A Writing Retreat:
In The Company of Women
Founded 2001, by Author, Doris Larson
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The Retreat for 2011 is CANCELED.
Please check back at the end of the year for 2012 information.
The number of attendees is LIMITED to
26
Registration
is not yet available.
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The only
requirement to attend is to be a woman with the desire to write.
There are no portfolio or publishing credits required.
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COMPLETE WEEKEND: |
Photos & Comments from past Attendees:
* * *
"Open the door and walk in...you'll be
greeted and embraced by women who understand your heart and passion to
write. They'll affirm you and encourage you on your journey, sharing their
knowledge along the way. You are welcome into a sisterhood of women who
write and enjoy life and good food, long talks, long walks and just relaxing in
a beautiful natural environment."
* * *
"This is my first retreat and I was leery of being "new" and
having no shared history. I found it to be the safe haven I needed to open
myself up to my writing without fear. I didn't just make new friends, I
found a group of sisters!" S.D.
* * *
"I came with a friend who had attended in the past, and didn't expect to
enjoy myself nearly as much as I did! What a fabulous experience - I will
be a "regular"
from now on!" S.C.
* * *
"This weekend gave me more than I could ever imagined. the location,
the size, the workshops, the food, the WOMEN and the FANTASTIC writing. My
well is filled to overflowing..." H.S.
Take your time
and read through or Skip ahead
to:
|
- Maumee Bay Resort - |
WHAT YOU'LL FIND AT THE RESORT: |
From 2010...
A Writing Retreat:
In The Company of Women
Founded 2001, by Author, Doris Larson
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Friday Evening:
Keynote Speaker
Author, Erin
O'Brien
The Woman Writer : Power and Beauty
From elfin pixies to statuesque beauties, the world labels a
woman as a member of the "weaker" sex. Although she may not pump iron
like her more angular counterpart, when her slender fingers are curled
around a pen, the writing woman possesses the power of an Amazonian warrior -
and
then some. Her strength is not measured by the steeliness of her gams; nor does
her beauty unfurl from a lipstick tube. Her potent gifts hail from the quiet
softness in her heart. Her gentle voice begets the most profound messages. Her
maternal instinct bears the keenest insight. In this year's keynote address "The Woman Writer: Power and Beauty," Erin O'Brien will stoke the flames of love, life and creativity that burn within every writing woman. Friday night will celebrate the writing woman and ignite the fire of inspiration that will burn for the entire weekend and throughout the fertile days that follow. *Erin will also be presenting a workshop* |
Erin's eclectic features and essays have appeared in the
Cleveland Scene, the Plain
Dealer and
the Los Angeles Times. Her
writing explores everything from vampires to politics to
human sexuality. O'Brien has also contributed to Muse, Angle and Northern
Ohio Live. Her novel, Harvey & Eck, was published
by Zumaya in 2005. She's also published three short stories and maintains a
rollicking blog, "The Erin O'Brien Owner's Manual for Human Beings." Although O'Brien earned a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Ohio University in 1987, she left the resulting lucrative career to write full time in 1995, one year after her brother, novelist John O'Brien, took his own life. John's most famous work was Leaving Las Vegas, upon which the award-winning film was based. The novel was rereleased in 2008 by the Italian publisher Minimum Fax with a new epilog by Erin. Erin O'Brien, a lifelong Clevelander, grew up in Lakewood and now lives in Broadview Heights with husband Eric of 17 years and their 13-year-old daughter Jessica. For more information, including a complete writing biography and links to O'Brien's work, visit www.erinobrien.us. |
* * *
From 2010:
SECRETS OF THE HA-HA SISTERHOOD:
THE COMMUNITY OF WOMEN'S HUMOR *Anne
Frazier Walradt*
Not sure you can be funny?
There are rules about that. Women
create humor naturally in community by telling stories. We’ll use comic
premise and other foolproof techniques to ratchet up the humor in your material.
Together we’ll twist the language into laughter.
*Anne Frazier
Walradt* is a freelance teacher, writer, and editor.
Her articles and essays have appeared in such diverse publications as
Maine in Print and Romance Forever. She
taught literature and power writing at the secondary and college levels.
Prospective authors take her nationally known “Show, Don’t Tell”
course, which often leads to publication. She edited Romance Recipes for the
Soul, which includes one of her short stories. Anne was one of six IWWG
writers who finished the book 101 Ways You Can Help by Liz Aleshire, when Liz became too
ill to complete it.
BLOGGING 101 *Dominique King*
We’ll talk about reasons for starting a blog, take a look at the blogs of
other successful writers, and learn how to take those first few steps towards
starting your blog and using social media to find your audience.
Already blogging? Come share your success stories and tips so we can all learn
how to be better bloggers and best use new media to showcase our writing.
Blogging and social media helped revitalize my writing career and took it in
directions I couldn’t envision when I worked for local newspapers and
magazines. Let’s explore how these new online tools can do the same thing for
you.
Currently, Dominique publishes three times each week at Midwest Guest, is a
staff blogger at The Urbane Life (a community blog for a group of apartment
buildings, luxury lofts and condos in metropolitan Detroit), and recently
completed work on a group of entries for a reference book about Michigan.
She is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit with degrees in Political
Science (BA) and Communications (MA).
Visit Dominique at Midwest Guest http://www.midwestguest.com
as she explores Michigan, Ohio, and the rest of the best of the Midwest.
FROM EYELINER TO EGGBEATERS: EVERYDAY MEMOIR *Erin O'Brien*
OPEN CRITIQUE CIRCLE *
Marsha McGregor*
Retreat
attendees who would like respectful but productive critique on a
work-in-progress are welcome to bring a manuscript sample of no more than three
double-spaced pages for this workshop. Seven manuscripts will be chosen from a
random drawing. Both fiction and non-fiction are welcome. Each selected
manuscript will be given a total of fifteen minutes, with up to seven minutes
allotted for the writer to read her work aloud, and the balance of the time
given to feedback from the circle. All attendees are encouraged to attend, even
if they are not reading, as participation in an effective critique circle is an
excellent tool for strengthening our own writing and self-editing skills.
Marsha McGregor's essays and features have appeared in a variety of national and
regional venues, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Herald,
Cleveland Plain Dealer, National Public Radio, SOHO Cleveland, Cleveland
Magazine, Akron Life & Leisure, and the popular anthology A Cup of
Comfort for Women, with an essay on life with adolescents slated to run in
the April 2010 issue of Literary Mama. She teaches personal essay
workshops at the summer conference of The International Women's Writing Guild (IWWG),
held annually at Skidmore College. A member of the Society of Children's Writers
and Illustrators (SCBWI), her middle grade novel manuscript was a finalist in
the 2009 Katherine Paterson Prize for Children's Writing. She is a member of two
monthly critique groups.
The following is a guide for the weekend.
All included meals are at Maumee Bay Resort.
While the workshops and presenters
listed are confirmed, the fact is... "Life Happens."
In The Company of Women reserves the
right to make
changes/substitutions
without notice, if necessary.
Friday, April 16, 2010 |
3:00 - 5:45 p.m. Retreat Sign-in (Main Lobby)
Room Check-in (Front Desk)
7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Starboard/Navigator - Welcome, Introduction to workshop presenters.
Keynote
Speaker- Author, Erin
O'Brien
The Woman Wrtier: Power and Beauty
Saturday, April 17, 2010 |
7:15
a.m.
Saturday attendees Sign-In (Main Lobby)
8:00 - 9:15 a.m. BREAKFAST - Location to be announced
9:30
- 11:30 a.m. Starboard/Navigator - SECRETS OF THE HA-HA SISTERHOOD:
THE COMMUNITY OF WOMEN'S HUMOR
*Anne
Frazier Walradt*
12:00
noon - 1:15 p.m.
LUNCH - Location
to be announced
1:30
- 3:30 p.m.
Starboard/Navigator - OPEN CRITIQUE CIRCLE *
Marsha McGregor*
4:00
- 6:00 p.m. Starboard/Navigator - FROM EYELINER TO EGGBEATERS:
EVERYDAY
MEMOIR *Erin O'Brien*
6:30 p.m. - 7:45 DINNER - Location to be announced
8:00
- 10:30
p.m. Starboard/Navigator: Open Readings.
Sunday, April 18, 2010 |
9:30
- 11:30 a.m. Starboard/Navigator
-
BLOGGING 101 *Dominique King*
12:00
noon - 1:15 p.m.
LUNCH (On
your own - This is not included !)
1:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Starboard/Navigator
-
writing for children
SOUVENIRS FROM A SOJOURN OR
SOMETHING HAPPENED ON MY
WAY TO AN MFA *Judy Irvin Kuns*
3:45
- 4:00 p.m.
Starboard/Navigator
Preferred
Payment is online, through PayPal At
the option of your choice, click the "pay now" button (only
click once, and allow a few seconds ) ********* All Refund requests must be sent by email to: ITCOW@BigWits.com
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COMPLETE WEEKEND:
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Each attendee must register and
pay separately.
Listing of "roomie" at this site is for room assignment
only.
$379.00 per person
Consists of: 3
- two
hour workshops
and includes:
Saturday Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
If you have any questions - email : ITCOW@BigWits.com