What to Expect at a Writing Retreat
If you have never been on a writing retreat, it is natural to feel a little uncertain about what to expect. At Acorn Writing Retreats, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where you can focus on your individual projects whilst drawing inspiration from supporting others to succeed. This blog post shall provide some insights into what to expect when you join an Acorn Writing Retreat at The Oak Tree Inn, so you can arrive feeling confident and ready to make the most of your experience.
Daily Schedule & Structure
Acorn Writing Retreats typically span 3-4 days, offering you the perfect balance of productivity and rejuvenating rest. Inspired by Professor Rowena Murray’s model of structured writing retreats, the thoughtfully designed schedule ensures you have ample time to work on your writing whilst enjoying moments of relaxation, networking and inspiration.
Please note the schedule is adjusted based on the needs of each writing retreat group and the temperamental Scottish weather to ensure ample time to enjoy the great outdoors.
Your Writing Dream Team
At each retreat, you will find yourself supported by an experienced and dedicated team, as well as a community of like-minded writers. Your facilitators, Dr. Rebecca Maxwell Stuart and, on occasion, Prof. Rowena Murray, will be there throughout the retreat to provide guidance, encouragement and help you stay focused during the writing sessions.
Each retreat brings together a diverse and inspiring group of writers from various fields and stages in their writing journeys. Participants include academics working on research papers and grant applications, postgraduate students refining their theses, creative writers bringing stories to life, and professional non-academic writers seeking uninterrupted time to advance their projects. This variety creates a dynamic, enriching environment where different perspectives spark inspiration and support flows freely.
While Acorn Writing Retreats is open to all writers, it is recommended that you arrive with a specific project in mind to maximise your experience. By the end of the retreat, you will have made significant progress on your work while building meaningful connections with others who share your passion for writing.
The Writing Sessions
The primary focus of Acorn Writing Retreats is to help you make meaningful and substantial progress on your writing project(s). Central to this are the structured writing sessions, each lasting 60-90 minutes - long enough to dive deep into your work whilst maintaining focus and energy. During these sessions, the atmosphere is intentionally designed to foster concentration.
The following poem written by creative writer, Jacqueline Glen, during an Acorn Writing Retreat captures the essence of these writing sessions:
As Jacqueline vividly describes, these sessions provide the perfect environment to immerse yourself in your writing project(s), whether that is focusing on drafting, revising or brainstorming. Each session is yours to use as you see fit, ensuring that your retreat experience aligns with your individual goals.
For those who battle with procrastination or distractions, these sessions can be transformative in keeping you focused. The quiet camaraderie of fellow writers creates a unique sense of social accountability that keeps you focused and progressing with your writing project(s). Instead of scrolling through your phone or staring at a blank page, you will find yourself inspired by the collective determination in the room.
A Space for Flow
The structure of the writing sessions allows many participants to enter a state of “flow” - that magical zone where words come easily and time seems to disappear. With distractions minimised and support all around, these writing sessions often yield significant breakthroughs, from solving tricky problems, finding the right phrasing, or producing a considerably high word count. By the end of each retreat, many writers leave amazed at how much they have accomplished in just a few days, spurred on by these focused sessions.
Goal-Setting & Accountability
To make the most of your writing retreat experience, it’s important to arrive with a plan in mind. Setting clear goals helps you focus your efforts, ensuring you make substantial progress during your time at the retreat. If you’re not sure where to start, check out our tips on How To Plan for a Writing Retreat.
At the beginning of each retreat, participants are encouraged to set personal writing goals and sub-goals that can be achieved within the 60-90 minutes sessions. Depending on your project, these goals provide a roadmap for progressing during the retreat. Throughout the retreat, you will have the opportunity to share your goals with the group, which helps create a sense of accountability and mutual support.
To help you stay on track, the retreat includes regular moments for reflection and check-ins. For instance:
Writing Warm-Up Exercises: Short 5-minute free-writing activities designed to ease you into the writing flow. These exercises can spark inspiration, help overcome mental blocks and/or simply centre your focus for the day ahead.
Progress Check-Ins: Periodic check-ins provide a chance to share your accomplishments, challenges and next steps with fellow participants. These sessions foster a supportive environment where everyone can celebrate successes and troubleshoot hurdles together.
By the end of the retreat, many participants find that the combination of clear goal-setting (and re-setting), structured accountability and group camaraderie helps them to achieve their objectives as well as strengthening their motivation and confidence as writers.
Relaxation & Rejuvenation
At Acorn Writing Retreats, we understand the importance of pacing yourself to prevent burnout. That’s why the schedule is intentionally designed to alternate between periods of focused writing and opportunities for rest and refreshment. There are plenty of ways to recharge and stay inspired, including taking a walk through the nearby countryside, unwinding with a hot drink and slice of cake, as well as enjoying lively chats with fellow writers. This balanced approach ensures you leave the retreat with tangible progress on your writing as well as a renewed sense of energy and purpose.
Nourishment & Treats
There is a special emphasis on the “treat” aspect of your experience at Acorn Writing Retreats. From indulgent sweet treats, to locally roasted coffee, specialty teas and delicious meals, you’ll feel nourished and pampered throughout your stay. Rest assured, your dietary needs and preferences will be carefully noted, ensuring that every meal is as satisfying as it is inclusive.
The standard retreat package is all-inclusive of meals and refreshments, so you can focus entirely on your writing. Below provides further details on what you can look forward to at The Oak Tree Inn:
Afternoon Arrival: To ease you into the retreat after your journey, a variety of freshly prepared pizzas will be available - perfect for refuelling before diving into your writing.
Breakfast Buffet: At the start of each full day, a generous breakfast buffet is available with a range of hot and cold choices to provide nourishment and fuel up for the day ahead.
Refreshment Breaks: Throughout each day, you’ll have access to fresh locally-roasted coffee, a selection of specialty teas, plus an assortment of sweet treats and fresh fruit to keep your energy levels high and your writing flowing.
Lunch: After productive mornings of writing, there will be two options for lunch. You can either choose to have your lunch with the group within the restaurant (after a brisk walk to stretch our legs), or you can opt for a packed lunch and have a picnic during an extended walk.
Dinner: Enjoy a two-course meal from a bespoke reduced menu designed to offer a range of options without overwhelming your post-writing brain. A soft drink is included, with a variety of alcoholic beverages available to purchase at the bar.
Final Night Feast: On the last evening of the retreat, indulge in the full menu at The Oak Tree Inn. Choose up to three courses and savour the celebratory atmosphere as your reflect on your accomplishments with fellow participants.
An Extra Treat: On the last day as an extra reward for your hardwork, you will receive a token to get a complimentary hot drink and cake from St Mocha’s Cafe.
A Magical Memento: You will also receive a little memento at the end of the retreat as a reminder of the experience and to help encourage you to continue progressing once the retreat is all over.
From hearty meals to those little moments of sweet indulgence, nourishment at Acorn Writing Retreats is about more than just food - it’s an integral part of creating a warm, supportive and rejuvenating experience.
Transform Your Writing Journey
At Acorn Writing Retreats, we believe that writing is more than putting words on a page - it’s a transformative journey fueled by productivity, creativity and community. Several participants have described their time with us as a “life-changing experience”, which perfectly captures the profound impact of just a few days in a supportive and structured environment.
Whether you are looking for breakthroughs in your work, inspiration from like-minded peers, or simply the joy of uninterrupted time to focus on your writing, our retreats are thoughtfully designed to help you achieve your ambitions. You will leave feeling accomplished, re-energised and equipped to sustain your momentum long after the retreat ends.
