Get Your Work-in-Progress to the Next Stage.
Whether you’re stuck in the messy middle, wrangling with structure, or needing devoted time to focus on your writing, our retreats are for you.
Inspired by the three-petaled trillium, our approach to the creative process is three-fold:
Mind: We offer rigorous craft-based workshops on topics that will be curated based on the needs of each group.
Body: We draw attention to the embodied narrator, our sensory experiences, and the importance of nature, place, and land.
Spirit: We host fireside chats about the writing life, cultivating literary citizenship, and courage in the face of setbacks.
We believe the most profound creative breakthroughs happen when writers feel safe to experiment. For this reason, we do not engage in peer workshopping. Instead, we offer high-level professional mentorship.
Groups are limited to five or six participants and thoughtfully assembled, so the energy feels supportive, focused, and generous.
Our Retreats
Trillium Writing Retreat (5 days)
Reconnect with your creativity.
Get your project to the next stage in a supportive community. Over 5 days, you’ll develop new skills to enhance your writing, deepen your creative practice, connect to your physical senses, and make real progress on your work.
This retreat is for women & non-binary writers of memoir and creative nonfiction.
The Rhythm of the Week
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Participants may arrive any time throughout the day, with everyone on site by 1:00. We begin with a boat ride to Huntsville to visit the local bookstore (weather permitting) followed by a welcome session to set group agreements and individual intentions. We will conclude the first day with dinner together.
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Morning Workshops: Expert-led sessions covering topics like Structural Editing, Building Your Creative Practice, and The Embodied Narrator.
Afternoon Free Writes: This time is completely your own. If you need a boost, follow one of the optional prompts designed to kickstart stagnant projects and invite new discoveries.
Evening Alchemy: Optional fireside chats and an Author Salon to share works-in-progress in a supportive, non-critical environment.
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A final workshop to synthesize the week’s insights, followed by packing up and checkout. Bag lunches will be provided for travellers who need to depart before lunch. Others may linger as you prepare to carry the creative spark back into your daily life.
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Extend your stay to deepen your retreat experience! Participants may elect to add one or two extra nights (before arrival on Sunday, and after wrap-up on Friday) for an additional fee. Meals are not included in extra night reservations, though participants will have access to the cottage kitchen and there are numerous restaurant options in the area.
Fern Writing Intensive (2 days)
Reboot your writing.
Over two days, you’ll carve out space for learning, connect with other writers, and get words on the page. This is your chance to get your project back on track.
For women & non-binary writers of all genres; check specific dates for genre focus.
The Rhythm of the Weekend
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We begin at 10:00 am with a welcome session to set group agreements and individual intentions, followed by a writing craft workshop.
The afternoon is devoted to free writing time and 1:1 sessions with the facilitators.
In the evening, after a gourmet dinner we will conclude the day with a grounding somatic session to release stress, calm your nervous system, and move through creative blocks.
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After breakfast, a morning workshop will create more opportunity for writing, followed by packing up and checkout. Bag lunches will be provided for travellers who need to depart before lunch. Others may linger and write for the rest of the afternoon as they prepare to carry the creative spark back into their daily life.
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Extend your stay to deepen your retreat experience! Participants may elect to arrive one night early (on Friday) for an additional fee. Meals are not included in extra night reservations, though participants will have access to the cottage kitchen and there are numerous restaurant options in the area.
What to Expect
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We blend workshops, free writing, one-on-one sessions, and space to reflect—so the experience feels both focused and fluid.
Participants will be encouraged to go “low tech” for the duration of the retreat.
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Writing is not necessarily a solo activity. Here, we believe in the value of community.
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Led by experienced facilitators who know how to hold space, encourage participation, and keep things moving with purpose.
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Our retreats prioritize comfort, safety, and respect—so you can show up as you are and fully engage in the process.
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From lakeside morning coffee to candlelit dinners, you’ll be well fed and well cared for all week long. Thoughtfully prepared, chef-made meals are served three times a day, featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients—so the only thing you’ll need to lift is your pen. Dietary needs and sensitivities are gladly accommodated.
Your Investment
Trillium Writing Retreat, 2026
$2,195-3,995 CAD+HST*
Tuition includes: All meals prepared by a professional catering service, four nights of lodging in a private bedroom, all instruction, all extracurricular activities, one 60-minute private consultation with Jennifer prior to the retreat to help participants prepare for a successful and meaningful experience, one 60-minute consultation after the retreat, and a one-year membership in our “Words & Work” accountability group, held every week on Zoom.
* Guest cabin with private bath and sitting room: with king bed $3,995 per individual OR with two single beds $2,195 per person + HST
* Main cottage Garden Room with private ensuite bath $3,395 +HST
* Main cottage Blue Room or Green Room with queen bed and shared bath $2,995 +HST
* Main cottage Dormer Room with single bed and shared bath $2,495 +HST
Fern Writing Intensive, 2026
$425-725 CAD+HST*
Tuition includes: All meals prepared by a professional catering service, one night of lodging in a private bedroom, all instruction, all extracurricular activities, and a one-year membership in our “Words & Work” accountability group, held every week on Zoom.
* Guest cabin with private bath and sitting room: with king bed $725 per individual OR with two single beds $425 per person + HST
* Main cottage Garden Room with private ensuite bath $625 +HST
* Main cottage Blue Room or Green Room with queen bed and shared bath $525 +HST
* Main cottage Dormer Room with single bed and shared bath $425 +HST
Retreat fees do not include flights/travel to the Toronto airport or transportation to Huntsville, though we will help organize carpools both to/from Toronto. Transfers are available from the Muskoka airport and the Huntsville bus or train station. Click here for transportation options.
If writers intend to apply for grants or bursaries to cover the cost of this residency, we would be happy to provide letters of support.
Let’s create something meaningful together.
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime.
If you’re ready to take the next step, we look forward to reviewing your application!