Finding the Story: The Aegean Writing Retreat 18

Finding the Story: The Aegean Writing Retreat

Some stories take time.
Some stories need distance.
Some stories need another person to help us see them clearly.
And some stories are worth coming home to.

Come to Efes Linden House, our guesthouse in Çamlık, a peaceful Aegean village just outside Selçuk and minutes from Ephesus. We created Finding the Story for writers who want to step away from ordinary life, immerse themselves in their work, and devote meaningful time to a project that has been waiting for them.

Whether you are writing a book, dissertation, article, memoir, or another sustained work of writing, everyone has a story to tell. You don't have to know exactly what your story is before you arrive. That's part of what you are coming here to discover. You may arrive with research notes, part of a chapter, or a complete typescript—or simply a compelling idea that won't let you go.

Capacity: minimum 3, maximum 5 participants.

Educators and Mentors: Bring a group of (3-4) students to the retreat and your registration fee is waived. You will also receive complimentary room and board and a stipend.

Serving the Story

All writing tells a story, even if it is as short a story as these six words attributed to Hemingway: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." 

Where should a story begin? What does the reader need to know—and when? What belongs on the page, and what might be better left unsaid? These questions apply to all writing. Meg believes: “A good piece of writing is like a good meal. You begin with appetizers; you don't serve dessert first. You don't give your reader the main argument without preparing them.” 

A Rhythm, not a Timetable

The day can bend around the work. Some days you may need solitude. Other days you may want conversation, feedback, a long walk, a change of landscape. The goal is not to keep you busy; the goal is to help you make progress on the work you came to do. Our retreats offer structure without rigidity. A typical day might look like this:

Tea and coffee around the clock.
Morning: breakfast in the dining room, front porch, or garden as you choose. 
Private writing time anywhere you like in the building or garden.
Late morning: Individual consultations with Meg.
Early afternoon: Spinach-and-cheese börek or gözleme to nibble on wherever you are working.
Afternoon: Writing, revision, or an excursion to Selçuk, Ephesus, Artemis’s Temple, St. John’s Basilica, or a beach in Pamucak or Kuşadası.
Dinner: Turkish/Aegean food served in the garden, dining room, or on the terrace depending on the season.

Retreats will be offered throughout the year. Their nature will change depending on the participants. In some cases a group of four writers may come with a mentor who would be organizing their stay. Please pick two retreat periods you prefer. We will confirm the one that fills first with a minimum of three participants.

2026 retreats

October 2–9
October 16–23
October 30–November 6
November 13–20
November 27–December 4
December 11–18
December 25–January 1, 2027

2027 retreats

January 8–15
January 22–29
February 5–12
February 19–26
March 5–12
March 19–26
April 2–9
April 16–23
April 30–May 7
May 14–21
May 28–June 4
June 11–18
June 25–July 2
July 9–16
July 23–30
August 6–13
August 20–27
September 3–10
September 17–24
October 1–8
October 15–22
October 29–November 5
November 12–19
November 26–December 3
December 10–17
December 24–31

A retreat is confirmed when a minimum of three participants has registered. We believe that giving your writing a week of concentrated time can produce meaningful results and make the journey worth your while. If your work calls for more time, you are welcome to arrange a longer stay, with the retreat fee adjusted accordingly.

Working With Meg

Meg is a published writer, professional editor, former university instructor, and writing coach. Her role goes beyond correcting sentences. She has spent decades helping writers and scholars develop their work. In a private consultation she can help you conceptualize and clarify your thoughts, organize and strengthen what you are trying to say, and return to your work with fresh eyes.

Writing in an Ancient Landscape

Efes Linden House is surrounded by a landscape layered with ancient history, mythology, archaeology, architecture, and contemporary Turkish life. Our excursions are about more than sightseeing. They are opportunities to look closely, observe, imagine, and gather material. Rather than simply touring Ephesus, for example, you might spend a day “Writing the Ruins: A Creative Day at Ephesus.” You may find yourself making notes in the shadow of ancient ruins, walking through a village, strolling on the Aegean shore, and returning to your desk after a day filled with new impressions.

Çamlık for solitude.
Selçuk for culture.
Ephesus for inspiration.

A Place to Begin Again

“After nearly 40 years of teaching writing and working as an academic editor in the United States, I came to Çamlık to begin a new chapter of my own life. Now I want to offer other writers a place to begin—or return to—a chapter of their own.” — Meg

Efes Linden House is not a resort. It is a small guesthouse in a village where ordinary life continues around us: Turkish tea, village streets, birdsong, olive, fig, and grape orchards, the call to prayer, and the changing light on the Aegean Sea. Come if you have something to say and can't quite figure out how to say it. Come if a project has been sitting on the back burner. Come if you need time. Allow yourself the luxury of time to create. Come home to your work.  

To see images of where you’ll be living and working, please visit our Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/efeslindenhouse/