Mack (publishing two books a year) who told us of her journey, offered advice about scene-setting, and how to find and use beta-readers (whom I had never heard of before – trusted friends/fellow writers asked to read your work to point out inconsistencies/comment on what’s working, or not) before we had the opportunity to ask questions about techniques, hitches and hurdles, and learning some tips on self-publishing and reasons for coming up with a good title.

The second Q&A was with agent Amy Collins from Talcott Notch Literary Services, who explained the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing, how to negotiate contracts, which societies and associations might provide further useful advice and assistance, and why hiring an agent can be beneficial to a writer. With over 30 years of experience matching books with readers, her industry tips were invaluable. She also suggested that she would be open to our submissions once we were ready, an opportunity that should not be missed, as her usual ‘window’ is small and already oversubscribed.

On our last evening, our guest speaker was Sunday Times‘ best-selling author, Santa Montefiore. She advises aspiring writers to create a beautiful and inspiring workspace, to write the entire first draft before revising, and to understand that writing improves with age and experience. She also advised on how to effectively use an international setting in your book by thoroughly researching the culture, history, and customs of the chosen location.

A guest author (Graham Hofman) also hosted a workshop and did a book reading/signing for his autobiographical accounts of his life in Umbria. ‘Lorenzo’s Vest’ was his first foray into writing, followed by ‘Italy Unpacked & Unwrapped’ in 2023. And, in 2024, ‘Chickens Don’t Eat Olives’. This was an invaluable insight into writing literary non-fiction and the importance of spending money on cover design.

Dinner was either prepared by Wendy or her partner (an expert with the barbecue) with a focus on regional dishes. The regional cuisine of Abruzzo is known for its hearty, rustic dishes, reflecting both its mountainous terrain and its Adriatic coastline. Key specialities include arrosticini (grilled lamb skewers), spaghetti alla chitarra (pasta cut with a special tool), and various seafood dishes along the coast. We enjoyed a pizza night at a local pizzeria and a fabulous home-cooked meal cooked by ‘la cuoca’ Mary at a local agriturismo and lavender farm overlooking the sea.

Continue writing…

Wendy’s expertise proved invaluable when she took a couple of workshops on some aspects of marketing, such as book blog tours (another unknown to me), the importance of newsletters, and how to create content as well as how to use Substack, creating promotional material, and even information on algorithms.

If that all sounds like hard work, it was interspersed with opportunities for rest and relaxation by the pool, and an optional trip to Citta Sant’Angelo, a medieval town on a hilltop between the sea and the mountains, with inspiring panoramas in every direction.  It sits a world away, nestled in beauty among the vine- and olive-studded hills. It retains its old-world ambience, traditions, and hospitality, along with attractive corners and monuments around the cobbled streets.

Throughout the week, all of us were given a one-to-one session with Karen, who has a portfolio of successful published writers, and she provided us with useful feedback and advice on our submitted pieces (10,000 words), which was inordinately useful for me in thinking about how to improve the structure of my work.

The week was a wonderful combination of learning more about our craft, sharing our stories and feedback, and all in a beautiful location where it was easy to be inspired by nature, good food and wine, and with space enough to think, dream, and write…

If you’re thinking about immersing yourself in your writing practice, or even if you’re just starting on your journey, a writing retreat can be the answer. It certainly was a worthwhile investment for me.

For details of the retreat > https://www.sunflowerpublishing.com/writing-retreat-italy-abruzzo