The Location

Situated just outside of quiet, idyllic Waynesville, NC, Boyd Mountain is mere minutes from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and just a few miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Waynesville has been a favorite mountain retreat since the early 1800’s. Even before the railroad made it easy to get here, visitors flocked to Waynesville for the cool, clean air and water, outstanding scenery, and an opportunity to escape sweltering cities. 

Dating back 150 to 200 years, the gorgeous Boyd Mountain Log Cabins have been carefully restored and tastefully furnished with antiques and modern conveniences, providing a serene escape with breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains. We look forward to writing pages with you and immersing ourselves in the history of these unique structures built into some of the oldest mountains in the world (200-300 million years old).

The Cost

Price includes 6 nights at the Boyd Mountain Cabins, all workshop fees, group transportation by private coach to and from Asheville airport, breakfast, lunch, and dinner (including wine in the evenings), and optional daily yoga.

Single w/ private bath- $4,000

Double w/ private bath - $3,500

To secure your spot, select from the available lodging options and make your deposit. The remainder will be invoiced 90 days prior to the retreat.

Writing in the Mountains: what the Smokies have to say…

The Smoky Mountains are calling us. We heard them whisper through the chilled breeze: Come spend time in the embrace and the glory of my curves and hard edges, of my trails and hidden waterfalls. I will remain wide open to your creativity, to hearing your stories, to sharing your laughter and your tears, and to connecting you with me, the mountain earth.

The Retreat

Wide Open Writing retreats focus not just on writing, but on honing the art of creating, solidifying, living, and maintaining the creative life. With daily morning yoga, two writing workshops per day, one-on-one sessions, and a fabulous evening salon, we offer a space that breeds creativity and transformation.

Through this creative-life changing program, we will abandon ourselves to all that the majesty of the mountains have to offer, making space and opportunity to break away from the routines that form ‘regular’ life. You’ll have the chance to connect with your senses and broaden your horizons as a writer—and then take that all home with you to bake into your everyday life.

You don’t need to bring a novel plot or an exact idea of what you want to be writing. We will be working with prompts designed to help you find your story. But if you do have a project in mind, our daily writing and feedback sessions will allow you to enrich your manuscript-in-progress. In either case, you’ll be moving toward the power and the passion of your art. Our model for feedback is designed to empower what is strong and authentic in your writing, helping you move your work forward meaningfully.

Cancellation Policy

Deposits and full payments are non-refundable.

If you have any questions about whether or not this retreat is for you, please contact us. We would be happy to answer your questions or even put you in touch with a past participant.