My new podcast, Your Writing Retreat Connection, is now live! I'm thrilled to finally launch it.
You can listen to the first episode here:
Or find it on one of these podcast apps:
Your Writing Retreat Connection podcast
I created this podcast to build a vibrant writing retreat community where writers and aspiring authors discover retreats to help you reach your writing and publishing goals faster. And where writing retreat hosts get actionable advice on creating retreats that wow your guests.
Each week I'll be talking to a writing retreat host, a writer who has attended a writing retreat, or a writing retreat venue owner. And at least once a month I'll offer tips and advice on how to plan and host a successful writing retreat.
In this trailer episode, I introduce myself so you can get to know me and the reason I’m doing this a bit better.
In the fall of 2019, I started looking for writing retreats. I had quit running my business several years before to focus on writing full time and was at a point where I needed a few days away to focus solely on developing the characters and plot for a series I was planning.
But when I searched for writing retreats online, I mainly got links to blog posts with titles like “The Fifty Best Writing Retreats for 2020.” Fifty?? I started looking at each one in the list and trying to remember details for each. By the time I reached number ten, I gave up.
I looked at the next link in the search results. A "manageable" twenty-two retreats to look at haha. I really wanted to find a retreat, but I was so frustrated at not being able to easily see which ones fit my needs.
Being the process geek I am, I started a spreadsheet to compare them. Given the number of retreats listed, It was incredibly painful and time-consuming. In the meantime, I found a couple of directory sites, but one was for retreats of all types and didn’t have many writing retreats. And one that was just for writing retreats had a few filters, but they weren't helpful to easily narrow the options.
Unfortunately, as soon as I found a couple I wanted to attend, the whole world literally shut down due to the COVID pandemic. But, I had a lot of time on my hands and I thought if I had this problem, other writers did, too.
So I decided to create the Writing Retreat Directory to save others from experiencing the wasted time and frustration that I did. And because of my entrepreneurial background, I started seeing ways I could help writing retreat hosts with their business.
I’m a middle child of six kids so I’ve always been a connector in my personal and professional lives. This podcast allows me to go beyond what I’m doing with the Writing Retreat Directory and connect different aspects of writing retreats in one place.
I don’t want writers to just see the retreats on the Directory - I want them to get to know about the retreats and the people behind them through interviews with the hosts and other writers. I don’t want writing retreat hosts to just think about potential guests in abstract terms. I want them to hear how writers view attending a writing retreat - in their own voice.
And by interviewing owners of venues that cater to writing retreats, hosts can get a better understanding of the types of places available to hold their amazing writing retreats.
I've already created a series on Instagram to help writing retreat hosts plan a writing retreat. In the monthly solo episodes, I’ll select a topic from the series and expand on it more.
Well, that’s a pretty good overview of who I am and why I’m doing this. I hope this will be a go-to podcast for you for all things writing retreat.
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Have you checked out the Writing Retreat Directory yet?
If you're a writer who's looking for a writing retreat to attend, or a writing retreat host who wants to get their writing retreat in front of more writers, click the Find a Retreat or Promote Your Retreat menu links to find writing retreats from around the world and be able to choose a plan to list your own writing retreat.
Get the latest information about promoting, planning, or finding a writing retreat.
- Writing Retreat Hosts Community Facebook Group (for current and aspiring writing retreat hosts)
- On Instagram @writingretreatdirectory
- On Facebook @writingretreatdirectory
- On LinkedIn @writingretreatdirectory
If you enjoyed the show, please click the plus or follow button in your podcast player so you can get notified of new episodes that come out every Tuesday. Thanks and have a great week!