by Writing Workshops Staff
3 days ago
Remember the joy of summer camp as a child? Those carefree days spent exploring, creating, and connecting with newfound friends? As adults—especially as writers—we often lose that sense of playful discovery in our creative practice. When summer arrives with its tantalizing distractions of sunshine and adventure, our writing routines can unravel faster than a poorly pitched tent.
But what if your summer writing practice could feel less like a chore abandoned for beach days and more like an adventure?
The Summer Writing Paradox
The season that promises freedom often leaves our creative lives in disarray. We set ambitious writing goals—finish that draft, revise those chapters—only to find our laptops gathering dust while we chase summer's fleeting pleasures.
"Part of summer's beauty is its undoneness," notes acclaimed author Sarah McColl. "Our schedules fall apart (ideally replaced by shady hammocks and sandy sandwiches). In this lovely looseness, our artistic practice can suffer."
McColl, whose memoir, JOY ENOUGH, established her as a voice of emotional resonance and whose newsletter, LOST ART, was a 2023 finalist for the Andy Warhol Arts Writers Grant, understands this seasonal struggle intimately. Her work has appeared in prestigious publications, including the Paris Review and McSweeney's, and she's been supported by fellowship awards from renowned institutions like MacDowell and Ucross.
A Different Approach to Summer Writing
What if, instead of fighting summer's pull toward play and pleasure, we embraced it as part of our creative practice?
This philosophy forms the foundation of McColl's innovative approach to summer writing. Rather than viewing summer as an obstacle to creativity, she reimagines it as an opportunity to infuse our writing practice with lightness, play, and community—elements that sustain us through more structured seasons.
"At its root, Summer Camp grows from my steadfast belief that creating the conditions for pleasure—for awe and play, connection and feeling good—positively impacts our writing life," McColl explains. "If you feel good about your writing life, you will want to return there."
The Camp Experience: What to Expect
Unlike traditional writing workshops focused on critique or productivity, Summer Camp for Writers offers something different: a balanced approach that honors both creative development and summer's natural rhythms.
Each week brings thoughtfully curated readings from diverse voices like Kate Chopin, Emily Dickinson, Kim Addonizio, Gretel Ehrlich, Heather Chrystle, Sybille Bedford, Eula Biss, Susan Sontag, and E.B. White, alongside creative experiments designed to spark new ideas without requiring hours at a laptop. Weekly themes—from "The seriousness of frivolity" to "Ripe to bursting"—guide participants through an exploration of summer's unique creative possibilities.
Past campers describe the experience as transformative. One participant shared: "I felt like I was in really compassionate orchestrating hands... it's a really special blend of pragmatism, craft, inspiration, and magic. There's a feeling of it being spiritual if you want it to be without it having to be group therapy."
Another noted how the approach shifted their relationship with writing: "It made it all feel less important somehow, which made it less stressful, which made it more fun, which made for better writing."
Community Around the Campfire
Perhaps most valuable in a season when writing can feel isolating is the intimate community McColl creates. Limited to just 20 participants, the camp fosters meaningful connections through shared experiences and ongoing discussions.
As one camper put it: "The Group Diary we all shared helped me realize that both my successes and my shortcomings were not unfounded nor uncommon."
An Investment in Your Creative Life
For writers seeking to maintain their practice through summer without sacrificing the season's joys, Summer Camp for Writers offers a unique solution. The 8-week online session includes weekly newsletters packed with prompts, readings, and radical ideas, all delivered with McColl's characteristic warmth and wisdom.
The program begins Sunday, July 6th, 2025, making now the perfect time to secure your spot among the limited enrollment of 20 writers.
Consider it an investment not just in your summer writing, but in transforming your relationship with creativity itself—from "something difficult that we want to avoid because it makes us feel bad about ourselves, into a rich, welcoming relationship that feels nourishing and sustaining."
Ready to preserve your creative practice while embracing summer's gifts? Enroll in Summer Camp for Writers with Sarah McColl today and discover how your writing life can thrive alongside—rather than despite—summer's pleasures.
Sarah McColl is the author of the memoir JOY ENOUGH. Since January 2021, she has published LOST ART, a monthly newsletter about the creative work of (mostly) dead women and a 2023 finalist for the Andy Warhol Arts Writers Grant. Her essays have appeared in the Paris Review, McSweeney’s, and StoryQuarterly, and her work has been supported with fellowship awards from Millay Arts, Ucross, Vermont Studio Center, and MacDowell. She lives in small town Northern California.
