Some writers work best in their office or home while others benefit from the stimulation and fresh perspective that a foreign sky affords. International authors Robin Hemley, based in Singapore, and Xu Xi, based in Hong Kong, are two of the latter types and have taught writing workshops and retreats around the world for many years. They founded Authors at Large (AAL) to cater to and benefit like-minded writers, both established and emerging, who love travel, time and space to write, and the community and fellowship of other writers at the end of a productive writing day.
Imagine a week on a private soi by the beach in Thailand, or at a remote arts centre in Orkney, Scotland, or a weekend in the heart of Berlin. These are the locations AAL has just announced for its writing retreats in 2018.
May 31 to June 6: Hua Hin, Thailand. This retreat will offer 3 small-group workshops of no more than 7 to 8 writers each. Ira Sukrungruang will lead nonfiction - memoir excerpts and essays. Fiction will be led by AAL co-founder Xu Xi - novel excerpts and short fiction. And for the first time AAL is offering a workshop in genre fiction - fantasy, sci-fi, mystery - led by editor and writer Chantelle Aimée Osman. Registration deadline March 30 / Application deadline March 23.
July 6 to 8: Berlin. For anyone interested specifically in the novel, Xu Xi will conduct an AAL urban weekend retreat - workshop your novel excerpts and take part in generative writing exercises. Registration deadline April 23 / Application deadline April 20
September 23 to 28: Orkney, Scotland. This retreat will offer 2 small group workshops for no more than 6 to 7 writers in the peaceful surroundings of the Kirsten Linklater Voice Centre. AAL co-founder Robin Hemley will lead a literary travel writing workshop, and a fiction workshop will be led by the novelist James Scudamore. Registration deadline June 11 / Application deadline June 7
AAL selects participants carefully for all retreats, to create a conducive environment that is culturally diverse and intellectually stimulating.
To apply for any of the retreats, send a manuscript of between 2,000 to 3,000 words in the genre of the workshop you wish to register for to aalauthors@gmail.com. There is no fee to apply.
