A Place To Write, Individually or With Others
At A Place to Write, we craft every retreat to suit your unique preferences and needs, offering an experience as individual as you are:
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Personalized dining experience: From the very start, we create a bespoke menu of home-cooked meals and refreshments, thoughtfully prepared to cater to all dietary needs, ensuring every guest enjoys delicious, tailored cuisine throughout their stay.
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Flexible schedules, tailored to you: While our retreats—whether tutored or untutored—follow a general structure, you're free to participate as much or as little as you like. The only fixed times are for meals, so you can engage with the schedule at your own pace.
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Immersive tutored retreats: On tutored retreats, each day includes a variety of writing activities: daily workshops, structured writing sessions, and personalized one-to-one meetings with your tutor. You'll also have an extended one-on-one with Emily Barroso, plus informal chances to seek feedback and guidance whenever needed.
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Dog-friendly environment: We're proud to now be officially dog-friendly! Your four-legged companions are as warmly welcomed as you are, and we’ll celebrate their presence just as enthusiastically.
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The following sample schedule illustrates a typical day on a tutored retreat at A Place to Write:
Breakfast (8am)
A full menu of hot breakfast items with an extensive cold buffet and copious amounts of tea, coffee and juices to set you up for the day.
Session 1
9.15am-11am - after a brief goal-reviewing period each morning, tutored retreats begin with a short exercise-based tutor-led session on an aspect of writing from developing characters to enhancing structure, creating convincing dialogue and exploring narrative style.
Break 1
11am-11.20am - we will ring our bell to let you know that tea, coffee, juices and biscuits are served in the lounge where our extensive library can inspire and support you. It is up to you whether you choose to join us or not: we won't interrupt your flow unless you tell us to.
Session 2
11.20am-1pm - you can choose to work in the same place, move to another room or even find your own unique space to create. As always, we will support you to write in peace. A tutor is available for one-to-ones.
Lunch Break
1.15pm-1.45pm - a light buffet-style lunch in our dining room, with a packed lunch option available if you fancy heading out into Corwen, the Dee Valley or the surrounding hills for a walk. You can eat with others or take your lunch to your room.
Session 3
2pm-4pm - write, walk, climb or simply chill: the group table or the desk in your bedroom will be available for writing in silence, or you might choose to seek inspiration in our landscape. From Caer Drewyn, with its iron age fort, to Pen-y-Pygn, with its lookout over Corwen and beyond, the local landscape offers walks on the flat or over the hills. The perfect chance to get some air and breathe!
Break 3
4pm-4.20pm - Take afternoon tea in the lounge, with a special 'home-baked scone' day every Thursday.
Session 4
4.20pm-5.30pm - more focused writing time in the room of your choice OR drop into the guest lounge to socialise and have the chance to view some short documentaries and films about writing.
Free Time
5.30pm-6.45pm - Refresh in your ensuite bath and shower; rest on your kingsize bed; visit Corwen or, if with transport, nearby Llangollen or Bala; select something from our library to read... the time and the choice is yours.
Dinner
6.45pm - Join together for an aperitif followed by a superb home cooked meal at the grand table in the dining room, with dessert and coffee/tea to follow.
Later
The rest of the night is your own: you can head out into the local community if you wish - but we have a range of puzzles and games, DVDs and books for your entertainment, as well as a TV in every bedroom and at least one post-dinner challenge each night. Participation is optional but you might not want to miss out!
A Place to Write