Writing Retreat in Greece
Secrets - an exploration for characters and writers!
What is the secret to great storytelling? We will explore the powerful processes for finding story that often go unspoken.
How do secrets themselves seed story? Miscommunications and misunderstands, hidden cues and clues, revelations, shifts in perspective, new insights as blinders fall away, and the struggle for the courage to live in truth: in many ways, secrets are the secret to story.
One more secret: Getting away from the onslaught of demands, requests, news, junk, and dailiness of daily life and onto an island of beauty and creativity is the secret to productivity. You know this. You get more done in a week here--more writing, more dreaming, more achievement of clarity and vision, more connecting the dots, more deep diving, more centered embracing of your voice and story--than in any number of work sessions smashed in between everything else. And another secret? The magic stays with you. Not forever--that's why we are all ready to get back there and revive and refresh it--but for a long time. You have the taste of open joy and doubt-free creative imagination with you as you return to, and transform, your writing life.
Elizabeth Stark, a novelist (Shy Girl: FSG, Seal Press, finalist for the Ferro-Grumely and Lambda Literary Awards) and award-winning filmmaker (producer of Lost in the Middle: Best Feature at Broad Humor 2019 and a Festival Favorite at Cinema Diverse; co-director and co-writer of FtF: Female to Femme and Little Mutinies, distributed by Frameline), co-hosts the podcast Story Makers Show, and co-directs and teaches at Sonoma County Writers Camp and Book Writing World. She earned her MFA from Columbia University, and her work has appeared in The New York Times and The Rumpus.
Nanou Matteson has produced four feature films and written, directed and produced multiple short films. Her films have won multiple awards at numerous festivals across the country and around the world. She has consulted on scripts for dozens of screenwriters and taught screenwriting in the States and in Europe. Teaching classes, consulting, producing, and mentoring individuals, she has been helping writers and filmmakers achieve their goals for more than thirty years, including works of fiction, screenplays, films, academic books, memoirs, newsletters, and more. Nanou believes that story is a blueprint for life and loves coaching people to express their story.
When:
Sunday, June 13 – Sunday, June 20, 2027
Where and How Much:
Two choices for this seven-day retreat in Greece
$5750 ($5450 early enrollment before October 15, 2026) includes luxury four-star hotel accommodations, all breakfasts, community lunches and dinners, plus full tuition for daily workshops with Nanou and Elizabeth, student readings, individual coaching, and optional group writing times throughout the day.
OR
$4250 ($3975 early enrollment before October 15, 2026) includes two-star hotel accommodations, all breakfasts, community lunches and dinners, plus full tuition for daily workshops with Nanou and Elizabeth, student readings, individual coaching, and optional group writing times throughout the day.
POLICY: $500 deposit is non-refundable. The remainder of your tuition is due March 22 and is non-refundable after that time.
To sign up or for more information contact nanou.matteson@gmail.com
Diana Densmore
"The retreat was the perfect mix of classes and questions that challenged me to delve deep into my characters and loads of free time to actually make progress and do that deep writing work. It exceeded my expectations."
Lisa Taggart
"I had very high expectations and I have to say that they were completely exceeded. Surrounding myself with such beauty and taking the time to think and talk about my writing, it felt like my creativity rose up. I told a better story than I thought I could. It was exhilarating."
Megan McDonald
This was a life-changing and life-affirming experience, in terms of writing, exploration, and support. The respectful combination of morning writing time, afternoon class, and evening leisure (or more writing) worked wonderfully for me. I was able to be productive, then receive a lesson, and finally apply it. And [the location was] simply gorgeous: Atmospheric. Relaxing. Inspiring. I never felt as if I were wanting for anything.