Focus retreat
for writers and creators
A structured focus retreat uses specific times for writing/creating, as well as set times for warm-ups, conversation, eating together, relaxation and yoga.
The structured retreat framework can support any kind of project requiring your focus — including writing, music, art, admin, app development, and anything else you need or want to do, but haven’t quite gotten to yet.
Your facilitator maintains the timings, and provides support for all your focus obstacles. Jess Kelley has been facilitating retreats and workshops for private groups, universities and corporate groups since 2017. She draws on 20+ years of working with non-fiction writers and other creators — including medical researchers, rebel poets, maritime lawyers, sailing instructors, anthropologists and archaeologists, entrepreneurs, AI experts, artists and activists, TV show producers and Michelin-star chefs — deeply entwining her experience with coaching skills, intuition and empathy, to warmly guide and support you through your creation process.
Her parallel careers have been in field archaeology, event production, and working with the highly gifted — these remain strong interests, and often intersect in her activities.
After a decade of living and working in Europe, Jess is well-versed in working with writers and creators from all kinds of backgrounds, and loves exploring cross-cultural communication. She enjoys helping people to untangle their obstacles, and sharing the various solutions she’s learned along the way
Sample schedule
DAY 1
15:15 — welcome & introductions
15:45 — warm up, setting goals
16:00 — focus
17:00 — end.
18:00 — dinner
DAY 2 / 3
8:00 — breakfast
9:00 — group chat + planning
9:15 — walk
9:45 — focus
10:45 — group chat
11:00 — morning tea
& tactile project (eg draw/clay/lego)
11:45 — focus
13:15 — lunch
& walk
14:45 — focus
15:30 — guided yoga
16:15 — focus
17:00 — end.
18:00 — dinner
DAY 4
8:00 — breakfast
9:00 — focus
9:45 — walk
10:15 — focus
11:00 — morning tea
11:30 — taking stock, outputs, feedback, plans
12:00 — end.
Note: for multi-day retreats, teaching time may be built in to explore eg the “11 foundations for happy writing” or other topics raised by the group.
Notes for participants
-
Decide on a focus project
Do relevant reading, get your notes together
Download what you need, as wifi is not available in the focus room
-
laptop
power cable
note paper
pens
comfy clothes / walking gear
water bottle
-
Focus exclusively on your project
Agree not to use internet in the focus room
Have specific goals for your project
Take stock of your achievements of these goals throughout the retreat
Discuss your project-in-progress –> embrace the opportunity for mutual peer support
Notes for organisers
-
Venue requirements
1 x chair and table space per person (enough space for a laptop and water and books and notes, etc.)
Room should be quiet and private.
Lots of big windows and natural light preferred, if possible.
Break catering should be served outside of the focus room, if possible.
-
Nutritious, supporting brain function and focus. Minimise sugars and heavy carbs.
If participants are preparing the meals, then menu and cooking teams decided in advance.
-
Murray, R. (2015) Writing in Social Spaces: A Social Processes Approach to Academic Writing. London: Routledge.
Murray, R. & Newton, M. (2009) Writing retreat as structured intervention: Margin or mainstream?, Higher Education Research and Development, 28(5): 527-39.
Kelley, J. (2023) Don’t Starve: Change the Recipe. In: Pais Zozimo, J., Sotejeff-Wilson, K., Baldwin, W. (eds) Women Writing Socially in Academia. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44977-2_4
What retreat participants are saying
“Highly recommended! I have attended the online sessions (& the residential events before) and they are extremely effective, no matter your project. Use it to keep yourself motivated in the company of others. Jess is professional and has some great techniques to help you along the way. Make yourself a priority in this current chaotic world.”
— Nathalie
“Jess was amazing, positive, inspiring and helpful.”
— university student
“I came to the retreat thinking I was going to write… which I did, but it was also a social and cultural experience.”
— writer
“Meeting and getting to know your work has been a game changer for me and our community [at Aalto University]. We were so lucky to get you to host the sessions during the worst covid fatigue; thank you for that.”
— Maija
“I learned new ways to write and organize days to do research — and achieve more than before within a shorter amount of time… and end the day being happy with my achievements!”
“[The retreat was] exactly what I thought it would be. So, I’m super happy. First I thought there could have been more writing time but actually it was just perfect. I learnt about setting small goals, and also the powering effect of proper breaks. Other writers gave me good peer pressure, they were inspiring.”
— writer
“Jess is great facilitator. Organization was perfect, everything was very smooth and in time.”
“Jess is cool and full of energy, she brings a nice vibe to the writing room.”
“It was a great experience, thank you very much! It made the difficult task of writing something less to be afraid of. It was good to have a nice group of people to share the daily goals with and I would attend again and also recommend this to others who struggle with writing. The little breaks with stretches were great!”
— writer
“These sessions were so good that they count as cognitive behavioural therapy.”
— university student
“Thank you for the inspirational course Jessie! This was probably the best and most productive/useful course I've had during my doctoral studies. I will definitely tape the schedule you gave to us during the first session to my office wall to remind me how I should plan my writing days in future!”
— Henna
“[Your writing] sessions have given (and will give) me an opportunity to organize my thoughts, find some structure and anchor points through the week, direct my energy towards my goals, and finally get some good quality writing done in this difficult and critical time of my life. I did not have the chance to know you for long, but just wanted to let you know that this will help me a great deal! Thank you!”
— Laleh
“[What surprised me about the retreat was] the fascinating range of other people's projects, from public health research to fantasy fiction.”
“[What I liked most about the retreat was] the way it created protected space for my writing.”
“Jessie is fantastic. She has amazing organisational skills and gets everything done to make our environment calm and pleasant.”
“I really appreciated Jessie's positivity and manner, especially the calm and gentle way she ended our writing time, and directed us to the next activity.”
“[The yoga] was excellent and really made the day better. Perfect length, timing and routine!”
“[The participants were] all really interesting people, I enjoyed the fact that it was all women.”
“[The participant group] size was good as we could all talk to each other and bond as a group. A nice mix of people (different ages and life stages, different backgrounds, different nationalities, different projects).”
“A facilitator doesn’t do for you, but shows how. Jess is calm, confident, competent, warm, and happy to be here.”
“Jess, I really liked that you were so calm, had great tips and listened to each individual.”
— university student
“I feel very positive about my experience and am excited to see how I can go forward with my project now that I have the tools! Thank you!”
— writer
“Jess, you're so inspiring!! Woohaa! I don't even know what to say…! Your writing sessions have been such a gift to me this year… like tiny little buoys, providing some structure and keeping me going!”
— Justa
“Your sessions are incredibly useful, especially to people who like me get easily distracted by other tasks and always postpone writing. They help me finish on time, greatly decrease the stress associated with deadlines, and generally replaced libraries in a time where libraries are not accessible.”
— Camilla T.
“Jess had a very pleasant way of guiding us, it was easy to trust her expertise.”
“The retreat exceeded my expectations and increased my motivation at a time that I really needed it.”
“[What I liked most about the retreat was] that there was a clear purpose to everything we did, that there was relaxation time and time to talk together.”
“The schedule was good. The little chats on the goals, and how you did with a friend, and always with a new one was very good. It was nice writing with other participants. Not at all so lonely as it is at home or at the office. I would describe the retreat as very good or excellent, great to get good tips on writing.”
— writer
“[The retreat] was like a holiday!”