Palm Springs Workshops and Retreats
Palm Springs One Day Workshops for 2019
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(Jump To: Palm Springs September Retreat)
Hello Writers!
Sunday, February 17 and Sunday, March 3
Both workshops will be held at Heritage Palms Country Club on Fred Waring just past Jefferson.
10 am – 4 pm
Each workshop is $125 ($110 for Online Members)
Sunday, February 17:
- Finding your writing voice (this is often overlooked and one I see often when coaching and why this is important in your writing.
- Show Don’t Tell (yes, you have heard this and I am going to cover when you should and shouldn’t use this and how to use it effectively to be a better writer)
- A Writing technique that will make your readers fall in love with your sentences!
- Cliff hangers…how to use them so your readers won’t be able to put your story down!
Sunday, March 3:
- How to develop your story idea (I am teaching this workshop because I see this as a common problem with many of my clients, I will take you step by step to go from idea to get past those blocks stopping you)
- How to set a strong scene to immerse your readers into your story (are you using your setting as a backdrop? Dont, do that, you are missing out when you don’t capture the scene in the reader’s eye. I will be sharing my top tips I have learned and discovered)
- Flash Fiction: Mastering the art of the shortest of short stories
And…I am working on a few other ideas, but this is what I know for sure I will be teaching but for now just look at the dates and if you want to join me for one or both workshops let me know! I would love to have you in class with me!I have talked with many of my “newer” writers and I realize I have so many workshops and lessons, now over 125 and some I have taught only once or twice and they have missed out…never fear, I have been thinking…Introducing something I think you will be interested in…I am calling it the Brown Bag Series!
Friday, February 15: Memoir A-Z: You will leave with a 33 page handout that will demystify all your fears of memoir. From questions to think about to discovering your unique story. We will discuss your theme and how to determine that all important starting point. This really is a workshop that covers it all, from A-Z.
Monday, February 18: 5 Lessons in Writing: This workshop touches on many different topics. We will discuss the importance of descriptive writing, and how to apply that to your writing. We will get into memoir and the healing aspects of looking inward, then we will tackle short story and how to get started. And the back to memoir with remembrances. You will take home a 25 page handout.
Tuesday, February 19: Writing Past our Silence: This is one of my favorite workshops that I have taught and it is packed full of great things such as: how to find your truth, the reflective voice in memoir, being more present in your writing, creating your writing vision, how to squelch your inner critic and outwitting your writer’s block. You will leave with a 31 page handout.
Wednesday, February 20: NEW for 2019
- Engaging your reader with emotionally charged writing
- Storytelling: the elements of plot
- Chapter and Scenes
- Where to find story ideas
- Writing that deep core story that only you can tell
- Diving deeper into your writing
- Journaling/Prompt tips
- Discovering your story
- How to develop your story idea
- Setting Descriptions
- Steps to writing your scene
- Flash Fiction
May 22 Private home workshop in Palm Desert
- Better ways to start your story
- The secret of a great scene
- 5 ways to handle the passing of time in your story
- and of course some opportunities to practice with some awesome prompts
June 18 Private home in La Quinta
This workshop will focus on one of the greatest things you can be as a writer and that is vulnerable. How to bring your authentic self to the page each time you write.
PS email me if you want to schedule some private time with me, spaces are limited and hours are few now!
Palm Springs Workshop Cancellations
Refunds (minus a non-refundable deposit of 10%) are available at 75% up to 90 days in advance of the retreat, 50% up to 60 days in advance and 25% up to 30 days in advance. No refunds are possible after May 1, 2019 – no exceptions. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Palm Springs Retreat
All inclusive which means, just bring your suitcase and your computer or notebook and sit back and relax! 3 meals a day plus snacks. Your own private room and we will be staying in a gorgeous home with private pool in the palm springs area! This will be a wonderful get away of 4 days of writing and adventure! Plan to arrive the morning of September 6th and we will start with an afternoon workshop on September 6th at 1 pm followed by a welcome reception in the evening. Writing workshops will be held on September 7-9 with morning and afternoon sessions and we will have our morning closing session on the morning of the 10th. If you are staying at the house plan on leaving by noon that day. You can fly out that afternoon or if you would like to stay and explore the Palm Springs area I can recommend some hotels for you to stay at.
Cost: $2,000 (airfare not included) private room (TAKEN)
$1500 shared room per person (TAKEN)
Day Campers (for local residents) lunch/workshop $500.00 for the 4 days of workshops and welcome reception included on the first night! And a bonus closing dinner celebration on September 9th! *only 2 spaces left for day campers!
All my retreats are small and intimate, the Palm Springs Retreat will be just that! There won’t be more than 10 writers joining us for the 4 days. Due to the intimacy that we create in our retreats, there will be no drop ins for this retreat so be prepared to come for the 4 days!
This sun drenched desert oasis vacation destination is returning to its glory days as a Hollywood playground, a central gathering spot for modern architectural design aficionados, musicians and artists drawn by nature’s inspiration, and an increasing crowd of cool-seekers.
Palm Springs is home of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism week and music festivals such as Coachella and Stagecoach. Visit nearby Sunnylands with its public garden and walking paths inspired by Van Gogh or take the tram up the San Jacinto mountain and see all the beauty of the valley.
Palm Springs is an ideal get away for a writing retreat. The pace is relaxed, the colors are saturated by the warm desert light, and the living is easy. Nestled at the base of the majestic San Jacinto Mountains, the City of Palm Springs is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The streets, lined with palm trees, are perfect for exploring boutique shops, art galleries and museums while soaking up the warm sunshine.
Palm Springs Retreat Cancellations
Refunds (minus a non-refundable deposit of 10%) are available at 75% up to 90 days in advance of the retreat, 50% up to 60 days in advance and 25% up to 30 days in advance. No refunds are possible after May 1, 2019 – no exceptions. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
Palm Springs Retreat Location 2019
In 2019 We’re staying at “End of the Trail”, a gorgeous retreat home in LaQuinta CA.
Palm Springs, California lies on the western edge of the Coachella Valley, within the Colorado Desert. Located approximately 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 140 miles northeast of San Diego, it’s an easy two hour drive by freeway.
The permanent year-round Palm Springs population is 45,000, and doubles during the winter season. To the east of Palm Springs, are several other desert cities including Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, and Indio. Climate and Geography Palm Springs has more than 350 days of sunshine with less than 5 inches of rain! Winter temperatures average in the 70s with nights in the mid-40s. The dry desert heat of summer pushes daytime temperatures into the 100s, which is enjoyed by sun seekers from around the globe.
The geography of Palm Springs is what creates the famed warm, dry climate. At 487 feet above sea level, Palm Springs is sheltered by the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains on the south, and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west. With its towering 10,831 foot Mt. San Jacinto and the lush, inspirational Indian Canyons, this is an exquisite place for writers to find themselves.
Palm Springs Retreat Transportation 2019
Palm Springs International Airport, just two miles from downtown, welcomes over 1.5 million passengers a year from throughout the U.S. and Canada. This is the way to fly… shorter lines, friendly staff, and yes, the amazing view of the mountains. It’s been described as one of the most “hassle-free” airports in the U.S., and once you fly into PSP, you’ll know why.
Ontario International Airport is just over an hour northwest. Within approximately a two-hour drive are the Los Angeles International Airport, Orange County-John Wayne Airport, Burbank Airport, Long Beach Airport and San Diego-Lindberg Field. No matter how you get here, or how far you’ve come, it will be well worth the trip.
