Getting your story written relies on one thing: you getting your butt in a chair and actually writing it. The famous Birmingham Writers’ Retreat is your reliable source of chair-butt interfacing, accountability, motivation, and writerly joy.
What happens at Birmingham Writers’ Retreat?
Writing! More writing! Some more writing! A bucket-load of writing!
At a WHQ creative writing retreat, you’ll spend the day in a room with a bunch of writers, limitless caffeine and a tasty lunch. We’ll help you set your writing goals for the day, celebrate your successes, and break through blocks.
We write together in short sprints – long enough to focus but not so long you burn out – with breaks for leg stretches, drinks, snacks and lunch.
A score board, gold stars, general silliness and supportive competitiveness will help you reach your targets and get your writing moving.
Who is Birmingham Writers’ Retreat for?
- Everyone! New writers! Emerging writers! Aspiring writers! Experienced writers! Not-sure-if-they’re-really-allowed-to-call-themselves-writers! (Hint: if you write, you’re a writer)
- Writers who want to tinker with some ideas or make a start on a brand new project
- Writers with a work-in-progress that’s stalled or been put aside while life takes over
- Writers who just wanna get shit done
- People writing fiction, non-fiction, scripts, academic texts, copy, articles, blogs, poetry, creative non-fiction, genre, high brow, low brow, and anything else that needs an alphabet shuffle
- People who want to drink tea and eat biscuits and write some words in a fun, supportive environment
Your retreat-o-bot
Who hosts the Birmingham Writers’ Retreat?
Aakriti Kaushik
Aakriti is a PR professional and ex-journalist. She mostly writes about technical subjects related to STEM, engineering and electronics in her current PR life. Having trained as a journalist with The Hindustan Times, India’s leading national daily, some of her non-fiction work has focused on gender and women issues. She is currently working on her first fiction novel.
Aakriti is also an accredited mindfulness meditation teacher, with a special interest in teaching MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) techniques, and a strong advocate of yoga.
Okay I’m sold. Where? When? I want in!
Farquars
How much is a retreat and what exactly do I get for my cold hard cash?
Each retreat is £45, or £38.25 if you’re a WHQ Gold Star Member.
You get a place at a one-day creative writing retreat. The facilitator will help you set your goals and guide the day through writing sprints and support. We’ll feed and water you with unlimited tea and coffee, pastries, fruit, snacks, and lunch. You’ll spend the day with a bunch of awesome writers all gunning for your success and you’ll get a whole bunch of words written.
Oh and gold stars. You’ll get gold stars for your work. We love the gold stars.
Can’t I just do that at home?
Sure. And if you do, then great! Keep doing you.
But for lots of us it’s not quite like that. We make Booker Prize winning plans but there’s always just one other thing to do or another cat to look at on the Internet.
Before you know it, it’s gone midnight, you’re sitting in your pants eating Dairy Milk, and you’ve written 25 words. Ugh.
Do we share our work?
Nope. WHQ creative writing retreats are strictly non-sharing events. We want you to focus on writing your story instead of getting anxious about other people reading it.
There is no workshopping or taught element to the retreats. It’s just about the writing. For taught courses please check out our superduper range of online courses.
If you’re after a beta reader or want to share your work, head over to the forum and check out Flash Face Off or Swipe Write.
What if I get stuck or have questions on the day?
Speak to the facilitator or utilise the other amazing writers who’ll be there!
WHQ retreats are super friendly and super supportive. While they’re not set up for intense 1:1 feedback kind of scenarios, you can definitely slump on the desk and say ‘grargh I’m stuck!’ and a whole bunch of people will leap to your aid.
I have accessibility requirements. What do I do?
Let us know! We do our best to make sure our venues are accessible and we put accommodations in place where ever you need. Just email help@writershq.co.uk or fill in the little form when you book your place and we’ll leap into action with keenness and speed.
