Escape.  Create.  Connect.

Discover the perfect writing retreat to fuel your creativity and recharge your passion.

Whether you join us virtually from the comfort of your home, immerse yourself in the beauty of the United States, or explore breathtaking destinations like Scotland and Paris, our retreats are designed to inspire and transform your writing journey. With three unique retreats each year, who knows where we’ll go next? Let’s write your story together.

A young woman with curly hair drinking coffee while working on her laptop in a coffee shop, wearing earphones and casual clothes.

VIRTUAL

Attend online from anywhere in the world.

Join us each January for:

  • 4 days of virtual workshops, writing sprints, encouragement, & more!

An aerial view of a historic castle on a small island connected by a bridge, surrounded by water and greenery.

OVERSEAS

Immerse yourself in breathtaking locations.

Join us in:

  • Inverness & Loch Ness, Scotland

  • Senlis & Paris, France

  • And more!

A secluded cove with turquoise water crashing against rocky cliffs, a small waterfall flowing into the ocean, and a sandy beach, with dense greenery on the cliffs and a soft sunset sky in the background.

STATESIDE

Get inspired by new places throughout the U.S.

  • Cambria, California

  • The Smoky Mountains

  • Savannah, Georgia

  • Hollywood, California

  • And more!

Scenic view of a mountain lake seen through a rustic wooden window, with boats floating on the water and snow-capped peaks in the background.

The retreats vary between MUSE (heavy writing time), MENTOR (heavy mentorship), and MASTERY (heavy craft teaching).

And because we believe experiences lend as much to creativity as teaching, each location is specifically chosen with an atmosphere in mind. From beautiful chateaus to old world hotels, from the seaside to the smoky mountains, every retreat is set to inspire.

Upcoming Retreats

New York, April 13-18, 2026

Collage of images promoting a wellness and empowerment retreat in New York, including scenes of a city skyline, an elegant interior, a swimming pool, a woman writing, candles, a scenic outdoor view, and people engaging in activities.

EPIPHANY: A Writing Wellness & Empowerment retreat on a New York estate

Learn more

Coming Soon!

Previous Retreats

Scotland

Hollywood

Savannah

France

Past Retreats

  • A collage featuring the Eiffel Tower in Paris, flaky almond-topped pastries on a wooden tray, a patio with red umbrellas and outdoor dining tables, and a text overlay with the word 'RÊVERIE' and a description of a charming French countryside retreat.

    Senlis, France

    REVERIE: A Writing Muse Retreat

  • A collage of scenes from Scotland including a historic castle, a steam train crossing a viaduct, and a row of vintage books, with a text overlay promoting a luxury holiday set in the Scottish Highlands.

    Inverness, Scotland

    LORE

  • Collage featuring a woman in a red dress, a sunset view of palm trees in Los Angeles, an ornate hotel interior with chandeliers, and a promotional poster for a writing retreat called 'Gilded' at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Hollywood.

    Hollywood, California

    GILDED: A Writing Mastery Retreat

  • A collage of four images depicting a dessert with strawberries and flowers, a cathedral, vintage typewriter keys, and pinkish flowers, with the word 'Savannah' in the center.

    Savannah, Georgia

    SPELLBOUND

  • Collage of Myrtle Beach scenes including a person holding a tropical drink on the beach, a person typing on a laptop with a beach in the background, empty beach chairs and umbrellas, and flowers surrounding a typewriter, with a central text overlay reading 'Myrtle Beach.'

    Myrtle Beach

    FALL IN LOVE WITH WRITING

  • A collage of four images depicting Cambria: ocean waves crashing against rocks, lush green rolling hills, bright orange flowers, and a laptop on a desk with potted cacti and a mirror.

    Cambria, California

    WRITING FROM THE SOUL

  • Collage of four images with a central green banner reading 'Smoky Mountains'. The top left shows a forest path with autumn leaves, the top right is a cup of cappuccino, the bottom left is a cozy cabin bedroom with bamboo walls and fairy lights, and the bottom right is an open book and a cup of coffee on a bed.

    Smoky Mountains

    NURTURE THE SOUL

Attend a Retreat, Collect the Fridge Magnets for Each!

  • An illustration featuring the Eiffel Tower with trees in autumn colors, a pink bicycle with a basket of flowers, a croissant, a book, and a cloud-filled sky, with text promoting a writer's sanctuary retreat in Paris.

    Paris, France

  • Illustration of Savannah, Georgia, featuring historic buildings, blooming flowers, peaches, books, and a refreshing drink, promoting a writer's sanctuary retreat.

    Savannah, Georgia

  • A colorful illustrated poster of Scotland featuring a castle on a hill, a river with a dragon, mountains, and autumn trees, with a cup of tea and books in the foreground.

    Inverness, Scotland

  • Illustration of Myrtle Beach with a Ferris wheel, high-rise buildings, a beach, umbrellas, people, a sailboat, and a drink with lemon slices.

    Myrtle Beach

  • Illustration of a coastal scene in Cambria, California, featuring a beach, waves, cliffs, houses, trees, and colorful flowers in the foreground, with seagulls flying in the sky.

    Cambria, California

  • Poster for The Great Smoky Mountains, a writer's sanctuary retreat, featuring illustrated mountains, trees with autumn foliage, a setting sun, a notebook with a pen, a bowl with marshmallows, and colorful flowers.

    Smoky Mountains

  • Illustration of Hollywood sign with palm trees, red stage curtains, and film equipment including lights and a camera, creating a cinematic Hollywood scene.

    Hollywood, California

  • Illustration of Nashville city skyline with buildings, moon, clouds, and leaves at the top. There is an acoustic guitar on an open book at the bottom left, and musical notes at the bottom right. Text reads "Nashville - A Writer's Sanctuary Retreat."

    Nashville, TN

Close-up of a woman with wavy reddish-brown hair, light skin, and makeup including red lipstick and eye makeup, looking at the camera with a slight smile.

“TWS events are amazing, and I always learn something new. I love that they teach things many conferences do not and that the presenters are open and honest in their teachings and discussions. There’s plenty of humor and everyone is accepting and friendly. Ten out of ten. Will attend events again!”

~Joan Stradling

What We Offer:

A vertical bookmark with a dark teal circle at the top, containing the text "Writing Retreats" in large beige letters, and a beige pointed tip below.
A vertical bookmark-shaped sign with a teal circle at the top, containing the text "Writing Courses" in bold beige letters.
A vertical badge with a circular top that says "6-12 Month Mentorships" in large beige letters on a dark teal background.
A vertical badge with a dark green top section that says "Writing Contests" in large beige letters.
Badge with a dark teal background, gold border, and the text 'Writing Society' in bold gold letters.
Logo for Teen Author Institute with a dark teal background and tan text.

F.A.Q.s

  • Due to the nature, setup, and/or limited spots regarding our live and recorded courses, our RHS memberships, our ICONIC mentorships, and our retreats, The Writer's Sanctuary has a strict no-refund policy.

  • All content on this website and belonging to The Writer's Sanctuary, including course materials, videos, workbooks, livestreams, discussions, and mentorship sessions, is protected by copyright and is the exclusive property of The Writer's Sanctuary. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of any material is strictly prohibited. This includes sharing videos, passwords, workbooks, course materials, etc with anyone who has not purchased it. Explicit written permission is required to use any TWS material. Violation of these terms will result in immediate dismissal from the program without reimbursement and may result in legal action.

  • The Writer's Sanctuary is committed to empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities that have historically faced barriers to education. Our scholarship program is designed to support and uplift those who may have been underrepresented or underserved, including but not limited to racial and ethnic minorities, low-income individuals and families, first-generation college students, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, rural and remote communities, immigrants and refugees, women and gender minorities, veterans and military families, Indigenous peoples, and others facing social, economic, or educational challenges. We believe in the power of education to transform lives and are dedicated to making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.

    With this in mind, each year The Writer's Sanctuary provides 3 RHS scholarships, 3 live course scholarships, and 2 ICONIC scholarships to members of underrepresented or underserved communities. If you would like to apply for one of these, please visit our perennial scholarship list here.

  • CODE OF CONDUCT:

    The Writer’s Sanctuary is dedicated to an experience that is free from discrimination and harassment for every person. We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding discrimination and harassment in any form toward any of our participants, at our retreats and in the online and in-person forums. This includes unwelcome and inappropriate sexual, racist, bigoted, or threatening comments or attention, touching, stalking, photographs, intimidation, or coercion – or discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, political affiliation, sex, gender, sexual orientation, nation of origin, disability, or age. Any retreat participants who violate this code may be sanctioned or expelled immediately without refund. If you are the victim of harassment or should a complaint arise at this event, please contact our staff at thewriterssanctuary2@gmail.com.