What Are the "Write Like a Mother" Retreats All About?

So much is happening in the Scribente Maternum world! With two big retreats this spring and summer, we’ve been fielding a lot of inquiries about our retreat experiences.

If you’re curious to learn more, this post is for you! And if you’ve been lucky enough to experience a Write Like a Mother retreat, this is a lovely trip down Memory Lane. Hear more from several attendees who have attended multiple Write Like a Mother retreats…

These retreats offer writer-moms a quick—but concentrated—immersive getaway to jump-start a project, gain inspiration, and connect with other like-minded writers who also happen to be mothers. We begin with a gathering the first night to become more familiar with each other. Then, we dive into two intense days of writing and learning and growing together as a community.

Setting intentions: Each of those full days begins with intention-setting, often guided by words of wisdom from writers whom we consider our “Matron Saints,” such as Lucille Clifton, Tony Morrison, and Audre Lorde.

Movement: Those two mornings also include movement that can be modified for people across the ability spectrum. We find that this movement helps bring energy to our bodies, so we can focus on the important work we do as both writers and mothers.

Facilitated Sessions: The first half of these two days is led by experienced writers and facilitators. They design meaningful sessions around craft, generative writing, and inspiration. Our facilitators have been award-winning writers, university professors, and serious change-makers. Writers of all genres gain inspiration from our sessions!

Writing and free time: Every afternoon is set aside for whatever you need in the moment. Many use the time to write, building on work that came out of the generative workshop in the morning. Others take the time to rest, connect with nature, or get to know their fellow community members.

Meals: All meals are included, and we pride ourselves on finding good, healthy food from local vendors that sustains both body and soul. Mealtime is also the best time to connect more deeply with the rest of the community of writer-moms.

Final reading: The last dinner of the retreat, held at the end of our full Day Two, is always celebratory and special, and concludes with a reading. We invite attendees to share the work they have created during our time together. It is one of the most special and supportive spaces to read your work.

Lodging: We have offered retreats in the heart of cities where participants have roomed together at various rental houses, and we’ve retreated at more secluded locations where we have been closer together. What is wonderful about our next three-day retreat in Sonoma is that we will all be staying at the same location the entire retreat: the charming boutique hotel, Sonoma Coast Villa, and we have the entire space to ourselves!

Learn More About Our Next Three-Day Retreat:

Note: only a few early bird tickets left and that price expires Feb 1!

We are thrilled to offer our first-ever international retreat! And we couldn’t have asked for better partners at Rouge Bordeaux, which is an extraordinary country home that will serve as our home for the entire week.

This retreat is going to be a bit different from our domestic retreats in these ways:

Writing focus: There will be no facilitated writing sessions throughout the retreat. Instead, this immersive experience will allow you to spend your days writing, punctuated by spectacular food made in-house by Julien, a professional chef who loves to share his knowledge of French food.

Longer experience: You’re traveling across the world, so let’s really make an experience out of it! But more importantly, longer experiences help you get more into the flow of writing. Think of this as the writing residency you need to get that project over the finish line. What’s more, this community of writers helps hold you accountable to your writing goals every day.

Cultural activities: International locations mean a greater opportunity for cultural immersion and experiences. In Bordeaux, one of our hosts is an American who is dedicated to providing a true cultural immersion. She has planned a series of activities that you’re welcome to opt in or out of as you see fit.

Learn More About Our Next International Retreat:

Hear from several of our attendees who’ve joined multiple Write Like a Mother Retreats from their written testimonials below and this testimonial reel from our 2023 retreat.

When I first read about the Write Like a Mother retreat, I questioned whether I was even eligible. The webpage described it as a space for “writers who identify as mothers.” As a first-time mom and relatively new to my writing practice, I oscillated between “I’ve got this” and “What the hell am I doing?” in both realms of my life.

My desperation for a few days away from my toddler won out. I registered for the event, hugged my son and husband goodbye, and drove from Seattle to the Washington coast for my first Scribente retreat.

The moment I stepped inside the small-town brewery for the welcome happy hour, the organizers and my fellow attendees welcomed me with a genuine warmth and familiarity. As we fetched menus for one another, pulled up extra chairs when more folks arrived, we joked about how we were all so clearly moms. We were also a room full of caregivers with no one we needed to care for, but ourselves. And because of that, we actually had capacity to hold space for each other.

As twenty of us huddled around a table that night, we spoke with an increasing openness that carried over into breakfast and workshops the next morning. By the afternoon, my breakout group took to the windy beach to marvel at the Pacific together and share outlines of books not yet written.

Early on in the retreat, whenever I referred to myself as “not a real writer,” my fellow attendees were the first to call me out. “If you write, you’re a writer,” they insisted. I’d never witnessed a creative community so unwavering in their support of one another. The effect was contagious. I found myself reveling in their encouragement, speaking similar affirmations to my peers. I wanted to nurture the creativity of everyone around me.

On the final night, I watched a steady line-up of retreat attendees take the stage for our open mic event. I’d never read my writing in public, but as we whooped and clapped wildly from our seats, I realized this was the most supportive space I could ask for. Stepping up to the microphone that night, I read to a room full of writer moms who insisted I call myself one too. I haven’t stopped since.

The retreats are simply magical. From the first evening to the end, I have each time felt a sense of connection and peace that is rare and that only comes from sharing space with other writer-moms. There is a palpable sense of gentleness; we come as we are to a time and space in which we all settle in to take care of ourselves and each other. I have attended other retreats, but I have never left with the same sense of having just been a part of something so...well, magical. I almost hesitate to share this because I don’t want anything about the experience to change; however, that would be too greedy. All writer moms should know this sense of renewed connection to the work, to the writing practice, and to the self.

I have made lifelong friends at the retreats, and as soon as each one ends, as I journey home, I’m already looking forward to the next one. It is the best investment I’ve made in myself and in my work. Don’t hesitate to do this. You will laugh, and you might cry, and you’ll be so glad you came.