How do you take a break from writing and keep writing at the same time?
Writing is hard work. We spend long days and nights crafting stories, and no matter how prolific or dedicated we are, the moments of burnout or writer’s block are inevitable. Sometimes, we power through those blocks and finish our work. Sometimes, we don’t. We want to write, but our ideas feel stale. We wait for a burst of creativity to align with a pocket of free time that feels like it will never arrive, and we end up blinking in frustration at blank pages and screens.
Sometimes, we just want someone else to tell us what to write.
Tell Me What to Write! is a prompt-based writing retreat created and led by Helena Clare Pittman. This retreat is for you if
- You want to take a vacation from your typical writing practice or stalled work-in-progress;
- You want to explore new territory using thoughtful prompts designed to get you digging into your memory to uncover experiences you’ve never written about before;
- You want to balance an immersive writing experience with your regular schedule over the course of one week, with new prompts in your inbox each morning and guidance from a seasoned writer and teacher who can help you go deeper into every flash of revelation you put to the page;
- You’re comfortable with, or willing to open yourself up to, writing with no preconceived goals except to open the doors the prompts provide and write the stories you find behind them.
By the end of the week, you’ll have explored new and surprising depths to create five short pieces of writing, received supportive feedback from your retreat cohort and mentor, and strengthened your practice of seeking inspiration, ideas, and points of entry for stories and essays.
Here’s how it will work:
A one-on-one introductory 20-minute phone call or Zoom with Helena, scheduled at a mutually convenient time in the week leading up to the first group Zoom.
Sunday, October 25: All registrants attend a 90-minute evening Zoom. Registrants can introduce themselves to one another, and Helena will go over the format and schedule for the rest of the week, explain the concept of using prompts to open portals into memory, and lead a short writing exercise. At the conclusion of this Zoom, Helena will invite each registrant to sign up for a 30-minute midweek check-in call on Wednesday.
Monday, October 26: The first of five daily writing prompts will arrive by email first thing in the morning. Writers work according to their own schedules to respond to the prompt.
Tuesday, October 27: The second of five daily writing prompts will arrive by email first thing in the morning. Writers work according to their own schedules to respond to the prompt.
Wednesday, October 28: The third of five daily writing prompts will arrive by email first thing in the morning. Writers work according to their own schedules to respond to the prompt. Additionally, Helena will check in with each registrant individually by phone or Zoom to discuss their progress and answer any questions. (She will also be available by email to address any concerns that arise before or after the Wednesday check-in).
Thursday, October 29: The fourth of five daily writing prompts will arrive by email first thing in the morning. Writers work according to their own schedules to respond to the prompt.
Friday, October 30: The last of five daily writing prompts will arrive by email first thing in the morning. Writers work according to their own schedules to respond to the prompt.
Saturday, October 31: Registrants will post one of the five writings completed during the retreat week to Wet Ink for the rest of the cohort to read in advance of the evening’s 90-minute share Zoom, during which each registrant will both read from their own work and provide supportive feedback to other registrants (registrants will also post their brief feedback to one another on Wet Ink before the end of Saturday). Helena will discuss how nearly anything can become a writing prompt, how portals into our memories are all around us, and how to practice looking for them. The retreat week officially concludes at the end of this Zoom.
Optional: A 30-minute post-retreat call or Zoom with Helena to discuss next steps, if writers want to continue working with her at a discounted registration rate.
Are you ready to open doors you’ve never opened before, writer? Register for Tell Me What to Write!
