By
Pamela Nowak
Writing retreats…they beckon some
of us and frighten others. Each is unique and the decision to retreat or not to
retreat is deeply personal.
There were several factors that
were key in my retreat selection. With
limited funds, I considered only retreats that were small in number that would
feel comfortable, would have workshops with real benefits for me, and that
would be worth the expense. Ireland Writer Tours fit perfectly.
The group was limited to twelve
participants, a manageable number for my social level. As well, I was well
acquainted with the teaching skills of both instructors. Their strategy of
learning the needs of each participant and tailoring their topics to fit our
needs appealed to me. Finally, this retreat was in Ireland, a place on my
travel list, and it included workshop days and touring days, all for a very
reasonable price. Sure, there was airfare but I would have the chance to see
Ireland as well as experience a writing retreat. I could add on extra days to
see more of the country and non-writer traveling partners could be included.
Hotel and many of the meals were included. Dollar for dollar, compared to other
retreats I had looked at, this was a great value.
In fact, Fiona Claire, owner of Ireland
Writer Tours planned the retreat exactly to offer the experience I was looking
for. Her goal was to combine tour sights that were
favorites with travelers with workshops and editing offered by authors
teachers. “My dream is that these retreats/conferences/tours (they’re actually
all three combined) will be a huge boost for all the participating writers. I
want them to leave Ireland feeling like they’re not only better writers, but
they’ve also just had the best time of their lives.”
I returned home feeling she had accomplished just that.
My trip began with extra days in Dublin, seeing big-city sites,
museums, and getting a feel for the country. Then, I travelled to Galway for
the retreats itself. Our touring days were filled with medieval abbeys, ancient
stone circles, castles, and magical forests. We saw ancient burial mounds, the
famous Cliffs of Moher, and visited the Aran Islands. There were pony-cart
rides, pubs with thatched roofs, and dinner at a haunted castle. In between,
there were days packed with writing workshops tailored to meet our special
needs, feedback on our manuscripts, and one-on-one interaction. We spent time
writing alone and socializing with fellow writers. Projects were jump-started
and friendships cemented.
For me, the experience was rewarding and unforgettable…so much so
that I accepted an offer to return in June of 2016 as an instructor (please
note the April 1 registration deadline!). I’m hoping some of my fellow Colorado
writers will join me. If you’ve thought about retreating, I encourage you to
take a deeper look at Ireland Writer Tours.
More information about the tours can be found on the tour website:
www.irelandwritertours.com.
Pam
Nowak will be teaching in Ireland this summer through the Ireland Writer Tours
program. This week-long retreat in June will feature days of touring alternated
with days of writing workshops and individual editing attention from two
published authors. The retreat pricing includes all guided tours and ground
transportation, private accommodation, many meals, ferry fees, entrance fees,
all writing classes, private conferences with the author/editors and editing of
manuscript pages. Pam’s session, scheduled for June 5-15, is titled, CHOOSING
YOUR PATH: CRAFT, CAREER & PUBLISHING. She’d love to see some familiar WWW
faces there and encourages members to share details with others who might be
interested. Registration for Pam’s session closes April 1.
