Spring Memoir Writing Retreat

Victoria, Canada

 

Shaping Memory into Memoir

with Alison Wearing
11-16 April 2027*
Inn at Laurel Point
Victoria, BC, Canada

*By popular demand, the 2027 retreat will be 6 days (one more than in previous years!).

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2027 RETREAT WILL OPEN SOON.

If you are interested in joining the waitlist and receiving early notification of registration and/or future retreats in Victoria (these retreats sell out quickly!), please submit your info here and we’ll add you to our priority list!

 
 
“Surpassed all expectations for learning, and nourishing the soul.”
— Diana Theodores

Clarity, Vision, and Inspiration

Victoria in the spring feels like a deep breath of light, emerging life, and possibility. This 4-night memoir writing retreat is designed to offer a literary version of those things: clarity, vision, and inspiration, as well as rich connection and community.

Overview of the Retreat

This retreat offers a balance of inspiring teachings and the chance to expand the possibilities for your writing, approach your story with fresh eyes, open to new insights and ideas, and replenish your creative well.

Bestselling author Alison Wearing will offer focussed daily teachings on the critical elements of memoir and how to employ these in your writing, including how to sculpt your narrative to maximum effect, and the essential questions you need to ask of your story as you write it. Afternoons will be devoted to small group sessions, ensuring that all participants have a chance to discuss and explore their ideas and projects in depth over the course of the retreat.

The aim of this retreat is to provide you with literary nourishment and inspiration, direction and clarity, as well as the support you need to move forward with your ideas and writing projects with renewed enthusiasm and energy.

Just to clarify: If you are looking for direct feedback on your manuscript, this is not the retreat for you. But if you are looking to deepen your understanding of the essentials of memoir and the many things you need to consider, explore, refine and employ when crafting your story or book; if you are looking for a literary kick-start, sparkling inspiration, companionship, joy, beauty, insights and connections, nourishment and light — this will be a good fit for you. :)

“This retreat surpassed my expectations in all ways. Alison has a unique and gracious way of delving into the heart, structure and craft of memoir writing while creating an atmosphere comfortable for us to share our own work as we learned. Insightful and inspiring!”
— Sandy Bezanson
“This retreat is a wonderful opportunity to learn from the best. Alison is knowledgeable, inspiring, and just plain fun! The schedule is well-organized, and I learned something new and immediately applicable to my writing in every session. And, of course, the venue is breathtaking!”
— Brenda Overturf

A Literary Spring

Last year’s retreat in Victoria, Canada, was one of the finest I’ve ever experienced (truly!), and I can’t wait to do it again.

As is the case with all the retreats I’ve lead over the years (from Mexico to the south of France to Stratford, Ontario, to Tuscany), I have curated this one with care and attention to the sorts of details that create a successful experience: an enlightening program and plentiful inspiration, uplifting beauty and light-filled spaces, glorious food, sigh-worthy beds and views (yes!), opportunities for connection with other writers, time for contemplative solitude, and my finest offerings as a writer, facilitator, and writing coach.

More than simply a wonderful experience in the short term, this retreat will be—ideally—a life-changing experience and a touchstone that you may return to, and be nourished by, for months and years to come.

Details

YOUR RETREAT PACKAGE INCLUDES:

  • Daily talks, teachings and Q&As with Alison Wearing

  • Focussed writing sessions with author/poet Rayya Liebich, winner of the International Amy MacRae Award for Memoir

  • Small group coaching sessions with Alison, in which we delve into the specifics of your writing project, address any questions or challenges you may be facing, and map out clear next steps for your writing so you leave the retreat with clarity, support, and creative fuel!

  • A private reading/Q&A with literary legend (and all-around spectacular woman) Lorna Crozier

  • Exquisite, gourmet meals prepared by on-site chefs with regional farm-sourced ingredients (Sunday evening to Friday morning, with one lunch and one dinner out)

  • Vegetarian and buffet options, so you can always choose the foods you prefer

  • Stunning classroom studio with a breathtaking view of Victoria’s Inner and Outer Harbour

  • Unlimited private access to the hotel’s top-floor wrap-around balcony for reading, writing, contemplation, conversation…

  • Harbourside walking trails directly outside the hotel’s front door (12-minute walk to downtown Victoria)

  • Possible dance party :)

There are only 24 spaces available.

Retreat fees do not include accommodations; see below for details.

PLEASE NOTE: Participants are not required to submit writing in advance, as Alison will not be reading individual submissions, but rather teaching and offering direction and suggestions on people’s ideas and projects in a small group setting.

Price / Registration

  • Early Bird Price (before August 30): 2027 PRICES TBA

  • Regular Price (after August 30): 2027 PRICES TBA

To register, you will need to make a deposit of CAD$1,500 / USD$1,050. Please review our cancellation policy HERE.
The final balance is due 90 days before the retreat begins.

*Retreat fees do not include accommodations; see below for details.

Accommodations & Rates

Accommodations are booked separately, directly with the hotel. Retreat guests have access to deeply-discounted rates at our retreat venue, the gorgeous Inn at Laurel Point, famous for its breathtaking setting, beautiful rooms, and its commitment to sustainability (the hotel has been carbon-neutral since 2009).

The hotel has two wings: the Laurel Wing is the original hotel with lovely rooms overlooking the inner harbour, and the newer Erickson Wing (designed by Arthur Erickson) offers expansive and luxurious rooms, plus some 5-star suites.

NOTE FROM ALISON: The Erickson Wing rooms are very spacious and exceptionally beautiful, with bathtubs you can practically do laps in and balconies offering stunning views of the sunset over Victoria’s outer harbour. I cannot remember ever enjoying a hotel room more, so much so that I had trouble prying my fingers from the door jamb when it was time to leave. If you can afford the extra, these rooms are definitely worth it! Some of these rooms have 2 queen beds and could also be comfortably shared with a friend.

Our discounted room rates are:

Laurel Wing Guest Room: 2027 ROOM PRICES TBA
Erickson Wing Studio Room: 2027 ROOM PRICES TBA

Once you have registered and paid your deposit for the retreat, you will be sent our special booking link (to access these prices).

PLEASE NOTE: There are a very limited number of ‘events & meals only’ spots available for people with alternative accommodations in Victoria. Because this is a hotel-based retreat and our arrangement with that hotel is an all-inclusive one, there is no ‘only events/no meals’ option. Given sufficient interest, however, Alison may offer a workshop for local people at a future date. To add your name to the ‘Victoria - Local Workshop’ list, CLICK HERE.

“I’m a transformed writer!”
— Jane Kamabu

TRAVEL DETAILS: The retreat will begin on Sunday, with a welcome event at 5pm and participants are welcome to arrive anytime after hotel check-in at 3pm. We will wrap up the retreat on Friday morning after a final group breakfast and morning session. Hotel check-out is at 11am.

The closest airport is in Victoria (YYJ), but there are also ferries to Victoria from Vancouver (BC Ferries) and Seattle (FRS Clipper). Participants should plan to make their own way to and from the retreat venue, The Inn at Laurel Point.

“This retreat gave me clarity around what I am writing about in my memoir. It has also helped me step into my identity as a writer by being around like-minded people. Alison attracts the most fun and interesting people! The food was amazing, the setting was beautiful, and I came away feeling refreshed and energized!”
— Rachel Dick

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

  • The retreat will begin on Sunday with a welcome event at 5 pm, and we will wrap up on Friday morning. If you are flying, your departing flight should ideally depart Victoria no earlier than 1pm on Friday.

  • Once you make your registration deposit, we will send you instructions on how to book your room at the resort with our special reduced “retreat participant” pricing.

    All room payments and arrangements are made directly with the hotel.

  • You are welcome to bring your partner or a friend to share your accommodation and enjoy the Victoria while you are participating at the retreat activities!

    Please ensure you inform the hotel at the time of your booking how many people will be staying in your room.

  • You are welcome to share a room with another retreat participant. In this case, please note the only shared cost is the accommodation, which is booked and paid for directly with the resort.

    • Each participant will register for the retreat individually, paying the full retreat fees.

    If you are sharing your room with another participant, please let us know so we can keep track of how many hotel rooms are booked in our retreat package.

  • The balance of your retreat fees will be due 90 days before the retreat begins. We will send you the payment link and reminder email one week before.

  • We have arranged breakfast, lunch and fabulous dinners throughout the retreat except for Tuesday evening when you can enjoy a night to explore Victoria, enjoy the hotel restaurant, or order in and dine in your fluffy bathrobe!

  • YES! We strongly recommend that you have travel insurance and check all of your policy inclusion as some may or may not include cancellation refunds should be you be unable to attend for any reason.

    We strongly recommend that you purchase refundable or changeable travel tickets and cancellation insurance whenever possible.

    You might find some helpful information on the Government of Canada webpage regarding travel insurance: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/documents/travel-insurance

  • Sometimes life gets in the way of plans! Please review our cancellation policy and also double-check your travel insurance policy for trip cancellations, including reimbursement of any non-refundable trip costs.

 

A portion of all proceeds will be put toward tree-planting efforts with TreeCanada, which has planted more than 83 million native trees in urban, rural and wilderness areas and sequestered millions of tons of carbon pollution in the process. This ‘carbon calculator’ calculates carbon use (per flight) and estimates the number of trees that need to be planted to offset that use [somewhat]. Obviously, this is an imperfect solution, but it does, at the very least, add more trees to this world.

Interested in future retreats?

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