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Writing Workshops Hawaii 2024

Writing Workshops Hawaii brings together fiction and nonfiction writers for an intensive week of workshops, craft seminars, one-on-one conferences, and in-depth discussions on the craft and business of writing. Our program is inclusive, intentionally small, and will take place among towering evergreens and fragrant ocean breezes along Hawaii Island's North Kohala coast.


Each fiction and nonfiction workshop will have no more than 10 participants each. All writers will submit two completed pieces of writing. One submission will be workshopped by your cohort and instructor and a second piece will be submitted for your one-on-one meeting with your workshop leader. Daily craft talks are open to all participants and led by program staff or faculty.


Our workshops are open to writers who want to strengthen their voice, develop a greater understanding of craft, and forge a path to publication along the way. We take your writing seriously and place the highest importance on teaching the craft of writing so that students can produce meaningful and memorable work that has the opportunity to find a readership beyond the workshop.


Our mission is to bring your writing out of the wilderness and into community, and for a week every January we think there is no better place to do this than on 50 oceanfront acres of gardens, wild groves, and ancient valley trails at our workshop retreat. Scroll down for more details!

Applications for our January 2024 Hawaii workshops  are closed.


2024 Workshop Dates:


January 21st - 26th, 2024



Though our admissions process is competitive and the quality of writing high, all interested writers are encouraged to apply.


Workshop Faculty


January 21st - 26th, 2024


Fiction Instructor Karen E. Bender is the author of two collections; Refund, which was a Finalist for the National Book Award, shortlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Story Prize, and Longlisted for the Story prize, and The New Order, which was Longlisted for the Story prize. A new collection is forthcoming. Her novels are Like Normal People and A Town of Empty Rooms. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, Ploughshares, Zoetrope, The Yale Review, The Harvard Review, Story, Guernica, and others, have been reprinted in Best American Short Stories and Best American Mystery stories and won three Pushcart prizes. Her work has been read at the Selected Shorts program at Symphony Space and on Levar Burton Reads, She has taught for many highly regarded MFA programs, including the University of Iowa, Hollins University, and Warren Wilson College and currently teaches for the MFA Programs at SUNY Stony Brook and Alma College. Learn more about Karen here.

Nonfiction Instructor Robert Anthony Siegel is the author of a memoir, Criminals (Counterpoint,) and two novels. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian Magazine, The Paris Review, The Drift, The Oxford American, and Ploughshares, and has been anthologized in Best American Essays 2023, O. Henry Stories 2014, and Pushcart Prize XXXVI. He has been a Fulbright Scholar in Taiwan, a Mombukagakusho Fellow in Japan, a Writing Fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and a Paul Engle Fellow at the Iowa Writers Workshop. He holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop, and a BA from Harvard. Learn more about Robert here.

Lodging at Hawaii Island Retreat

Immerse yourself in both comfort and inspiration for 6 days, 5 nights at Hawaii Island Retreat. This 4-star eco-boutique hotel and wellness spa is a place of intentional peacefulness, set among towering evergreens and ocean breezes along Hawaii Island's North Kohala coast. Including your own room, three delicious daily meals are included in your workshop tuition.


We selected The Hawaii Island Retreat specifically because of their commitment to green travel. Recognized by the Hawaiian Green Business Program as a leader in sustainability, you can learn more about their dedication to living in balance with the land here.


Class Size

Each fiction and nonfiction workshops will have no more than 10 participants each. All writers will submit two completed pieces of writing. One submission will be workshopped by your cohort and instructor and a second piece will be submitted for your one-on-one meeting with your workshop leader. Daily craft talks are open to all participants and led by program staff or faculty.

Workshop Schedule


Sunday

3:00PM: Hotel check-in begins.

6:30PM: Dinner meet & greet.


Monday - Thursday

Mornings: Breakfast served. Workshops and one-on-one instructor meetings.

Afternoons/Evenings: Lunch Break followed by optional craft seminar, led by faculty or staff. Optional mid-afternoon activity followed by dinner.


Friday

8:00AM-9:00AM: Goodbye breakfast at Hawaii Island Retreat.

11:00AM: Final check-out.


Optional Afternoon Activities will be included throughout the week. Full schedule detailed below.

Tuition

Tuition is $2,995 or $3,650 depending on room-type and includes the following:

  • Lodging in your own room at Hawaii Island Retreat for 6 days, 5 nights
  • Daily breakfast, lunch & dinner with faculty and staff
  • Luau on Monday
  • 4-day writing workshops in small groups of no more than 10 writers.
  • Critical feedback on two writing submissions
  • Several craft of writing and/or business of writing seminars
  • One-on-one conference with faculty
  • Optional afternoon activities
  • Free shuttle pickup and drop off from Kona International Airport (KOA) on the first and last day of the workshop.
  • The time of your life
  • Payment Plans: accepted writers will have the option to pay their tuition in full or opt for a payment plan divided into equal monthly payments by selecting Affirm (for U.S. & Canadian residents) at checkout.
  • Accommodations: 10 Hotel Room's are available (tuition will be $3,650  with hotel room accommodation) and 7 Yurt's are available (tuition will be $2,995 with Yurt accommodation). Yurts come with a private toilet and sink, but will utilize a shared private shower area. In the common shower area there are  four private shower stalls, two indoor and two outdoor. Accommodations are first come, first serve, for accepted writers.
  • FAQ at the bottom of this page.


2024 Workshop Detail

Hawaii Workshop Testimonials

"The Workshop in Hawaii exceeded my expectations. I loved connecting with other writers in such a beautiful and inspiring place. I also reconnected with myself. Thank you to the organizers, instructors, and guides. It was a magical experience that I'll never forget. The trip was so refreshing, and helped me reconnect with myself and connect with other writers. The space was also amazing. The combination of both made for the best time I've had in years. Diana is great and definitely helps me think about things in a whole new way. I loved the authenticity of the place and the owner. It felt like a true Hawaiian experience - spiritual and peaceful. The instructors. The guides. People make the experience, and there were some wonderful folks on this trip." -Sam H.

"I don’t want to say this retreat was life changing because that sounds too unbelievable—but it maybe was. Picture an off-the-grid vacation with the Pacific Ocean and lush kale salads happening alongside a craft workshop with talented writers and instructors. This retreat was a large investment, but ultimately the cost of four days of intensive workshopping and touring around the remote north on Hawaii’s Big Island was incredibly worth it. Beyond our critique hours, I found value in spending so much concentrated time with other writers and thinkers. As writers, we always hear that so much of our practice doesn’t involve writing at all. This immersive retreat was a testament to that, with so much hearty conversation, star gazing, rock skipping, and feasting that I’ll be ruminating on for weeks to come. Do it!!" -Jenna K.

"The Writing Workshops Hawaii experience was absolutely phenomenal. Connecting with writers from all different parts of the country with varied lived experiences was invaluable, and at the end of every day I felt inspired and renewed. The property was incredible, and I loved that all of our workshopping and seminars were done outdoors, the ocean in view. Blake + Mike went above and beyond to make sure everyone felt comfortable and informed, and did a great job coordinating full, fun days that included not only writing-themed activities but exploring the surrounding areas. It exceeded my expectations, and I look forward to joining another Writing Workshops session in the future!" -Emmy F.

"The communication leading up to the workshop was excellent. Diana was a wonderful workshop leader and I would gladly take a class from her again. As organizers, Blake and Mike cover all the bases so attendees can totally relax in the environment and focus on writing and group connections. The overall experience, the inclusion of food and housing, the community that was built, the work we did -- thumbs up on everything!" -Catherine V.

"My time in Hawaii was an absolute dream of a vacation. I went somewhere new and exciting, I got to live in a yurt in the jungle 'glamping' with very accomplished and creative writers who I now have the privilege to call my friends. Being in the company of industry professionals Mark Gottlieb and Ying Compestine as well as Blake Kimzey for a week was amazing. The conversation and networking potential for all of us was unique and unlike anything you could possibly get online or even at a big conference. I came home feeling empowered and excited to continue working on my manuscripts with excellent advice from accomplished authors and a top agent. Watch out publishing world, here I come! Thank you, Blake and Mike, for the experience. It is something I will never forget." -Blair W.

"Best experience I've had as a writer. I have done writing workshops before, but nothing like this one. I received genuinely transformative feedback, knowledge, and social support around my writing and novel. I will always be grateful for all I gained, learned, and experienced in this workshop. I can wholeheartedly say that the amateur writer who came into this workshop is now a tremendously evolved amateur writer with a new lens on transferring thought into text. I learned so much about my own craft, and how to tailor the style, and plot points to better suit the story I want to tell. The adventures, authors, experiences, feedback, people, places and workshops were gratifyingly high quality. It felt safe being an amateur. I received transformative feedback on my current WIP which has greatly shifted the ways I write." -Enrique E.

"The workshop exceeded my expectations. The support from my group members was so helpful, but group cohesion was much better than I could have predicted. I looked at the week as a personal retreat, so the money was worth the time alone. And then being able to enjoy the grounds of the retreat and the company of other writers made it even better. I appreciated Brandon Hobson's generous feedback and the way he structured the workshops to allow specific and focused feedback. It was a lovely hotel with beautiful grounds and a great staff." -Margie D.

"I loved my first experience with Writing Workshops Hawaii. The teachers were amazing, the location was beautiful, and the community of writers were inspiring to be around. The entire trip was well thought out and organized, from the shuttles to the planned activities. For me it's not the destination, it's the workshop itself. I'll probably follow you anywhere." -Diane F.

"Brandon Hobson was very helpful and I’m returning home feeling inspired and re-invigorated. The week overall provided a great balance of structured group time and individual time. It was a fantastic experience and I’m glad I did it. I would 100% recommend Writing Workshops Hawaii!" - Aubrey M.

"Writing Workshops Hawaii was one of the most amazing gifts that I have ever given myself. I did not have to think of anything but writing and taking in the beauty and wisdom that Hawaii offers because everything was already done and thought of for me. All you have to do is show up. A truly magical and rejuvenating experience where you get to create, travel, and hangout with like-minded people. I will never be able to travel to Hawaii and do the touristy thing because I've been spoiled by Writing Workshops. And Diana Spechler made me feel like I have a seasoned writer on my side for life. I gained so much knowledge about the writing and publishing process on this trip. I also learned from Brandon Hobson and would recommend taking a course or at a retreat with either of them. I received an invaluable one-on-one with Diana. She had thorough feedback regarding my writing and also about publishing. Diana's time did not feel rushed and she tailored a plan for me based on my unique writing style and my desires as a writer. Diana is like the friend who succeeded and is willing to share all her secrets. I found the afternoon seminars extremely valuable. There were a lot of questions asked by other writers that I found helpful. If you're thinking about applying, you should!" -Corrie C.

"Writing Workshops Hawaii was an incredible experience. Everyone was so supportive and the energy from not only the retreat itself but the people as well, was an amazing opportunity and experience, one that you can’t recreate. Brandon Hobson has a very calm and genuine way of helping you better your writing. The support of the entire group was really great and appreciated. I liked that the retreat is secluded. It’s very relaxing and has an authentic feel to it. The staff was amazing. It’s a once in a lifetime experience." -Samantha B.

"The organizers are great at selecting attendees and instructors, organizing a wonderful balance of work-time and relaxation in beautiful settings and an eye toward sustainable tourism. Everyone involved was warm and engaged and provided the perfect structure for getting valuable input on my writing from peers and experienced industry professionals. The courtesy and inclusion shown to people with disabilities was amazing. We had fun! We worked hard! We grew!!!!" - Mysti B.

"I loved this experience. Mike & Blake, y'all are amazing and I look forward to keeping in contact with you both and going on future trips. The connections I made on this trip are impactful and I had so much fun. It was the perfect trip for me writing-wise and personally. THANK YOU." -Jason M.

"The best part of the Hawaiian Writing Workshops Retreat was the people I met. I am walking away with a lifelong group of friends that can support each others' writing, and that's a huge deal. I gained a lot of confidence in my own writing, and I know that I have two professionals in my corner when I am ready to make big moves with my novel." -Ellen G.

"This Writing Workshop that required submitting a writing sample as an application challenged me to see if my in-progress novel would pass the test. When it did (thank you Blake) and I spent 4 days in lively conversations with 16 other writers and the 2 professionals (Agent Mark Gottleib and Ying Compestine who candidly gave us their complete attention), I left Hawaii so motivated to complete my project that I fired up the laptop and wrote during the long flight home." -Mary P.

Program Staff

Trip Leader Virginia Reeves is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. Her debut novel, Work Like Any Other,was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and the Center for Fiction’sFirst Novel Prize, and Booklist named it to their Top 10 First Novels of2016. It has been translated into multiple languages and adapted into agraphic novel. Her second novel, The Behavior of Love, has been reviewed by The New Yorker, French Elle, and Le Monde, among others. Virginia’s short story “Bloodlines” is collected in the anthology Pie and Whiskey: Writers Under the Influence of Butter and Booze, and her flash-fiction “Old Girl” was a 2019 Editors’ Choice for Craft. Virginia has taught writing workshops through writers-in-the schoolsprograms, libraries, and museums, and she currently teaches writing,literature, and speech at Helena College. She lives in Montana with herpartner, daughters, and three-legged Pit Bull. Learn more about Virginiahere.
Operations Director Mike Franz was General Manager and Tour Guide at Fat Tire Bike Tours, Paris, for seven years. His tours were featured on Rick Steves-Paris, The Independent-UK, and the television show 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Mike taught government, economics, and public speaking for ten years at Headwaters High School in Austin, Texas, where he won teacher-of-the-year award after his first year of teaching.
Trip Leader Bowie Rowan is a writer, editor, and multimedia artist. Their work has most recently been published by Electric Literature, The Kenyon Review, and The Los Angeles Review and has been anthologized in the latest edition of Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class. Their audio essay, “How to Survive a Fire,” was recognized by the Missouri Review for the 12th annual Miller Audio Prize, and they are a grateful recipient of grants and fellowships from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, The Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, and The Ragdale Foundation, among others. In a former life, Bowie worked as a science textbook editor in New York City and San Francisco while also working as a cheesemonger and freelance everything. After traveling around the United States for a year with their dog and cat, they landed in Tulsa, Oklahoma where they are currently at work on a memoir in essays about travel, gender, trauma, and the environment.

Application & General FAQ

What is the application deadline?

Applications for our January 2024 Hawaii Workshops are now open. Early applications are encouraged. Click here to apply now.

What is your COVID policy?

It is the responsibility of attendees of Writing Workshops Hawaii 2024 to have the appropriate documentation required and to meet any COVID vaccination requirements implemented by the state of Hawaii.

If the state of Hawaii or the United States government forbids entry to the state of Hawaii for the scheduled dates of the January 2024 workshops, Writing Workshops will offer a full refund for program fees. Writing Workshops will not reimburse for any airline tickets or additional trip-related expenses incurred. If the Hawaii writing workshop takes place on the dates planned, no program fees will be reimbursed, regardless of attendance.

What will my application include? 

  • Brief bio  informing us of your involvement in the writing and literary community,  as well as any prior or forthcoming publications. (250 words max)
  • Purpose statement  explaining why you would like to participate in Writing Workshops Hawaii. You can also discuss current manuscripts or writing projects that  you might choose to workshop. (500 words max.)
  • Writing sample excerpt in fiction or nonfiction. This does not have to be  published work, though that is acceptable, nor does it have to be a piece you plan  to workshop. Complete works under the word count are not required;  excerpts are acceptable. (Fiction/nonfiction: 2500 words max).
  • Applications are open. Click here to apply now.

When will I know if I've been accepted to the workshop?

We  cap our workshop participation at 10 writers in each genre cohort (fiction and nonfiction) for the week. Our goal is to provide  an intimate, rigorous workshop environment so that participants can  come to Hawaii and find meaningful connections and excellent feedback on  their work. We will accept applicants on a rolling basis until each  cohort is full and then begin waitlists. Due to the volume of  applications and competitive acceptance, writers are encouraged to apply  early. We employ a reading committee of professional writers and  editors, and applicants will be notified after the application window  closes.

How much does it cost?

Tuition is either $2,995 or $3,650 depending on room-type selected.

What is the difference in tuition price?

Tuition includes your own room and is either $2,995 or $3,650 depending on room-type selected. Ten (10) Hotel Room's are available (tuition will be $3,650 with hotel room accommodation) and seven (7) Yurt's are available (tuition will be $2,995  with Yurt accommodation). Yurts come with a private toilet and sink,  but will utilize a shared private shower area. In the common shower area  there are four private shower stalls, two indoor and two outdoor. Accommodations are first come, first serve, for accepted writers.

Are Payment Plans Available?

Yes. Accepted writers will have the option to pay their tuition in full or  opt for a payment plan divided into equal monthly payments by selecting  Affirm (for U.S. & Canadian residents) or Lay-Buy (for applicants  inside or outside of North America) at checkout.

Are Scholarships Available?

Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to offer scholarships for this workshop. However, we do have payment plans available.

What does tuition include? 

  • Lodging in your own room at Hawaii Island Retreat for 6 days, 5 nights
  • Daily breakfast, lunch & dinner with faculty and staff
  • Luau on Monday
  • 4-day  writing workshops in small groups of no more than 10 writers, led by workshop faculty.
  • Critical feedback on two writing submissions
  • Several craft of writing and/or business of writing seminars
  • One-on-one conference with faculty
  • Free shuttle pickup and drop off from Kona International Airport (KOA) on the first and last day of the workshop.
  • Optional afternoon activities
  • The time of your life
  • Note: accepted writers will have the option to pay their tuition in full or  opt for a payment plan divided into equal monthly payments by selecting  Affirm (for U.S. & Canadian residents) at checkout.

What is tuition payment schedule? 

If your application is accepted, full tuition is due no later than 14 days after acceptance. You can pay your tuition in full or opt for a payment plan by selecting Affirm at checkout.

Where is the hotel and workshop venue?

Immerse yourself in both comfort and inspiration for 6 days, 5 nights at Hawaii Island Retreat.  This 4-star eco-boutique hotel and wellness spa is a place of   intentional peacefulness, set among towering evergreens and ocean  breezes along Hawaii Island's North Kohala coast. Three delicious daily  meals are included in your workshop tuition.

How late can I apply? 

We will accept applications until the workshop is full.

What is your Refund policy?

Tuitionis nonrefundable 14 days after acceptance notification, regardless ofattendance. If a refund is requested up to 14 days after acceptancenotification, all but a $750 deposit will be refunded.

What will you do with my email?

We respect your privacy. We will only use your email to send you  information about Writing Workshops. We won't sell or rent your  email to other organizations.

I have a question not answered here.

Please contact us and we’ll reply promptly. You can also Chat with us (lower left of your screen).