1-Day Writing Retreats
The Time You Need
to write, revise, and finish
WHO IT’S FOR
HOW I HELP
HOW IT WORKS
TESTIMONIALS
PRICING
A writing retreat is one of the best ways I know to get your story moving or get it back on track. But finding the time (and money) to head out of town for a weekend or a week isn’t easy.
I get it. It’s hard sometimes to find the time to work on your book.
We’re so conditioned to put our passion projects on the back-burner. We know how much the book matters… if we can just get it going.
That’s where your custom, guided retreat day comes in.
- 1:1 support from me, your coach.
- 1:1 attention to your book.
Whether you’re revising a chapter or drafting your proposal, taking a day to just do what needs to be done is the most rewarding experience.
Doesn’t that sound like exactly what you need?
HAVE YOU HAD CHALLENGES like these?
- Writing the first (or next) chapter feels so daunting, you’ve put it off for ages! You wish you could get your momentum going.
- You wrote that first draft months ago and just haven’t found the time to revise. Every time you plan to get back to it… something else gets in the way.
- You know you need a book proposal, but don’t know where or how to begin. A crash-course sounds like a great idea.
- You wish you could take the time to get away with your writing, but your schedule (or wallet) doesn’t have room for that sort of extravagance.
- You know you could really make a dent if you could just commit the time, but when you set time aside for yourself, other responsibilities (kids, work, life) have a way of changing your plans.
- If someone could just give you 1 fabulous day all to yourself, you know you’d get your book moving!
If this sounds like you, it’s time for a retreat day.
HOW I HELP
I provide the accountability and structure that allows you to give yourself the hardest, most important gift of all: the time to write.
In just one day, we can break through the block, create the success, and launch your writerly momentum. (Imagine what we could do in two or three days!)
Projects we can tackle include:
Writing
It’s time. Whether it’s the first or last chapter, when you need to push through the wall, a retreat day is the solution you need.
REVISING
Sometimes revisions can feel like a path to nowhere. With me as your guide and editor, you can revise with purpose.
PROPOSAL ROUGH DRAFT
Where do you even begin? Set aside a day to learn the ins and outs of what you need in your proposal so you can write forward with confidence.
PROPOSAL REVISION
You’ve taken the time to write it, but want to tackle that revision like a boss. Don’t let it slow you down. Get support and feedback live as you revise.
HOW IT WORKS
Choose the retreat option below that suits your needs.
Select a date for our consult & planning call.
On that call, we’ll plan our day/s and set your goals.
Our retreat takes place from 9-5 – time to get to work!
Receive feedback during and after the day on all your work.
I’m honest, direct, and fiercely committed to more great women like you
writing and publishing nonfiction.
If you want to be confident in your book and become the great author you know you can be,
gifting yourself a day all for you and your book is the best short-term plan for that!
Certifications & Memberships
Caroline pushed me to revise when I probably wouldn’t have sought more from myself.
Before working with Caroline, I was struggling to pivot from writing academic books to public-facing books. I’d already tried reading advice online and how-to books, but was stalled out. I decided I needed the structure of working with a coach who could give personalized feedback.
Caroline helped me see what would be interesting in my book to the average reader. She helped me gain clarity about my audience and what would be interesting to those readers. Knowing that I had a wise and encouraging reader who would give tough feedback in the kindest way possible was the boost I needed. I feel much more confident about my book proposal after working with Caroline.
I knew Caroline would be completely honest with me.
Before working with Caroline I had gotten my book to a place where I felt it had many of the right pieces, but maybe not fully the structure that it needed. This being my first book, I needed help determining if I was truly speaking to my target audience as effectively as possible.
After Caroline’s feedback, I feel like I am learning new and important aspects of writing, and of memoir in particular. It is pushing me to get out of my comfort zone and making me more confident in my writing in the process. Working with Caroline will truly elevate your writing and your goals. She will help you see your work from a different perspective and she will give you very thorough and helpful feedback as well as worksheets to assist you in the process forward.
The laser-focused work with Caroline pushed me to go deeper on: why this book.
Before working with Caroline, I had too many ideas and trouble decluttering my thoughts. I had tried a few techniques before to no avail. Colleagues ask how I was able to fit in working with Caroline on my book. My response is a combination of the structure Caroline gave me and my passion and flow for the subject. The experience is 100% worth the time.
Writing Retreat Options
One Day, One Book
Write or Revise* 1 x 30-minute planning call to talk about whatever you need
* 1 x 30-minute goal-setting, kickoff call to start the day and to establish expectations
* Live, on-demand support as you write 9am to 5pm
* 2-4 review calls (usually 90-min intervals) throughout the day to reset, ask questions, catch your breath.
* 1 x 30-minute review and wrap-up call at the end of the day
* In-line comments and feedback on all work accomplished during the day provided within 1 week after Retreat Day
One Day, One Proposal
Guided Coaching* 1 x 30-minute planning call to talk about where your book is and where it’s going.
* Proposal guide & outline to fill in in advance of our day (i.e. build a very rough draft)
* 1 x 30-minute goal-setting, kickoff call to start the day, and to establish expectations and path
* Live, on-demand support as you write 9am to 5pm
* Cycle of revisions and feedback as you write and revise each proposal section all day long.
* 2-4 review calls (roughly 90-min intervals) throughout the day to reset, ask questions, catch your breath.
* 1 x 30-minute review and wrap-up call at the end of the day
* In-line comments and feedback on all work accomplished during the day provided within 1 week after Retreat Day
* $500 deposit
FAQs
What does a typical retreat day look like?
We start each retreat day roughly at 9am (depending on schedules and time zones).
We’ll have a 30-minute Zoom call to talk about methods, plans, and goals for the day. Things like: how long do you want to work before taking a break? What do you want to tackle in each section of the day? When do you want to build in time to take a walk, get lunch, etc. What are the targets for the end of the day?
You’ll then get to work!
We’ll circle back on Zoom – usually every 90min or 2 hours. In between, if you have questions, you can email me or use a chat app (Slack, Google, etc.). My schedule is cleared. I’m on call for you all day.
At each check-in, we’ll work through any challenges and celebrate the milestones.
At the end of the day, we circle back one last time to talk about what comes next, you can share what you want me to review, and then you should go celebrate your fabulous day!
What do I need to prepare in advance?
We’ll sort out any advance prep in our setup call. Usually, you just bring what you want to work on on the day.
If you’re working on a proposal, however, you should make sure you have a rough draft to begin with on the day of the retreat. I’ll have shared a guide and outline with you so you have a framework to work from, if you don’t have a proposal written already.
I have an idea for my book, but haven't started writing yet. Is a retreat day a good idea?
Starting is sometimes the hardest step.
If you are still figuring out exactly what the book is about, starting with a retreat day wouldn’t be the strongest option. I’d recommend a “Dive Deeper” call instead.
You have to know who you’re writing for and why you’re writing before you can write it.
If you already have the outline, however, and especially if you have already done long-form writing, using a retreat day to kick off a project can be a great idea. This is particularly a useful idea for academic writers looking to jumpstart a project tangential to other work (it can be so hard to split that focus).
Can I schedule multiple retreat days?
Absolutely!
You can choose to stack a few days back-to-back to really get work moving on your book or proposal.
You can also use retreat days periodically to give you the boost you need when you need it.
Some writers have used periodic retreat days to schedule writing into packed parenting or academic or work schedules.
We can build whatever your need.
Do you offer retreat days on weekends?
I keep retreat days during the week. (I take weekends off, too).
Should you absolutely need to work on a weekend, let me know and I’ll check my availability. There is a $250 surcharge for weekend dates.
Are retreat days recorded?
Not usually for retreat days. I can use Otter.ai to record audio and generate transcripts of our calls, if you would like. You can let me know.
What post-call follow up do I get?
After your retreat day, I’ll give you in-line comments and feedback on the work you did during the day within 72 hours (M-F).
Do you offer longer-term coaching?
I offer long-term, monthly coaching to a limited number of writers each year. My prerequisite is that we have worked together on more intensive project, like a book proposal or developmental edit… or retreat.
My rate is $797/month for 2 x 30-minute meetings and weekly exchange of pages up to 5000 words.
If you are interested in continuing monthly writing or revision support after our retreat time, that’s definitely an option
Is there a time limit on scheduling the retreat?
Yes. All retreat days must take place within 2 months.
What happens if I have to reschedule?
You can reschedule the retreat once with 5-days’ notice.
After that, if you cancel again, your session will be forfeit (no refunds).
Retreat Terms & Conditions
- Retreats must be used within 2 months of purchase.
- If days are not scheduled within 2 months no refunds will be given.
- One cancellation or postponement is allowable, multiple is not. We respect each others’ time.
- This retreat is for advice and consultation only. I can not guarantee this retreat day will lead to the publication of your book.
Writing Retreat Options
One Day, One Book
Write or Revise* 1 x 30-minute planning call to talk about whatever you need
* 1 30-minute goal-setting, kickoff call to start the day and to establish expectations
* Live, on-demand support as you write 9am to 5pm
* 2-4 review calls (usually 90-min intervals) throughout the day to reset, ask questions, catch your breath.
* 1 30-minute review and wrap-up call at the end of the day
* In-line comments and feedback on all work accomplished during the day provided within 1 week after Retreat Day
One Day, One Proposal
Guided Coaching* 1 x 30-minute planning call to talk about where your book is and where it’s going.
* Proposal guide & outline to fill in in advance of our day (i.e. build a very rough draft)
* 1 30-minute goal-setting, kickoff call to start the day, and to establish expectations and path
* Live, on-demand support as you write 9am to 5pm
* Cycle of revisions and feedback as you write and revise each proposal section.
* 2-4 review calls (roughly 90-min intervals) throughout the day to reset, ask questions, catch your breath.
* 1 30-minute review and wrap-up call at the end of the day
* In-line comments and feedback on all work accomplished during the day provided within 1 week after Retreat Day
* $500 deposit