How to host a reading or writing retreat your guests will rave about
Most people spend their days managing the mental load, meeting deadlines at work and fielding endless requests from the family like, ‘What’s for dinner?’
So it’s easy to see why retreats – specifically, reading retreats and writing retreats – are having a moment.
A retreat is a much-needed chance to get away. To forget about everyone else’s needs for a while. To embrace long, luxurious stints of uninterrupted time to read or write – and to be regularly fed delicious meals. The fact that someone else has organised it all is a dream for super-busy or burnt-out people – and often, they’re willing to invest in an experience that leave them relaxed, recharged and ready to face the world again.
So here’s how to plan a retreat that’ll get guests clamouring to join your wait list.
What is a reading retreat?
A reading retreat is a period away from regular life, usually 2-3 nights in comfortable, scenic surroundings. Most reading retreats are centred around lots of reading time, alongside a light structure of prepared meals and some activities.
You might theme your retreat around a certain genre such as crime or romance, set a shared book that everyone can discuss, or just let people BYO their own reading material and go with the flow.
Activities could be a low-pressure ‘What are you reading?’ guided discussion, evening fireside chats (with marshmallows!), nature walks or yoga – and of course, you could let guests opt out if solo reading time is the only thing they’re craving.
How does a reading retreat differ from a writing retreat?
A writing retreat is similar to a reading retreat – guests are coming for long, unbroken stretches of time, but in this case, they’re looking to work on some writing. It might be a manuscript or poetry. Or your retreat might attract different kinds of writers: authors working on a chapter of their novel, or a copywriter with a web copy project to finish.
The core part of this retreat is lots of time to write, but if you want to include activities, you might arrange to have a guest author attend the retreat and do a talk, or an editor on hand to float around during writing sprints. You could arrange workshops on an aspect of creative writing, character development or some other topic your guests are interested in.
3 things that make a good retreat great
1. The right venue. For readers, that means lots of cosy couches, well-lit bedrooms, open fires and sunny spots to curl up with a book. For writers, you’ll want to ensure there are comfortable spaces to write (at Curraweena, our beautiful barn has trestle tables and chairs to seat up to 30 and has been used for writing retreats before).
2. The right amount of guests. Too many retreat guests can mean you lose the intimacy of a small group, but a too-small group can make it hard for you to make a profit. Working out how many spots you need to sell on your retreat is crucial – and whether the venue has the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Crunch the numbers with our pricing calculator to figure out your costs per head, so you know what to charge guests and what your profit will be.
3. Good food and facilities Does the venue have access to great caterers? What’s the kitchen like – can guests fend for themselves easily at breakfast? What other facilities are on offer at the venue? For example, at Curraweena, reading and writing retreat leaders have made good use of our fire pit at night, and our heated plunge pool is always a winner, especially during cold winter nights!
Creating the right atmosphere
Whether it’s making it through a book or working on a piece of writing, your guests have come to focus – and your job is to make that easy.
Sensory touches like blankets thoughtfully placed near reading nooks, a well-stocked tea and snacks station, and maybe even a phone basket for anyone who wants a digital detox are all great options.
A goodie bag left on each guest’s bed can be a nice touch and you might want to include a lovely notebook, bookmark or pen, a cookie, a welcome note and a printed schedule for the retreat so everyone knows what to expect.
Get the basics right, and your guests will be telling their friends – and probably booking your next retreat before they’ve even left!
