Apply to The Heart of It Writing Retreat
A place I found belonging
TLDR; Appy to this writing retreat! www.theheartofitwritingreatreat.com.
The long version:
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to share about it here, but I first attended The Heart of It Writing Retreat in 2018, and it fundamentally changed who I am as a writer. I learned about communal storytelling and living, land stewardship, space sharing, and equal energetic exchanges.
I attended the alumni cohort in 2023 and last year as a Resident. I am now the retreat's lead newsletter writer and editor, where we feature writers and resources from and for our community. I am lucky to be a fellow among many other incredible writers, thinkers, and community members.
It’s one of the many places I've committed myself to community building, and the people who help bring this space to life are some of the most honest, direct, and committed writers I’ve ever known.
Applications to attend The Heart of It are open for the rest of the week. They close on Friday at midnight, Eastern time. You need an artist’s statement, bio, and a writing sample. We have payment plans and scholarships. Upon acceptance, we also have resources to share with you about how to find funding if you need it. The retreat is five days and four nights, and your $1,500 tuition covers your lodging, meals, and facilitation (I’m writing a newsletter soon about how your tuition is broken down and what it covers).
The Heart of It is committed to upholding a culture where working-class writers are prioritized, supported, and invested while keeping the space as financially accessible as possible. Most writing retreats cost twice, if not three, or more times as much as The Heart of It and offer a lot less. We are really lucky to have such a lovely, energetic exchange with our current venue, Oz Farm. You can learn more about the space here.
You can learn more about The Heart of It’s history here. We were also recently featured in Poets & Writers.
All of this to say, if you are looking for a stunning group of writers to come write with in late summer, consider applying to The Heart of It by this Friday at midnight ET.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment, visit the FAQ, or email info@theheartofitwritingretreat.com.
P.S. We have really robust COVID (and other virus) protocols and protections. Since 2020, we have hosted over 80 writers and had no related COVID infections before, during, or after The Heart of It. We work very hard to keep our fellows and community safe and will continue implementing the same protocols in 2025 and beyond.
Deeeeeeply eager to invest in something like this, and happy to know there are scholarship & payment plan options! As someone who has been unemployed due to caregiving burnout for the past few months, and slowly, intentionally reinvigorating my writing practice, both individually & in community, I am so deeply excited to apply!