Information: 

Have you always wanted to write?

Are you a secret poet?

Do you have a story that’s been nagging at you for years, whispering, “tell me.”

But calling yourself a writer, well . . . taking that leap . . .

It’s okay. You’re not alone. Having a creative heart is a blessing, not a curse.

During this all-inclusive weekend retreat, you’ll find the gentle permission you need to begin the journey and the tools to get you going. You’ll discover the joy and freedom of embracing your particular passion and casting your personal magic on the page.

This retreat is for beginner writers or "not yet" writers who feel the pull to write but don't know where to start. 

Details:
Place: Rockvale Writers' Colony, 6994 Giles Hill Road, College Grove, TN
Time and Date: 4:00 p.m. Friday, November 1 to 11:00 a.m. Sunday, November 3, 2024
Cost: $425 PLUS TAX - A $150.00 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration. The balance is due by October 11, 2024.
Includes: 2 nights in a private bedroom/bathroom suite, access to RWC common areas, gardens, and hiking trails, 5 meals with wine at dinner, 4 workshops, and community with other writers.

NOTE: After you register, we will contact you at the email you provided with details on how to pay the deposit.

Information:
Drawing upon the principles of Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese wellness practice that can be translated as
"taking in the forest atmosphere," forest bathing involves connecting with nature using all five senses.
Through the relational and ecological practices of forest bathing, we come into deeper contact with
ourselves and the more-than-human world that we inhabit.
During this weekend retreat, we will meander, sit, breathe, move, play, and rest in the beautiful forest
surrounding Rockvale. In addition to several forest bathing sessions, there will also be integrative
conversations in which we will consider various ways in which a forest bathing practice can impact the
embodied processes involved in writing. Unstructured time for wandering alone in the woods and
writing freely will also be included in the schedule for the weekend.

Details:
Place: Rockvale Writers' Colony, 6994 Giles Hill Road, College Grove, TN
Time and Date: 4:00 p.m. Friday, August 30 to Sunday, September 1, 2024
Cost: $425.00 PLUS TAX. A $150 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration. Balance is due by August 2, 2024.
Includes: 2 nights in a private bedroom/bathroom suite, access to RWC common areas, gardens, and hiking trails, 5 meals with wine at dinner, 4 workshops, community with other writers.

Information: 

"...And you, too, have come into the world do this: 

to go easy, to be filled with light, and to shine."

-Mary Oliver, from When I Am Among the Trees

Good writing—the kind that feels good, the kind that flows—comes less when we call it and more when we invite. A powerful way to invite is to step back from our plans, our goals, even from the work itself, and just to give our attention back: to our practice, to our inspirations, to others' work, to the people and places and objects we encounter. I experience this kind of creative attention as a grounding, restorative, deeply sacred act—and an act of play. 

Play is anything we do with no intent to accomplish, to profit, or even to learn, but rather for pure openness, connection, and enjoyment. Play and attentive listening both teach us to let go of our attachment to outcomes, and to go easy. And though this is not the goal, it is the truth: when we make space for play and attention in our lives, composition tends to flow more freely. 

This weekend retreat will invite you into invitational practices that focus on depth and slowness, physical presence, and a little bit of whimsy and serenpidity. When we look at others' writing, we will do so through the lens of poetry, but you do not need to be a poet, or plan to write poetry during this retreat. (Though you may, of course!) Bring your curiosity and join us for a fun and restorative weekend. 

Details:
Place: Rockvale Writers' Colony, 6994 Giles Hill Road, College Grove, TN
Time and Date: 4:00 p.m. Friday, October 4 to 11:00 a.m. Sunday, October 6, 2024
Cost: $425 PLUS TAX - A $150.00 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration. The balance is due by September 13, 2024.
Includes: 2 nights in a private bedroom/bathroom suite, access to RWC common areas, gardens, and hiking trails, 5 meals with wine at dinner, 4 workshops, and community with other writers.

 NOTE: After you register, we will contact you at the email you provided with instructions to pay the deposit.

Information: 

Writing, particularly when it entails a story from our own experience, can be an intimidating and, often, frightening. endeavor. My hope for this retreat is to create space for you to heal your heart through writing, offering an environment in which you can feel supported and motivated in crafting your stories, whether through fiction or nonfiction.

In this four-part class we'll explore the art and magic of writing as a healing process in a collaborative and supportive environment. Together, we will share our stories, read a variety of essays and short fiction in order to identify how others have utilized the written word to heal themselves, and then we will begin to develop and create our own pieces utilizing the techniques identified in classic and contemporary texts. Finally, we will thoughtfully workshop one another's work in an effort to support and inspire each other as writers, culminating in a reading of our work in literary salon fashion!

With an emphasis on discovery and fun, you will be encouraged to try new things and new voices in your work. No previous experience necessary - just an open heart!

 
Details:
Place: Rockvale Writers' Colony, 6994 Giles Hill Road, College Grove, TN
Time and Date: 4:00 p.m. Friday, November 8 to 11:00 a.m. Sunday, November 10, 2024
Cost: $425.00 PLUS TAX. A $150.00 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration. Balance is due by October 18, 2024.
Includes: 2 nights in a private bedroom/bathroom suite, access to RWC common areas, gardens, and hiking trails, 5 meals with wine at dinner, 4 workshops, and community with other writers.

 

Information: 

This retreat is for writers, readers, dreamers (hey! that's you!) who seek a weekend of stillness, solitude, and reflection. This is not a retreat of "doing." It's a retreat of "being." There are no workshops, no readings, no schedules (other than for meals and meditation opportunities.) There are no expectations for participation in anything other than your own renewal. Retreaters may choose to write, journal, draw, color, read, knit, meditate, nap, think, or pray. The key is to bask in stillness, to let the quiet soak into your skin and into your heart.

Participants will stay in private bedroom/bathroom suites and will have access to common spaces such as the library, reading room, and writing porch. If they wish, participants can hike within the 65 acres of colony property and explore the winter gardens. All meals are provided.

 
Details:
Place: Rockvale Writers' Colony, 6994 Giles Hill Road, College Grove, TN
Time and Date: 4:00 p.m. Friday, November 15 to 11:00 a.m. Sunday, November 17, 2024
Cost: $350.00 PLUS TAX. A $150.00 non-refundable deposit is due upon registration. Balance is due by October 25, 2024
Includes: 2 nights in a private bedroom/bathroom suite, access to RWC common areas, gardens, and hiking trails, 5 meals with wine at dinner, 4 workshops, and community with other writers.

 

First Time Applicants:

We accept applications year-round and only through Submittable. A non-refundable $30.00 application fee applies to all first-time applicants who are applying for a residency. We highly suggest you take the time to familiarize yourself with the purpose of RWC by reading our website, especially "What is a Writers' Colony" https://rockvalewriterscolony.org/about/what-is-a-writers-colony/

Rockvale Writers' Colony does not offer scholarships at this time; however, our weekly rates are highly subsidized. Food and travel are the responsibility of the writer. The following fees apply to all accepted applicants:

• Weekly Residency Fee - $425 for Farmhouse Rooms and Cabin, $475.00 for Granary.
• Cleaning Fee - $30
• Sales Tax of 9.75% and Occupancy Tax of 4%

PLEASE NOTE: Filling out the application completely and in detail is extremely important. Make sure you read the notes beside each question as these can guide you in providing answers. Do not rush through the application. Acceptance as a writer-in-residence at RWC is not guaranteed. Applications that contain insufficient answers or lack care and attention to detail will be declined. 

Also Note: Farmhouse rooms are assigned by the director the week before residency begins. Most of our writers will stay in the Farmhouse and we do not accept room requests for this building. Writers may request to stay in the Cabin and Granary (additional fees apply for Granary) and when possible, we'll do our best to fulfill these requests. 

If you've already applied and been accepted, this form is for you! Do not use this form if this is your first time applying to Rockvale Writers' Colony. 

In order to simplify the residency date request process, we're asking returning writers to communicate with us through Submittable. There is no fee to request a new residency for returning or previously accepted writers. 

2024 residency fees are:

$425 for Farmhouse Rooms and Cabin - plus fees and taxes

$475 for Granary and Carriage House Rooms- plus fees and taxes

We look forward to welcoming you back to the colony!