Red Shoes Writing Retreats 2024 - REGISTRATION OPEN

Hello and welcome to the first Saturday of August here at the Wannaskan Almanac. Welcome to the last month of summer.

As we roll into August, my mind hops to fall and what the line-up of activities will be when we get back to school and regular work schedules. A season I refer to as "Ordinary Time."

Summer gets mad props for warmth, sunshine, and lots of adventures, but fall continues to be my favorite season. One of the reasons for this enthusiasm is that I host my Red Shoes Writing Retreats in the fall. A writing retreat in the fall is like a grown-up version of getting a free day from school. We return to Ordinary Time, but we also get a little break from the routine while the weather's still nice.

This year, I'm hosting two retreats. The Red Shoes Writing Retreat in Warroad is always the last weekend in September. Writers arrive in Warroad on Wednesday afternoon (or later if needed) on September 25th. The first night is always a low-key, just-getting-here-and-settled-in-is-the-win kind of day. This retreat makes me appreciate living in rural northern Minnesota. Sometimes my grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side lens makes me pine for civilization, but when my writer guests get to Warroad, I witness as they plunk their stuff down, exhale, and say, "I made it." Watching them unwind from their own busy lives and adjust to Warroad time makes me grateful to live here year-round.

But some people like, or need, to stay closer to civilization, so this year I'm hosting my first-ever city Red Shoes Writing Retreat in St. Paul. This one will be October 9 - 13 with that same Wednesday start as the Warroad one. I went to college in the Twin Cities and came to love the urban energy. I found a house that holds the same spirit as Doc's Harbor Inn in Warroad, with the magic of being in an inspiring location in the heart of a city. I am thrilled with the cozy and gorgeous location I found in St. Paul's historic Summit Hill neighborhood. This place has 7 bedrooms and plenty of room to spread out and write, or read, or nap, or just enjoy the view. Shopping and dining are within walking distance. Here are a few nice descriptions of the house and location:

"Welcome to 'Gatsby Getaway' an extraordinary home where modern amenities meet historical detail! Enjoy bluff views from the gracious front porch, where F. Scott Fitzgerald used to visit his friend Sam on their way to downtown St Paul. Steps to both 599 Summit Ave, where F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his first novel, "This Side of Paradise," and to the Commodore, where he lived with Zelda and eventually their daughter Scottie: "We got to the Commodore in St. Paul, and while the leaves blew up the street we waited for our children to be born." The neighborhood is a quiet escape in the middle of the city.

Enjoy socializing in the gracious front living spaces, and cooking together in the spacious, open, eat-in kitchen with adjoining 3 season sunroom and formal dining. Private library with desk for quiet working space. Five bedrooms on the second floor, with walk-in closets and plenty of bedding and towels; two bedrooms on the third floor, with a large TV and entertaining area which includes a full kitchen for an additional apartment-style space. This home is over 134 years old. Though we strive for perfection, expect to find some charming patina both inside and outside."

A Red Shoes Writing Retreat experience is all about connecting with your writing project on a level that lets you go deeper than what you're able to in your regular life. It's a step outside of your busy to reconnect with the writing you love, but don't seem to have (enough) time for. (Kind of like me and exercise.)

To get the ball rolling so you can do an even deeper dive into your writing during the retreat, I include up to 4 book coaching sessions prior to the retreat. This "pre-work" helps you make the transition into the retreat space more quickly. Which means more engagement and writing time for you!

I keep the retreat numbers small so everyone can get a high level of attention and support from me. For the Warroad retreat, the maximum number of participants is 4, and for St. Paul the number is 6.

A client of mine put it best: "Your superpower is holding space for others." So that's what I try to do.

So, if you think you might like to put a little space in your Ordinary Time calendar for a writing retreat, check out my hyperlinks or comment below!