The Focus Retreat, March 16-20, is a four-day writing getaway at the beautiful Scarritt-Bennett Center in Nashville, Tennessee. You will be freed up to focus on your current work-in-progress, whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.
Designed by writers for writers, this retreat will give you the time and space you need to make meaningful progress on your project, supported by other writers even as you support them.
Four days away from your day-to-day responsibilities. Your only responsibility is to write.
We’ll provide:
A comfortable, modest single room with a bed and desk (you’ll share a bathroom with the writer next door).
Three meals a day in Scarritt-Bennett’s paneled dining room (except for two special dinners out.)
Evening events with Nashville writers and songwriters to spark your creativity.
Daily group activities to inspire and energize you.
A supportive community of writers sharing this creative journey.
7:30 AM – Breakfast Together: Start the day with coffee, conversation, and camaraderie in the dining hall.
8:30 AM – Morning Group Check-In: After a few words of challenge and encouragement from Jonathan Rogers, you’ll share your writing goals for the day with your small group and draw inspiration from your fellow writers.
9:00 AM – Focused Writing Time: Settle into your dorm room or one of the beautiful Scarritt-Bennett campus spaces to dive deep into your work.
12:30 PM – Lunch Together: Take a break to recharge with a shared meal.
1:30 PM – Writing Workshops (Optional): Attend a brief teaching session or writing exercise led by me.
2:30 PM – Continued Writing Time: Spend the rest of the afternoon making progress on your project.
6:00 PM – Dinner Together: Enjoy a delicious meal and connect with your fellow writers over the day’s progress, discussing the day’s challenges and victories.
7:30 PM – Evening Group Activity: Our evening activities will be designed to spur your creativity by connecting you to Nashville’s unique creative culture.
We’ll bring in local writer friends for conversation and a workshop or two (Katy Hutson Bowser, for instance, has already agreed to come share insights from a book she’s writing about play and creativity).
One night we’ll attend an in-the-round performance by Nashville songwriters.
Our last night together will be devoted to a read-aloud in which you’ll have the opportunity to share an excerpt from the piece you’ve been working on all week. (This is completely voluntary, of course; nobody will be required to read their work aloud!)
An evening at North Wind Manor: One of our evenings will be spent by the fire(s) at beautiful North Wind Manor, the hub of in-person community for the Rabbit Room.
Optional One-on-One Meetings: Throughout the retreat, you’ll have the opportunity to meet privately with Jonathan Rogers to discuss struggles, brainstorm ideas, or get some direction for your work.
You won’t be alone on this journey. You’ll be part of a supportive small group of like-minded writers who will check in with you throughout the day, offering accountability and encouragement.
This retreat is perfect for writers looking to:
Escape distractions and immerse themselves in their craft.
Find a balance between solitude and meaningful connection with other writers.
Reignite their passion for writing in a serene, supportive setting.
The price of the Focus Retreat is $1650. Half-payment is due at registration, and the remainder is due by February 1. If you have questions about whether the Focus Retreat is a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to send me an email (jr@thehabit.co). If it’s helpful, we can set up a short Zoom call to discuss.
Registration for the Focus Retreat is limited to 20 writers.
On February 7-8, 2025, The Habit is hosting the Winter Writers’ Weekend at North Wind Manor, the Rabbit Room’s big beautiful house in Nashville.
This is not the kind of retreat where you have lots of quiet to work on your work-in-progress. Rather, it’s a weekend to connect with other writers, learn, be encouraged, encourage others, and go home feeling a little more equipped and energized to complete that work-in-progress—or tackle that work that isn’t yet in progress!
We’re still working on the schedule, but you can expect the following:
The $250 registration fee includes meals, but it doesn’t include lodging. Registration is limited to 50 writers.
(Subject to Tweaking)
