Stories & Songs Writing Retreats
Writers & Songwriters — Retreat with us in stunning, immersive places. Small numbers, craft workshops, dedicated time to write, open mics, and more!
Writer Refuge — Free, virtual monthly writing time!
What our writers and songwriters say…
Where We Retreat
Italy 2024 — Montana 2025 — Italy 2026 — Ireland 2027 — Santa Fe, NM 2027
Ireland – June 4-9, 2027
Full retreat with 3 Workshop Tracks for writers and songwriters.
- 5 nights/6 days
- 1 night’s lodging in Shannon day of arrival
- Transportation from Shannon to Dingle via shuttle
- 4 nights’ lodging at Benner’s Dingle Hotel in Dingle, Co. Kerry
- All breakfasts, 3 dinners
- Daily craft talks for writers and songwriters (Hybrid track is available if you want choices!)
- Open mics
- Free time to stroll cliffs of Dingle or Dingletown
Writer Refuge
Free virtual writer’s meetup for pristine writing time. We meet on the last Monday of the month. Register for Zoom link.
We value your time:
- 1.5 hrs of pristine writing time
- 10-15 minutes – Greetings
- 50 minutes – Writing Time
- 15-20 minutes – Sharing
- Thought provoking prompts provided or bring your own project
- 4 PM PT – 5 PM MT – 6 PM CT – 7 PM ET (etc.)
Santa Fe, NM — Mini-Intensive Fall 2027
- 3 writing drenched days
- Downtown Santa Fe hotel accommodations
- Large blocks of dedicated writing time with accountability
- Short craft workshops
- Option to use a block for 1-on-1 mentorship with book coach, writing instructor or pro songwriter ($)
- All breakfasts, 1 dinner, Welcome reception
- Margarita or Faux-garita walking tour
- On assignment writing prompts (opt.)
Meet Your Storyteller & Songwriter Leaders
Carolyn Flynn
Memoir, Fiction & Essay Writer. Book Coach. Creativity Coach.
The Story Catalyst, Soulfire Studios
Credits: Boundless (Memoir), essays, novel, and editorial
Karen Leslie
Fiction & Prose Writer — Assistant Professor: English, Creative & Professional Writing
Read Then Write Organization, The Thin Places
Credits: travel essays, independent book editor, short stories/prose, Cumberland University
Clay Mills
Hit Songwriter (Darius Rucker, Diamond Rio, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Kimberly Locke)
SongTown Co-Founder
Credits: Multi-#1 hits, MS Songwriter Hall of Fame, hundreds of cuts, Mastering Co-Writing, Mastering Melody Writing
10 Constants for Every Stories & Songs Retreat
Dedicated time to write, write, write!
Support for your intentions, goals and practices
3 Workshop Tracks: Storyteller, Songwriter, or Hybrid
Teaching workshops to sharpen your craft and in-person mentorship that gives you momentum
Cross-genre experience to strengthen your main genre
Immersion in carefully selected settings like a Tuscan family castle and educational center, a natural hot springs Western ranch, the mystical musical coastal town of Dingle, Ireland, and the sun-drenched creative community in Santa Fe, New Mexico
“On Assignment” writing prompt geared toward capturing our setting
The most supportive community of writers and songwriters who share your passion
A chance to share your writing and songs in nightly open mics
Alumni, SongTown, Spalding, and retreat bundle discounts
General FAQs
Everything you need to know about an upcoming retreat. First, check out the specific retreat page in the Menu. Still can’t find an answer? Get in touch →
What is included in registration?
When you choose the STORYTELLER TRACK: FICTION & MEMOIR, Essay, Prose…
Daily small group workshops on writing craft, creativity, process, travel writing and more!
Time to write, write, write! with mentored support
Packet with “Enter the Day” Writing prompts
1 cross-genre workshop in songwriting
Several cross-genre open mics to share with the group what you’re creating
When you choose the SONGWRITER TRACK…
Daily small group workshops on songwriting, including melody and lyric writing, co-writing, “writing the song in the room,” tips on writing for pleasure versus writing to pitch, and more!
Time to write and co-write with mentored support
1 cross-genre workshop in short story writing
Several cross-genre open mics to share a song with the group
(Hold your breath! We’ll have a surprise Open Mic on night in Ireland for both tracks!)
HYBRID TRACK – You get a mix of both workshops throughout the entire week! A true cross-genre experience.
*You will choose your track when you register; however, you can change your mind about your workshop track anytime before the retreat. You can plan out your workshop week in advance with our schedule. Or you can be totally spontaneous, wake up, and decide which hat you want to wear that day!
LODGING, FOOD AND ACCOMMODATIONS—
IRELAND
1 night’s lodging in Shannon, Ireland, with welcome dinner.
PLUS 4 nights’ lodging at Benner’s Hotel in Dingle, Ireland
All breakfasts
3 Dinners
Welcome reception & Open mics
SANTA FE
Details coming soon!
TRANSPORTATION & TICKETS—
Ireland: Shuttle transportation to and from Shannon hotel to Dingle hotel on June 5 and 9, 2026. The shuttle will make one trip for all participants.
* Airfare NOT included!
What is not included in registration?
Airfare / transportation to our arrival or retreat city.
One-on-one mentoring (This can be added by request via Contact form.)
Any food or alcohol not specified on the retreat description page. Generally, we provide a drink or drink coupon for the Welcome reception. As we often have non-alcoholic drinkers, any other alcohol during meals or outings is OYO.
Where should I fly in for the retreat?
Ireland: Shannon is the closest airport.
Santa Fe: Santa Fe (SAF) has a small airport, while Albuquerque (ABQ) is larger. You can take the “Rail Runner” from Albuquerque to downtown Santa Fe. You can either “Ride Share” or walk to the hotel.
I’m a total beginner…or an experienced writer/songwriter. Is this for me?
Storyteller Track: We welcome all levels of writers to join us. Workshops will be presented “down the middle,” with room for less and more experience. We are all on a solitary journey as a writer, and we don’t measure ourselves against others (or at least we try really hard not to do that!). You’ll find a mix of writers who have been at their craft a long time, and those who are finally ready to take time for themselves. A beginner could show up and say, “These are my first words as a writer.” So, if you’re ready to dive in with us at the “Stories & Songs Retreat,” we will all celebrate you! If you’ve got a lot of craft talks under your pen, we’d love to have you join us. Most workshops include discussion, and we welcome your experience. We have all levels, including many published writers and songwriters. (Keep in mind, the mini-intensive may be a good choice if you need to buckle down on a specific project.)
Songwriter Track: Clay welcomes all levels of songwriters. “Bring your most teachable self.”
Can I bring a +1 to the retreat to stay in my room?
Yes, some retreats include this is an option. If you don’t see a +1 Registration link along with the regular workshop registration, please inquire via the contact page. Sometimes, because of the room set up or nature of the retreat, we do not offer +1 opportunities. If that is the case, we encourage you to have your +1 join you after the retreat ends. The other option is to invite your +1 to attend as a workshop registrant! This is a wonderful opportunity to begin writing stories or songs.
Can I share a room with another registrant?
Yes, if our lodging can accommodate this request, we will work with you and the other registrant. You must both register for the retreat within 24 hours of each other…and both request to share a room with each other. Send us a message via Contact form for the price difference.
What do I bring for my workshop track?
We will have workshops, talks and dedicated writing time, along with open mics a few times during the retreat week.
STORYTELLER TRACK: Most writers write on paper AND on the computer. So, bring what you usually need to write.
If you write ONLY on a computer, make sure you have a notebook and pen or pencil. If you write on paper, bring enough open pages so you can fill them up for the week. And many pens so you don’t run out of ink. (Carolyn, who is never without “ink backup,” actually did run out of ink when she spent a month in Ireland last year and had to go buy a whole new set of pens — she wrote that much!)
Besides the basics, we hope you’ll bring your curiosity, open mind, and good humor, so we can fully tap into your creativity.
SONGWRITER TRACK: We will have a dedicated writing time every morning, and then, a workshop in the afternoon…or maybe vice versa. I will have a guitar. There is a piano in one of the meeting areas. We can’t promise it’s in tune, but we’ll try! You could bring a guitar, ukulele, or a writing notebook if you are “lyrics only.” We will break into small groups for co-writing exercises from time to time. However, keep in mind, there won’t be guitars to borrow or guaranteed places to plug in electronic instruments. If you compose or write lyrics only on your computer, make sure you have a notebook and pencil or pen.
Bring your Muse as well!
~Clay Mills
Will I have leisure time?
You will. Relaxation, stillness, and solitude are part of sinking into the experience.
We also want you to come with a commitment to your writing. You will receive mentoring and support around how to structure your dedicated writing time.
If your true aim, though, is to see our retreat location, designate that time on the front end or back end of the retreat.
This is our invitation to you to invest in yourself, your creativity, and your writing.
Billing FAQs
Everything you need to know about purchases, invoices and billings. Can’t find an answer? Get in touch →
What is the refund policy?
While we recognize that life has its disruptions, we have a strict refund policy. We must do this because we commit to a contract for accommodations, food and other costs once bookings are taken for a retreat. In addition, we incur costs when we are required to re-advertise the retreat when bookings are cancelled.
So here’s the policy, and make sure you read carefully!
All deposits are non-refundable and cannot be held over to future retreats.
If you cancel within three months of the retreat, the remainder of your payment (minus the deposit) will be refunded ONLY if a replacement is found to take your place. Naturally, you probably know that it becomes increasingly difficult and less likely as a retreat approaches to find substitutes who can both pay and travel at short notice.
No refunds are possible if you cancel within four weeks of the retreat.
If you register as an early bird, you do have more options. Though we cannot refund your deposit, you may receive a one-hour consultation with one of the retreat mentors.
If we have to cancel, all payments will be returned in full.
How does “Pre-Save” registration work?
We offer a limited number of “Pre-Save” registrations a few weeks before we officially advertise our retreat. All Alumni are given first dibs on these. When you Pre-Save your spot for a retreat, your place is secured with a small deposit, which refundable during the Pre-Save period. This is the LOWEST PRICE for the retreat.
During the Pre-Save period, if you must cancel, your deposit will be refunded. Beginning August 15, 2026, your retreat deposit is non-refundable.
Advantages: 1. When you Pre-Save your spot on the retreat, you pay $645 less than the regular non-refundable deposit. (See Pre-Save product in Registration area for more Pre-Save $ details). 2. Your spot is secured early and may affect room choice positively! 3. You can cancel your registration without losing your deposit during the Pre-Save period.
*The Pre-Save period has a firm end date. Ireland 2027: August 15, 2026
Can I pay in full / pay in installments?
Yes, you can pay in full at the time of registration or by August 15, 2026, when the Super Early Bird begins and the Pre-Save deposit becomes non-refundable. We love that so much we have a “thank you” set of gifts (digital and print) to send you!
Alternately…Yes, you can pay in installments. The usual process is to pay a deposit to hold your spot, whether pre-save or another tier, and then, receive 3 monthly invoices to pay the remainder of your balance. If you register early enough, you may request to stretch the payments out for an addition 1-3 months.
You will choose the way you’d like to pay for the full retreat at the time of registration.
Note: All registrants must be paid in full no later than February 15, 2027, or your spot may be forfeited.
Register today!
Pre-Save
$350 refundable deposit thru August 15, 2026
- VERY LIMITED NUMBER available. First come first served!
- Saves your spot for the lowest registration fee
- Locks in the Special Pre-Save Rate: $3,995
- Savings: $300 off Super Early Bird / $1000 off Standard Registration
- Fully refundable until August 15, 2026.
- After August 15, you will pay in full or begin monthly payments. At this point, your Pre-Save deposit becomes non-refundable
- 5 nights/6 days
Super Early Bird
$995 deposit after August 15 thru September 30, 2026
- Locks in Super Early Bird Rate: $4,295
- Savings: $300 off Early Bird and $700 off Standard Registration
- Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel for any reason
- At registration, if you choose to pay in full ($4,295), you’ll receive our Workshop Leader gift set
- 3 monthly invoices will be sent for the remainder, unless otherwise noted.
Early Bird
$995 deposit after October 1 thru November 15, 2026
- Locks in Early Bird Rate: $4,595
- Savings: $400 off Standard Registration
- Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel for any reason
- At registration, if you choose to pay in full ($4,595), you’ll receive our Workshop Leader gift set
- 3 monthly invoices will be sent for the remainder, unless otherwise noted.
Standard Registration begins November 16: $4,995 pp