Join Allison K Williams & Tiffany Yates Martin in France and get the guidance you need to write a publishable book. For memoirists, novelists and essayists, an immersive experience with craft talks and exercises to guide your work, live-editing to show the writing techniques in action, and one-to-one coaching to reach the heart of your story and plan your publishing path.
About this course:
Most days will begin with a craft lesson, focusing on a key element of writing craft or story structure. You’ll have guided writing time to apply the lesson to your own pages, plus experience live-editing, an interactive process of identifying your best work on the page and where to level up with specific, purposeful revision techniques.
Craft lessons will include discussion of strong scenes, dramatic structure, using twists and reveals, backstory, characters’ inner life (including memoir narrators!), and the set-ups and pay-offs of powerful storytelling, and will be tailored to the writers present and your goals.
After lunch, take time to apply the morning lessons to your manuscript, or generate new work. Our afternoons will also include Office Hours, for one-to-one talks, including reviewing pages, personal live-editing, or talk about your writing career.
Two of our lunches will also include discussions on publishing and marketing, to get a sense of who your readers are and how to reach them.
Creative Writing Retreat with Allison K Williams & Tiffany Yates Martin
Class time & publishing talks: 12.5 hours
Each writer will also have at least one personal coaching meeting, and of course casual conversations with our teachers throughout the course
Saturday
4.00 – Check-in time from 4pm onwards
Guests arrive, settle in and explore Clos Mirabel.
6.00 – Welcome drinks and dinner, with discussion of goals for the week to come.
Sunday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – 10.00 Orientation & Goal-Setting for our time together
10.00 – 11.00 Craft Talk: Dramatic Structure & applying the lesson to your writing
Dramatic structure drives powerful stories. Learn what structures best support memoirs, novels, essays and collections, how to work with and against dramatic structure, and how to use structure to plan your book, shape your revisions, and increase the impact of your story.
11.00 – 12.00 Live-Editing: First Pages
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Scheduled one-on-one meetings; free time to write individually or with like-minded course participants
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Monday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – 10.00 Q&A with Allison & Tiffany – bring your craft & publishing questions!
10.00 – 11.00 Craft Talk: Inner Life & applying the lesson to your writing.
Allowing readers to understand what’s going on inside your character is what makes a story immediate, direct, and vivid. In this workshop, using published and real-world examples, we’ll explore guidelines and principles for letting readers be privy to the inner workings of your characters’ lives without bogging your story down in interiority, and bringing readers more deeply into their direct experience – the heart of a satisfying story and character journey.
11.00 – 12.00 Live-Editing: Inner Life Scenes
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Clos Mirabel & Publishing Paths Talk
2.30 – 4.30 Scheduled one-on-one meetings; free time to write individually or with like-minded course participants
6.00 – Tasting of local wines, followed by 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Tuesday
8.30 – 9.15 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – Depart for a half day in the mountains (gentle or intermediate hike) or simply relaxing in inspiring landscape: lunch in a local village restaurant and generative writing en plein air – bring your notebook – Transport provided.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House
Non-writing partners are welcome to join, and non-hikers can enjoy the views from the picnic area.
Please note this programme may be subject to change depending on the weather.
Please ensure you bring sensible walking shoes, layers, waterproof jacket, water bottle, sunscreen and a hat.
Wednesday – Open Inspiration Day (Lunch is not provided)
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
Free time to explore Pau or beyond. The Clos Mirabel team is available to provide suggestions and organise transport.
6.00 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Thursday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – 10.00 Q&A with Allison & Tiffany – bring your craft & publishing questions!
10.00 – 11.00 Craft Talk: Midpoint Reversal & applying the lesson to your writing
The middle of your manuscript is where everything changes. An answered question reveals a deeper question; a quest achieved turns out to be only a first step; the protagonist got what they wanted but doesn’t want what they got. This key scene renews energy for the characters, the reader and the author, and clarifies your dramatic arc.
11.00 – 12.00 Live-Editing: Midpoint Scenes
1.00 – 2.30 Lunch at Clos Mirabel & Finding Your Readers Talk
2.30 – 4.30 Scheduled one-on-one meetings; free time to write individually or with like-minded course participants
6.30 – Aperitifs before 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Friday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet breakfast of local and regional produce
9.30 – 10.00 Q&A with Allison & Tiffany – bring your craft & publishing questions!
10.00 – 11.00 Craft Talk: Secrets, Twists and Reveals & applying the lesson to your writing
Secrets and surprises create some of the most memorable moments of your story. Learn how to give readers enough information to feel invested while holding back enough to keep them hooked, and how and where to create revelations for maximum suspense and impact.
11.00 – 12.00 Live-Editing: Endings
1.00 – 2.00 Lunch at Clos Mirabel
2.00 – 4.00 Scheduled one-on-one meetings; free time to write individually or with like-minded course participants
6.30 – Reading Night: share your work over aperitifs and 4 course dinner in the Manor House or on the terrace
Saturday
8.30 – 9.30 Buffet Breakfast and departure (Check-out 11am)
Non-Writing Guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-writing guests, accompanying partners, family or friends. There are plenty of activities to experience around Clos Mirabel, that will make your holiday unforgettable Click here for more information.
The Creative Studio offers a spacious open plan layout of 75 m2. It is available at all times during your stay. Click here for more information.
