Abri Creative Writing is the writing ‘wing’ of Gardoussel Retreat which has been offering yoga, bodywork and personal development holidays since 2009. We also rent out 2 gîtes (independent holiday apartments). Run by Sharon Black, Abri was founded to bring writers and teachers together in a nurturing environment in the heart of nature. As a writer herself, Sharon believes this is one of the best conditions in which to access our creative potential.
For several years now we have been offering a small number of writing courses each year. These range from very relaxed, holiday-type courses for people just beginning to explore the craft of writing to more intensive writing workshops for experienced writers with specific aims. Whether your passion is for poetry, prose, autobiography, script-writing or using writing as a means for self-development, we hope you’ll find something that suits your interests. Each event is different and depends on the approach and choices of its tutor, but on a typical Abri course you can expect:
A typical daily format is a 3-hour group workshop in the morning, afternoon free for personal writing work (or to relax and do your own thing), and after dinner an evening gathering for discussion on a particular writing theme, or a sharing of work in progress. In addition, many tutors offer 1-1 tutorials in the afternoons so that each writer has the chance to have detailed feedback from their tutor on their own work. A typical group size is between 6-12 participants.
Guests are accommodated in rooms in either our 2 gîtes (holiday apartments) or independent bedrooms. Single rooms are provided, though if numbers exceed our quota we may ask the last ones in to share (cost remains the same). Couples and guests who know each other already can of course choose to share if they wish. (Most rooms have 2-3 single beds, two rooms have doubles). Non-writing partners are usually also welcome on events - check before booking. Meals are delicious, home-made, vegetarian and prepared with love using mainly organic ingredients. Dishes are laid out on a central table where guests help themselves. They can be eaten in our main dining room or out on the terrace overlooking the valley. As part of the informal atmosphere at Gardoussel, guests are asked to participate in tidying up after meals, on a rota basis. This is generally considered to be a plus rather than a chore - as it helps the group to get to know one another better!
We have high speed broadband with wifi available in many areas of Gardoussel. Writers looking for a quiet, private space to get on with their own writing project can also be accommodated on one of our semi-catered writing retreats. Includes optional mentoring with Faber / Penguin author Lucy Wadham or Pindrop editor Sharon Black. Or simply rent one of our gîtes (holiday apartments) for a self-catering retreat. Whatever your needs, contact Sharon and she’ll try to work something out for you.
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