About this Retreat
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.
Ellen Sussman is the New York Times bestselling author of four novels,
A Wedding in Provence,
The Paradise Guest House,
French Lessons, and
On a Night Like This. She is the editor of two critically acclaimed anthologies,
Bad Girls: 26 Writers Misbehave and
Dirty Words: A Literary Encyclopedia of Sex. She teaches through Stanford Continuing Studies and in private classes and she is the co-founder and co-director of Sonoma County Writers Camp.
www.ellensussman.com
Details of this retreat
We welcome back renowned authors Elizabeth Stark and Ellen Sussman for another Sonoma County Writers Camp!
As teachers and authors, Ellen Sussman and Elizabeth Stark have very different approaches to story structure. But we both agree that the simple question, "What happens next?" can, beat by beat, create a gripping plot and fuel a propulsive story.
Story and meditation both require a radical practice of staying in the present, moment by moment, writing or living into now. Staying curious and engaged about this moment, this breath, this step forward, the meditation tools we practice in the optional meditation sessions during camp, lend themselves to writing story: staying curious and engaged about this scene, this story moment. In this session of camp, we will tackle plot, exploring approaches to discovering and shaping your story, staying awake to the unfolding moment.
Find your way to organic character-rooted action with a cause-and-effect build. Make your story—whether short fiction, novel, memoir, or narrative nonfiction—a page turner without sacrificing depth, detail, and the pleasure of surprise for writer and reader. Let your moments unfold in these gorgeous surroundings, with delicious food, optional meditation, hikes, silent early morning writing, afternoon cafe writing, as well as workshops, an author master class, our thrilling student readings, and more.
Bonus Add-On
July 20-23
$1350, open ONLY to Camp Participants
Follow up your camp immersion with three days of writing retreat with Ellen, Elizabeth, seven other writers and YOU. Build on the inspiration you've gained, maintain the focus, and keep writing. Ellen and Elizabeth will be writing, too, with early morning meditative "writing from where you dream," ongoing cafe writing sessions in the later mornings and afternoons, shared meals and walks, and low-key, high positivity evenings of sharing work, chatting about books.
COVID POLICY: For your safety and ours, we require proof of vaccination AND negative test result from all visitors to Ratna Ling Retreat Center. We wish to provide peace of mind for all of our residents and guests.
SCHEDULE (Subject to Change):
Wednesday:
3pm Check-in
5pm Welcome Party
6pm Dinner
Thursday:
6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm Kum Nye with Andi
6pm Dinner + Ratna Ling Introduction
7:30pm Student Readings
Friday:
6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm Hike with Ellen
4pm Master Class with Visiting Author
6pm Dinner
7:30pm Student Readings
Saturday:
630am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch
1:15pm Cafe Writing
2pm Meditation with George
4:30pm Industry Panel
6pm Dinner
7:30pm Student Readings
Sunday:
6:30am Meditative Dream Writing
8am Breakfast
9am Writing Workshop
12:15pm Lunch + Closing
1:30pm Checkout
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