Professional Development and Writing Retreats

Reconnect to your passion as an AWA facilitator, take your skills to the next level, invest further in your business, and renew as a writer among a supportive community of experienced leaders.

Almost every year, AWA hosts a retreat to bring our large network of trained writing workshop leaders together. We alternate between offering it online, in-person, and in 2023 even attempted a hybrid offering. Join us if you’ve ever taken an AWA training, whether it was in 1999 or 2019!

Our 2024 retreat is online Saturday, October 5 through Sunday, October 6th. Our theme is The Power of Story: Reclaiming Our Voices, Together.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW!

Early Bird pricing through September 15.

Participants bring their unique perspectives on this work to a long weekend of panel discussions, facilitated writing sessions, presentations and workshops. We co-create each program based on the interests and assets of each person coming. You will be invited to share your knowledge and questions with fellow workshop leaders and get to know one another on a deep level as each person takes their turn in the spotlight. 

If you prefer to relax and let others take charge, we understand. Our retreats can also be a restorative break. No one is required to lead a session. Let go of holding the creative space and AWA practices and sink deeply into your own work as a writer. 

When in-person, the location of the retreat changes year to year, rotating around the US and Canada to make it easier for all to attend.

Feedback on Past Retreats

Deep writing, new connections

My fellow leaders and the super-positive vibe of the retreat center facilitated a lot of deep writing, probably the deepest I’ve done in 15+ years. Other highlights included getting to know AWA folks from all over the country; brainstorming what turned into a new mini-workshop (“Playwright for a Day”) at one of the marketing sessions; and setting the wheels in motion for the May 2019 “Write Around the World” gathering of AWA Northeast colleagues in Salem, MA.

— Marian Calabro

I would love to attend again

I enjoyed the different topics, the sharing, and especially the writing. It was wonderful to write in the company of other AWA facilitators. There was an immediate sense of safety and community… The organizers did a great job of scheduling interesting and varied topics, and were quite generous in their time and spirit.

— Ruth Q. Leibowitz, Ph.D.

So much to love

The generous staff, the comfortable large room with smaller areas for writing. Terrific tech folks who made the online portion of the in-person retreat run so smoothly. Excellent attention to details by organizers. Wonderful location so close to Lake Erie for walking, swimming, and the beautiful forest paths adjacent to Jericho House made for lovely meditative walks.

— Anonymous