Our Calendar
Zero Gravity: Using Prompts to Give Your Writing Rocket Fuel
Every writer experiences slowdowns: Your creative project loses momentum, or maybe you have trouble getting liftoff to begin with. Sometimes the right prompt can give you a boost!
Writing Class: Writing Outside the Box
Maybe your story is best told through a bureaucratic document, or a PowerPoint presentation, a mix tape, a series of recipes, or another piece of ephemera. We’ll leave behind standard prose structure and explore alternative forms for telling your best story, and expanding your imaginative boundaries.
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
Master Class on Humor Writing
Three funny writer folk—including two stand-up comics—will lead this workshop on delving into the subtle differences between writing that is funny-haha and humor that slips on a banana peel and falls flat.
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
Master Class with Dawn Rice - Flash Fiction
ABOUT FLASH FICTION:
Flash Fiction is a complete story told in 2000 words or less. In this workshop, writers will explore the characteristics, themes, and components of Flash Fiction, analyze a variety of examples, and create their own Flash Fiction pieces.
ABOUT DAWN:
Dawn Rice is the Founder and Lead Instructor of Write On! Creative Writing Center, a place where curiosity and inspiration are set free, and imagination and creativity are brought to life through Creative Writing Workshops, Camps & Events!
It was after completing the Invitational Summer Writing Institute with the San Marcos Writing Project that her passion to discover and create opportunities to make writing fun and exciting for everyone grew.
Dawn is an experienced educator, having taught in the classroom for over 8 years, served as an Adjunct Professor at UNT, homeschooled her son through high school, and taught writing workshops and camps for over 8 years. She has a Master's Degree in Literacy Education from California State University San Marcos as well as a California State Teaching Credential and a Texas Teaching Certification.
2-hour class: $30
REGISTER HERE
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
Walk and Write the Costa Brava - Catalonia, Spain
OCTOBER 8 - 16, 2023
Catalonia, Spain. The Wild Coast. The Costa Brava way. A network of footpaths, thousands of years in the making, hugs one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. In 2023 Wide (WILD!) Open Writing teams with a guide company based entirely in Catalonia, Spain to create a curated small-group 9-day experience of walking and writing on the Costa Brava.
This is a trip for those who feel inspired by immersion in the natural world and the movement of our bodies. We’ll bathe in alternating rhythms of hiking days and writing days, taking in the diverse natural landscapes of Catalonia from the sublime rugged beauty and stunning views of the coast to ancient historical sites, from sandy beach-ringed coves to quiet inland forests, and we’ll indulge in delicious Catalan food from the world’s best tapas to seafood fresh from the boats. Each day we return to the luxurious comfort our four-star hotels, where we gather in creative community mutually inspired by our days in this walker’s paradise.
MONTHLY FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP
JOIN OUR FREE ONLINE WRITING GROUP!
Give yourself the gift of space and time to write, in the company of other writers.
There's nothing more motivating than a writing group, if you're normally spending most of your writing time by yourself.
Guided by our WOW people, with writing prompts/exercises. Get and give collective support and enthusiasm.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS & TO SIGN UP
Master Class with Kirsten Bakis - The Art of Revision
REVISIONS:
You’ve finished a draft! Now what? First, congratulate yourself because YOU FINISHED A DRAFT!!! Next comes revision: a process that can be challenging—it’s partly about challenging yourself—and also incredibly satisfying as you see your work go from a draft to a complete and polished piece you can share with agents, editors, friends, family, or all of the above.
You’ve probably heard “good writing is rewriting” but how exactly do you do it? That’s what we’ll explore on the first Sunday of July: Revision steps and strategies, how to set a schedule, and most of all, how to keep your courage up and remind yourself that you can, in fact, do this!
2-hour class: $30
REGISTER HERE
ABOUT KIRSTEN:
Kirsten Bakis is the recipient of multiple awards, including a Whiting Award, Michener-Copernicus Society of America Grant, and a 2021 Sustainable Arts Foundation Grant. Her acclaimed novel Lives of the Monster Dogs was released in a 20th anniversary edition in 2017 by Macmillan/FSG Classics with a new introduction by Jeff VanderMeer. Her new novel, King Nyx, is forthcoming from Liveright/Norton. She is a resident faculty member at the Yale Writers’ Workshop.
The Lighthouse at Whitehead Island, Maine - women’s writing residency
THE WRITER’S RESIDENCY
August 13 - 18, 2023
The Wide Open Writing Writers Residency is open to all writers. What a treat to have time and space to write in this peaceful setting! You can join us as a resident, coming to yoga and dinner and evening salon and using the rest of your time to write write write while breathing in the Maine coast vibes.
The Lighthouse at Whitehead Island, Maine - women’s writing retreat
THE RETREAT
August 6 - 11, 2023
(session is full)
For anyone who has yearned for the sounds and tastes and smells of the Maine Coast. For anyone who has wanted to explore a lighthouse. For anyone who wants to drink coffee, reflect and write from an Adirondack chair perched on the porch of a classic New England Lighthouse on the Atlantic shores. For anyone who thinks morning yoga, writing, yummy food, good company, walking and swimming and kayaking…
Reconnecting to Your Creative Genius; a day-long retreat
A day-long retreat infused with yoga, writing, voice, painting, and the natural world.
WOW June 2023 First Sunday: Character Excavation with Rahla Xenopoulos
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT/EXCAVATION:
In order to engage the reader a writer needs to have engaging characters. We have to write them with insight and authenticity, and, to do that, we need to have intimate insights into their lives. Join me as you abandon your pesky inner critic and explore your character's back story, loves, motivations, traumas, and triumphs. Bring a pen, paper and an open heart.
ABOUT RAHLA:
Rahla Xenopoulos is the author of “A Memoir of Love and Madness.’ (Random House) and the novels ‘Bubbles’ (Penguin), ‘Tribe’ (Penguin) and ‘The Season of Glass’ (Penguin).
She has published short stories in the anthologies ‘Women Flashing’, ‘Twist’, ‘Just Keep Breathing’, and ‘The Lockdown Collection’. She has written for The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Oprah Magazine. Her latest book, The Season of Glass was a finalist for the Sunday Times Literary Awards.
Rahla was one of thirty-four South African women profiled in ‘The Power Within Companion’. She gives talks on mental health and empowerment, as well as hosting workshops that focus on health and personal inspiration.
She gives writing workshops to underprovided children and is on the boards of SA-Yes and Short Story Day Africa.
Rahla teaches writing in South Africa, as well as in Greece and New York, both privately and with The Westport Writers’ Workshop. She has worked with both experienced writers and novices from all over the world.
In an ideal world Rahla would have a broad mind and a narrow waist but failing the narrow waist she’ll just settle for the broad mind.
Rahla lives in New York with her husband and teenage triplets.
learn more at: http://rahlaxenopoulos.com/
Tuscany, Italy Writing Retreat
May 20 — May 27, 2023
(session is full)
Tuscany is where it all began for Wide Open Writing. This small winery nestled in the hills of the Chianti Colli Senesi is the location of our seventh retreat in the area. And even though wonderful retreats in other countries have been added to our resume, going back to Tuscany for the past seven years has kept on being a real treat…
The Writer’s Residency
Tuscany, Italy
May 20 — May 27, 2023
(session is full)
The Wide Open Writing Writers Residency is open to writers who have previously attended a Wide Open Writing Retreat. You can join us as a resident, coming to yoga and dinner and evening salon and using the rest of your time to write write write while breathing in the Tuscan vibes.
WOW May 2023 First Sunday with Ammi Midstokke
There’s something about nature that transports us to another realm of existence, one in which we are both acutely aware of our interconnectedness and our insignificance. Our eyes and minds suddenly perceive millions of tiny, overlooked miracles. Have you ever really looked at a piece of granite or the millennial growth of lichen? How does it get so bright in an otherwise monochromatic landscape? Lichen is the party decor of the otherwise serious alpine terrain.
On this early May day, we’ll explore how nature awakens our senses to a more keenly perceived world and how existing in that space delivers the writer from even the most reluctant soul.
Ammi’s new book All the Things is available for pre-order at Latah Books. Get your copy reserved and support independent publishing!
Good reading and good karma in the same click.
Join me Sunday, May 7th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm (EST) via Zoom:
First Sunday - April 2023 - Dear WOW
Dear WOW:
A Council of Elders Writing Advice Event!
April 2, 2023
2-4 pm (EST)
via Zoom
Here’s a fun idea:
Anyone who has been to one of our retreats in the past 5 years or so has had the option of The Council of Elders as one of the many resources now available to them as an official WOWser. And one of the fun facts about The Council of Elders is that it was born at one of our retreats, just like so many things that have become staples of our creative menu.
So as we prepare to seed our Spring creative lives, let’s do so with the wisdom of all that we’ve gathered from our years alone and together about what it takes to live a rich and rewarding creative life.
We’ll spend a couple of hours on Sunday, April 2, online with the WOW Band, answering questions around the circle. Questions can range from “pencil or pen or laptop?” to "what should I name my new cat?” to "where do I go with a plot that won’t gel?”. We're our own little WOWipedia with the positive results to prove it. Pam now writes in a She Shack, Tanya went to grad school and wrote a book, Alicia came to Tuscany and quit her job. Getting advice from a variety of sources all gathered together with the intention of giving you their best thoughts is kind of like a free treasure.
NOTE: Please send your question(s) ahead of time, to dearwideopenwriting@gmail.com.
The Opening the Heart Workshop
THE OPENING THE HEART WORKSHOP
Endorsed by The Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation
with Linda Aranda Belliveau, Al DeGroot, Judy Kushner De-Groot, Lee Perlman and Staff
The Opening the Heart (OTH) approach to emotional health is holistic, and includes mind, body, and spirit. Taught for 45 years, it is a unique blend of positive psychology, ancient and modern practices, and simple kindness. The workshop exercises are experiential to help you:
· Work through personal blocks and hurts
· Let go of pieces of the past and move ahead
· Reconnect with your own core truths about your life
· Deepen your experience of self-respect and self-love
In this safe setting, guided by a team of highly trained staff, hearts can begin to relax, pain eases, connection is nurtured and inspiration invited. The conditions at the workshop are right for the light of your own heart to shine. This will help you see your way forward from here.
Cost: $135.000; lunch included and snacks included
To register, please email us at: staff@openingtheheartworkshop.com
COVid Policy: As of right now, our group size will be limited to allow more open space. Participants need to show proof of vaccination per Ferry Beach’s policy. Masks are optional in the workshop space, but are required on campus.
To learn more about OTH & presenters, go to: www.openingtheheartworkshop.com
The Quinn Alexandra Scholarship deadline
Due Date: March 15, 2023
The QA Scholarship will allow one womxn per year to choose from any of the upcoming retreats listed on the WOW website. A letter stating how receiving this scholarship would benefit your art, your mental health, your desire to travel and write, and the way in which you will pay it forward in your community once home (i.e., set up a writing group, volunteer work, mentor a young writer) will serve as your application. So send us your application by March 15, so as to set this next chapter of your life in supported creative motion.
WOW First Sunday with Pam Dumlao
March First Sunday:
Writing Through Your Senses
with Pam Dumlao
March 5, 2023
2-4 pm (EST)
via Zoom
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
January 14 - 20, 2023
(session is full)
Mexico – the land of love. We’ve loved and been loved in Mexico before, but the Oaxaca coast is like no other place in Mexico – a string of beach towns and fishing villages with a laid-back boho-hippy vibe is an ideal location to catch our collective breaths and the right environment in which to gather the words that want so much to be born.
WOW First Sunday welcomes Dawn Brockett
Whether you ambitiously set detailed New Year’s resolutions or actively avoid the practice, the changing of the calendar year is a natural time to check in with where you find yourself on your journey—what is working, what is not, what you’d like more of, less of, none of—what you’d like to change in order to move closer to where you want to be.
Change requires movement, and movement requires space.
WOW First Sunday welcomes Pam Dumlao
REFLECTION --
"Time spent on self-reflection is never wasted. It is an intimate date with yourself.'
This time of year lends itself to spending some time reflecting upon the year past. Post-COVID, sort of. Are things more normal? Has normal changed for you? Recently, I've found myself craving memories of and reminiscing about earlier days. Of marriage, of being a parent, of my personal evolution or transformation, my writing journey, and the like. Reflecting on the past to try to see the future even if the future is just tomorrow.
WOW First Sunday welcomes Nancy Coleman
“We all have at least one book hiding in the body.”
–Ceci Miller-Kridsberg
How can love be written without words? Grief? Rage? Even when we don’t have words, our bodies are suffused with feelings. Even when we don’t know what to call them, our bodies send out endless signals which our minds then proceed to name, narrate, and explain. I’m sad, because I miss someone, was hurt by someone, regret something…I’m scared because of what I’m scared of…I’m so excited about that concert we’re going to.
In this First Sunday WOW experience, we’ll explore the nitty gritty of experience as the body knows it. We’ll explore how writing is enhanced by focusing on the many languages of the body, where endless sensations, colors, textures and images can be discovered when we learn how to look in their direction and as we come to believe what we find there.
Washington DC — Harvest Weekend
WOW’s Autumn Heart-fest Mini-Retreat
Sunday, October 30, 2022, 12:00 - 5:00 pm
with additional excursions available
Donation Basis— small to generous amounts accepted!
For four days, Wide Open Writing will set up camp in the beautiful and historic Josephine Butler Parks Center to gift community members with pop-up writing sessions, participation in Harvest Fest gatherings, a Day of the Dead processional, and opportunities for salon readings, tacos, and various tricks and treats.
Community activities begin: Saturday morning October 29 with Washington Parks & People’s Harvest Fest and continue through the weekend.
Art and Movement
Music and Spoken Word
Rhythm Drum Circle
Nature Sacred
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Refreshments
KINDRED SPIRITS and CREATIVITY
You know you want to come! Read more and donate/register!
WOW First Sunday
WOW First Sunday welcomes Eline van Wieren
Eline van Wieren leads Wide Open Writing First Sunday in how to use your many (non)talents in your writing.
During our retreats, we sometimes do what we call a Talent(less) Night. For one night only, all the writers at the retreat get to showcase something cool they know how to do (or not do). These evenings are always hilarious and they are a great reminder that none of us are just one thing. We are writers, boat rope knotters, pig latin speakers, kalimba players, hair braiders, florists... The list goes on and on and it all fits in this one body we have.
For this WOW First Sunday Session, Eline van Wieren will bring some of the Talent(less) Night magic to zoom in the form of a writing session. Eline is a writer from the Netherlands. She studied Creative Writing and is currently working on her debut novel. Her work has been published in multiple literary magazines and on online platforms. Eline is also training to become a holistic massage therapist. She loves finding ways to incorporate the body into the story. The words may come from our brain, but the rest of it lives in our limbs, butts and belly.
Read more and register for free via Eventbrite or join us via this Zoom link
WOW First Sunday
WOW First Sunday welcomes Dulcie Witman
Dulcie Witman leads Wide Open Writing First Sunday in Telling the Story that only You can Write
Character
Setting
Plot
Let’s come together and tear up the page with curiosity combined with loving kindness. Writers often have the stories they’re working on (in their heads and on the page) and then there’s this other one, the one that has been hidden under a rock, behind a door that’s stuck shut. Let’s spend these couple of hours together giving light and air and print to that story.
With typical humor and inspiration, Dulcie will lead us down this path to Telling the Story that Only You Can Write.
Read more and register for free via Eventbrite or join us via this Zoom link
The Lighthouse Sessions (Women)
A Women’s Retreat “To The Lighthouse” in Maine
August 21-August 27, 2022
“. . . For anyone who has yearned for the sounds and tastes and smells of the Maine Coast. For anyone who has wanted to explore a lighthouse. For anyone who wants to drink coffee, reflect and write from an Adirondack chair perched on the porch of a classic New England Lighthouse on the Atlantic shores. For anyone who thinks morning yoga, writing, yummy food, good company, walking and swimming and kayaking and laughing and crying and more writing is what you’ve been seeking – well this is the writing retreat for you. . .”
Join us as we sail “To the Lighthouse”. Click HERE for more details.