​Joy Farm Writer's Retreat

The Schedule

Community is a strong emphasis during this retreat. While ample time is given for writing and reading and reflection, it is expected that those attending the retreat participate in all scheduled activities.

 

The morning salons will consist of instructed time designed to tune your senses as a writer and to help spark inspiration. These sessions might include instructed guidance led by authors and invited lecturers with professional expertise or a field trip of historical or local importance. The purpose of these periods is to generate ideas and bring new inspiration to current works in progress.

 

Free time is given from late morning to afternoon and during this time, residents may do whatever they wish whether it is writing or taking a walk through the grounds, or reading a book on the screened porch or upstairs sitting room (the writers retreat offers a small library that residents are welcome to peruse at their leisure.) Because it is a secluded spot and the number of residents is kept small, this is a quiet and peaceful period of the day. 

 

In the late afternoon, optional salons are offered Like the morning sessions, these salons are designed to inspire you as a writer/artist and to strengthen your connection as a citizen of the literary world.

 

Dinner is a communal experience because we believe that discussion and cross pollination of ideas among writers and people who share a literary passion is an important and valuable element of the writing process and the formation of community is essential to the life of a writer.

 

Finally, Soirees and evening readings close out the evening because we believe good discussion and sharing of creative works helps writers to engage as citizens of a literary community.

Day 1: Wednesday

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Arrival: Retreat Members (RMs) arrive, are shown to their rooms, may partake of refreshments, and are introduced to fellow Retreat Members. All arrivals should come to the Main House of Joy Farm, where the director will register you in and show you your sleeping quarters. If there are any immediate questions for the director, she will cheerfully answer them at this time. A more robust orientation will be given later in the evening. Early arrivals are free to do as they please until dinner.

 

6:30-8pm Dinner (or as guests arrive) 

Dinner is communal and residents are able to continue to get to know each other a well as the Program Writers in Residence, who will be involved in the retreat’s scheduled events. After dinner a brief orientation as far as schedule and expectations for the retreat is given. RMs are then left alone to get themselves settled and to sleep.

 

7:30-8:30pm Brief Orientation

The director will give a brief welcome and orientation in the dining room for all Writers-In-Residence and Retreat Members. However if, after the orientation you have any lingering questions or confusion, for the benefit of all, please don't hesitate to speak up.  As conscientious as our director is, there is a better than slim chance she will inadvertently overlook some small topic of importance. 

 

Day 2: Thursday

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7:30am-9am Breakfast Yogurt, quick breads, fruit, instant oatmeal, coffee and tea are always available in the piano bar, and a fuller breakfast will be available for those who want it starting at 7:30 or whenever the program director gets it out. Early risers may enjoy a time of quiet reading or writing before breakfast. 

 

9:30-10:30am Welcome and Guided Walk This is a time for Residents to become familiar with the farm, for returning residents to admire the changes, and for all to discover different areas they may wish to retreat to while writing or reading or meditating. Residents are encouraged to bring their journals along. We will have stops along the way, during which time residents will contemplate and document their surroundings, taking note of sensory details – sounds, smells, feels – as would be important to note in the concrete details of a piece of writing.

 

10:45-11:45 Optional Literary Salon

Residents who wish to partake will meet in the downstairs salon for a small writing exercise designed to get the creative circuits stirring.

 

12:00-12:45 Lunch "Hour"

Soups and sandwich making assortments will be placed out in the dining room around noon.  Generally, most people enjoy eating around the table and partaking in conversation with their fellow residents, though if you wish to sneak off somewhere for a quiet writing lunch, no one will think less of you for it. Or if they do, they are mannered enough to say nothing.

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1pm- 5pm Creative Grazing 

Writers who wish to hole up somewhere and get creative have this lovely chunk of uninterrupted time to do so.  

 

1pm-3pm: Optional Excursion: For residents who wish, there will be an informal guided trail walk somewhere on the property; where exactly and how long exactly depends much on the participants' druthers.

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5-6pm Cocktail Hour

An informal spread of cheese, crackers, or other delectable finger food will be available on the porch (weather permitting) or in a suitable room downstairs.  Some alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks will be on offer.  Residents are also welcome to come to the retreat stocked with their own beverages if they wish. (The New Hampshire Liquor Outlets are divinely equipped to outfit writers.) 

 

6-7:30pm Dinner

Dinner is communal and leisurely and residents are able to continue to get to know each other a well as the Writers in Residence and retreat coordinators. 

 

7:30-9:30 Evening Soiree with Readings

After dinner, residents, writers-in-residence, and anyone else who wishes to will “retire to the downstairs salon.” Retreat members who wish to do so will present a reading selection of their choice.  Though not required, this is also an opportunity to ask for informal feedback on your writing, since retreat members are generally eager to share their thoughts of the evening readings.  Readres are then toasted by all – cheers!  Afterward, the evening is open to more chatting and general salon-ing until 9:30pm. Residents wishing to continue may do so at a respectful noise level, or they may retire to the Steep Acres sitting room, provided the residents who sleep there are not disturbed.

Day 3: Friday

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7:30-9am Breakfast Yogurt, fruit, instant oatmeal, coffee and tea are always available in the piano bar, and a fuller breakfast will be available for those who want it starting at 7:30 or whenever the program director gets it out. Early risers may enjoy a time of quiet reading or writing before breakfast. 

 

9am-10:45am

This is free time for writing, reading, gathering your stuff from Steep Acres, primping, etc. (The downstairs bathroom in the Main House of Joy Farm is available to all Retreat Members for showering.)

 

11am-12noon Optional Literary Salon 2: This is another opportunity to fire up the creative cylinders and partake in some writing exercises in a place where the stakes couldn't be lower and metaphorical handrails have been firmly erected around.

 

12-12:45 Lunch "Hour" 

Soups and sandwich making assortments will be placed out in the dining room around noon.  Generally, most people enjoy eating around the table and partaking in conversation with their fellow residents, though if you wish to sneak off somewhere for a quiet writing lunch, no one will think less of you for it. Or if they do, they are mannered enough to say nothing.

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1pm -5pm Creative Grazing Writers who wish to hole up somewhere and get creative have this lovely chunk of uninterrupted time to do so.  

 

1pm- 3pm Optional Outing: This is an opportunity for those who are interested to see some of the local villages and enjoy scenic vistas of the white mountains.

 

5:00-6pm Cocktail Hour

An informal spread of cheese, crackers, or other delectable finger food will be available on the porch (weather permitting) or in the piano bar.  Some alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks will be on offer.  Residents are also welcome to come to the retreat stocked with their own beverages if they wish. (The New Hampshire Liquor Outlets are divinely equipped to outfit writers.) 

 

6-7:30pm Dinner

Dinner is communal and leisurely and residents are able to continue to get to know each other as well as the leaders and Writers in Residence.

 

7:30-9:30 Evening Soiree with Readings

After dinner, residents, writers-in-residence, and anyone else who wishes to will “retire to the downstairs salon.” Retreat members who wish to do so will present a reading selection of their choice.  Though not required, this is also an opportunity to ask for informal feedback on your writing, since retreat members are generally eager to share their thoughts of the evening readings.  Readers are then toasted by all – cheers!  Afterward, the evening is open to more chatting and general salon-ing until 9:30pm. Residents wishing to continue may do so at a respectful noise level, or they may retire to the Steep Acres sitting room, provided the residents who sleep there are not disturbed.