Our first untutored retreat of 2019 – the Spring Retreat – just finished today with very un-spring like weather! This was more than made up for by the crackling open fires with the daily tea and cake. Participants managed to get much writing done as well as getting out for walks each day between showers. One intrepid writer even enjoyed a bracing dip under a gushing waterfall!
We are delighted to announce the addition of a poetry course – Getting Poems Done, 23rd – 28th September, tutored by the inspirational Roger Robinson. Steve Ely is the mid-week guest, so book your places quick as this is one that is sure to sell out!
We are delighted to tell you our 2019 courses and untutored retreats are filling up quickly. All you need is the £150 deposit to secure a place on the course of your choice. Don’t miss out, there are only eight places on each course and seven on untutored retreats, so get that place booked!
Novelist Stephanie Butland loves The Garsdale Retreat and uses it for her residential writing retreats for anyone who is writing fiction. Her friendly, focussed courses are for writers of all levels of experience. Writers who have been on her retreats describe them as “transformative,” “amazing,” and “the best writing course I’ve ever been on”.
Stephanie is running three retreats with us this year for which there are still places available:
Work On Your Fiction is all about storytelling as craft. It focuses on the shapes of the stories we tell, and how we choose to tell them. We’ll talk about writing scenes effectively, bringing characters to life, point of view, voice, getting unstuck, and much more! This course has been attended by people who are wondering if they want to/could write at all, people who are stuck, and people who have completed novels and want to make them better.
Work On Your Fiction dates:
– Thursday February 21st 4pm-Tuesday February 26th 10am
– Thursday 29 August 4pm- Tuesday 3 September 10am
Character and Dialogue in Fiction. We’ll cover: how to create believable characters that we root for (and probably partly dislike); how character and plot drive each other; how the world of the novel works to support and challenge the characters we create. And we’ll work on writing dialogue that feels authentic while being meaningful, and finding the voice and lexicon for our characters.
Character and Dialogue in Fiction dates:
Monday 9 December 4pm – Saturday 14 December 10am.
If you’d like more details or to book, please contact Stephanie directly via email – stephaniesnowdrop@gmail.com
Check out our exciting and inspiring 2018 courses, tutored retreats and untutored retreats on Wednesday 1st November.
Whilst still offering a broad selection of poetry courses, we have extended our range to include courses on: Writing for Children, Play Writing, Song Making, Crime Fiction, Memoirs and Novel Writing.
Don’t miss out on a place – bookings open 9.30am!
Now is the winter of your full content. Indulge yourself with log fires, mulled wine, outstanding food and the space to write.
Leave behind the distractions and stress of daily life to concentrate on kick-starting, developing or finishing a writing project.
Enjoy excellent, locally sourced food in simple, comfortable accommodation and marvel in the remote beauty of The Yorkshire Dales.