We’re just putting together the final details for the next Wild Words Writing Retreat. It will run from Wednesday 13th until Tuesday 19th September 2023.

If you’d like to be informed when booking opens, subscribe to the newsletter, or fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page. Looking for something happening sooner? Take a look at our other flourishing events.

The Wild Words retreats, with their rich blend of psychology, spirituality and nature-based writing, take place in Puivert, the home village of the co-facilitators of this retreat - Wild Words’ Bridget Holding and Vanessa Cook of Wild Swan Living.

The Pyrenean village community, life and stunning natural environment will form the backdrop to your word-crafting. You’ll be invited to join in village activities and events which may include: foraging, crafts, tracking wild animals, wine tasting, wild swimming, walking in the mountains, wild cooking, eating meals sourced from local organic ingredients, visiting the Cathar chateaus, and drinking at the village bar. A week of writing is enriched and inspired by the troubadour history and centuries of storytelling.

In this small group, nature-based week, we’ll share experiences, track down the nature of our self and our authentic voices and discover the stories we truly need to tell. Although later in the week you may decide to take the skills learnt into fiction writing, initially, you’ll transform personal experiences – from joyful to traumatic – into spoken and written poetry and prose. You’ll come away with both individually and collaboratively crafted work. To support this process there will be readings of inspirational poems, as well as art, montage and body awareness exercises.

Bridget will address subjects including sensory impressions, body sensations, emotion, point of view, the narrative arc, rhythm, tension, voice, character and dialogue, form, working with personal and/or traumatic material, and the role of storytelling in enabling human beings to survive and thrive. We’ll explore the (often unconscious) structures and techniques that, when we sit down to write, creates the idea of ‘block’, as well as gain an equal understanding of how to arrive at ‘flow’.

We’ll also make use of a process known as ‘found verse’ that uses using verbatim words as a basis for poetry and prose. By the end of the week you’ll have used the smallest signs to covey the most vast, transformed the unspeakable into words, and laughed a great deal with like-minded souls.

Vanessa will be guiding us into the wild. She will lead us on a wild walk, into opportunities to open ourselves to new ways of engaging with the landscape through basic bush skills, including foraging, tracking and wild swimming. She will also take us on a medicine walk, guiding us to deepen our communication with the land and with our inner voice.

She will be running the kitchen for us during the retreat, preparing delicious meals, lovingly made for us to enjoy. (See Wild Swan Living for more about Vanessa).

This retreat is suitable for both fledgling and experienced word-crafters in all genres.

Wednesday 13th until Tuesday 19th September 2023. Cost: TBA. Price covers full board in gite accommodation (except for one lunch and one evening meal out), alcohol, tuition and activities. Please note there are some optional extras.

Fill in the contact form below for further information, or to request a booking form

See photos of the area taken by Wild Words photographer Peter Reid. Non-residential places also available- prices upon request.

 

What to expect?

  • A range of comfortable accomodation options to suit all budgets

  • Delicious, locally sourced food

  • Morning movement/meditation practice

  • Three hours a day of tuition

  • Peer support meetings

  • Evening talks and demonstrations by guest speakers

  • 1-1 tutor sessions to discuss your own projects and/or tasks set during the week

  • Photographer Peter Reid offers professional portrait photographs for your back cover at no extra charge!

  • Suitable for both fledgling and experienced wordsmiths

  • Whilst the week focuses on non-fiction writing based on personal experience, all skills and techniques taught can be applied to all types of fiction, non-fiction, prose and poetry writing, as well as to oral storytelling, and spoken/sung-word

Be truly who you are, and act unashamedly from that place.

You’re welcome to come into the wilds with us.

 
 

An example day schedule from an immersive Autumn retreat week


7am-8am                      Sunrise writing practice/yoga or movement (optional!)

8am-9am                      Breakfast

9am-11am                     Theory and experiential

11am-11.30am              Coffee break

11.30am- 1pm               Theory and experiential

1pm- 2pm                      Lunch

2pm- 3pm                     Rest time, or 1-1 session

3pm- 5pm                     Writing in Nature (visit to hot springs, waterfall etc...)

5pm- 5.30pm                Tea break

5.30pm- 7pm                Private work time, or 1-1/peer support session

7pm- 8pm                     Dinner

8pm- 9.30pm               Sunset writing practice/yoga or movement (optional)

                                      (Final evening- wine tasting, presentation of work)

Register your interest

For further information, or to book, please send us a quick message.

If you would like Bridget to call you, please leave your phone number.