The Cooking the Books Food Writing Retreat
Food writers and would-be writers, if you fancy cuddling up over a good book with a bunch of fellow food scribes, this is the retreat of your dreams.
The book is yours-in-the-making, a mass of words, probably in the wrong order and all a bit unfocussed. But, with a bit of magic, some creative writing exercises, expert advice and lots and lots of time to write among a supportive gang of people, you'll leave with a clear vision of what you want to say in the world, to whom and why.
Each retreat, which runs from a Monday evening to a Wednesday afternoon at my home in East Sussex, I invite experts from the publishing industry and guests from my Cooking the Books podcast to Zoom in to share their insights, process and advice. With inspiration from our muse-in-residence, you’ll come with a dream and leave with a plan.
You’ll have plenty of time to retreat and write, with a large bedroom with en-suite and writing desk overlooking the meadow for £365 or a slightly smaller room with shared bathroom or en-suite in the upcycled barn for £345.
Our Zoom panel experts have included Gill Meller, Gurd Loyal, Tara Wigley, Lerato, Felicity Cloake, Sophie Grigson, Rachel Roddy and Dominique Woolf, and agents Emily Sweet, Emma Bal and Charlie Brotherstone. Our muses in residence have been Elisabeth Luard and Jo Thomas, and at the next October retreat on Oct 16-18, Lori De Mori from the Towpath Cafe.
The October retreat is now full, but I'm taking bookings for December 4-6th 2023 when Elisabeth Luard will be back as our muse.
Prices include all your food; all you need to bring is your laptop, your yoga mat and wine. Email gilly@gillysmith.com for more info and to book.
