The R(ev)ise & Shine! Residency: Announcements!
Have you heard? We're hosting a retreat!
Regular readers of this newsletter may recall that the February edition of Revision Reflections revolved around the announcement of our first official writing retreat, what we’re calling:
The R(ev)ise and Shine! Residency
August 31 - September 3, 2024 @ The Highlights Foundation
Since we first shared news of the residency we’ve had a few exciting developments we thought we’d share:
Special Guest: Eric Smith, author and agent!
The amazing Eric Smith will be joining us! Not only is Eric a very successful agent with the P.S. Literary Agency, he's also a fabulous writer and anthologist with a dozen fantastic books to his credit. Eric will be joining us for the full residency, where he'll be on hand to provide an agent talk and Q&A (full description on our website), socialize at mealtimes, and even offer optional one-on-ones for attendees (for an additional fee — more about that soon).
Special Guest: James Ransome, illustrator and artist!
Joining Eric as our other special guest will be renowned NAACP Image Award- and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award-winning artist and illustrator, James Ransome! James will also be joining us for the full residency, where he will lead a fun and inspiring collage workshop that will focus on exercises for the creative mind to help participants approach collage-making with the eyes of a storyteller. Find out more on our website!
A Focus on Revision:
What sets The R(ev)ise and Shine! Residency apart from many other writing retreats is our focus on revision. You will be assigned to two mentors who will work closely with you to determine your unique strengths and needs as a writer, as well as what’s working and what isn’t (yet!) in your current draft. (More details about how this process will work are coming in a future newsletter.) Together we will help you design a plan of action for your next revision or for getting out of a stuck place. Come prepared to leap over hurdles that have been getting in your way.
In addition, Lesa, Rob, Jo, and Jennifer will each offer presentations on specific aspects of the revision process:
Lesa:
“Lift Every Voice: Fine Tuning Your Narrative”
Bringing characters to life through authentic voice requires the work of seeing, listening, researching and remembering. And yet evoking and cultivating narrative voice remains one of the most elusive elements of craft. Utilizing mini exercises and discussion, Lesa’s presentation will highlight the works of diverse storytellers to guide us through finding, reshaping and lifting our own distinctive, narrative voice.
Rob:
“Revising from the Ground Up: A Focus on Setting”
Too many writers approach setting as an afterthought. But the truth is, no matter what kind of story you’re telling, building a richly imagined and detailed world is foundational to reader immersion. By analyzing mentor texts and using his own process as a guide, Rob will discuss revising for setting in order to enhance mood and tone, reveal and explore character more deeply, and shape and communicate the themes of the book.
Jo:
“Let's Talk About It: Revising Dialogue to Develop Strong Characters and Create Active, Emotional Scenes”
Dialogue serves many purposes, but often isn't used to its greatest effect! Dialogue can be used to build character, create tension, infuse emotion, reveal important details and power dynamics about relationships, and so much more! This workshop will explore how to use dialogue to your best advantage. Jo will provide plenty of examples and fun exercises that will help participants explore the many ways dialogue can help make a scene come to life.
Jennifer:
“Build a Solid Story Structure”
Revising to improve story structure (narrative drive, pacing, character growth and transformation) can feel overwhelming. How do you get the necessary distance from your story to determine what changes need to be made? In this workshop, Jennifer will provide exercises to help you examine your desire lines; the tension provided by the personal, external, and philosophical stakes; and what specific appetite you’re building in the reader. By the end, you should have a clearer picture of what needs to be added to build a strong story foundation and what, perhaps, is faulty plumbing.
Tentative Schedule:
Day One: Saturday, August 31, 2024
3:00 p.m. - Check in
5:30-6:00 p.m. - Signature Cocktails/Mocktails & Appetizers/Meet & Greet
6:00-7:00 p.m. - Dinner
7:00 p.m. - Evening Gathering & Mingle
Day Two: Sunday, September 1, 2024
8:00-8:45 a.m. - Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Morning Session: “Revising from the Ground Up: A Focus On Setting” with Rob
10:30-11:30 a.m. - One-on-One with Mentors & Optional Agent Meetings with Eric
12:00-12:45 p.m. - Lunch
1:00-2:00 p.m. - Afternoon Session: “Lift Every Voice: Fine Tuning Your Narrative” with Lesa
2:30-3:30 p.m. - One-on-One with Mentors & Optional Agent Meetings with Eric
4:00-5:00 p.m. - “Crafting Perfect Pitches & the Real Trick to Opening Pages” with Eric
5:30-6:00 p.m. - Appetizers
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Dinner
7:00-9:00 p.m. - “Cocktails & Collage” with James
Day Three: Monday, September 2, 2024
8:00-8:45 a.m. - Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Morning Session: “Build a Solid Story Structure” with Jennifer
10:30-11:30 a.m. - One-on-One with Mentors & Optional Agent Meetings with Eric
12:00-12:45 p.m. - Lunch
1:00-2:00 p.m. - Afternoon Session: “Let’s Talk About It: Revising Dialogue to Develop Strong Characters and Create Active, Emotional Scenes” with Jo
2:30-3:30 p.m. - One-on-One with Mentors & Optional Agent Meetings with Eric
3:30-4:30 p.m. - Optional Nature Walk
5:30-6:00 p.m. - Appetizers
6:00-7:00 p.m. - Dinner
7:00 p.m. - Evening Celebration with R(ev)ise & Shine! & Community Readings
Day Four: Tuesday, September 3, 2024
8:00-8:45 a.m. - Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. - Morning Session: “Ask Us Anything Panel” with Mentors & Special Guests
10:00-11:00 a.m. - Pack & Check-out
12:00-12:45 p.m. - Lunch & Final Good-byes
As a reminder, this residency is open to everyone. We welcome all writers to apply, from picture book to adult fiction, brand new visitors to the R(ev)ise and Shine! community and old friends alike. Whether you have published before or are just starting out, we will tailor your experience to meet you where you are in your writing journey.
To Apply
Click below to complete the application by May 1, 2024.
Acceptances will be announced on May 6.
If you are accepted, you must register by May 15. We will send instructions on how to register.
We are also offering one $500 scholarship to a Black or Indigenous writer.
The number of participants for this retreat is limited, providing a very low attendee-mentor ratio.
The cost of this residency is $1999. This includes your own private room/cabin, gourmet chef-prepared meals, mentor feedback on 20 pages of your manuscript, and a full schedule of programming.
Have any questions? Let us know in the comments or drop us a line.
Thank you to all those who’ve already applied, and if you’re still thinking about it, don’t wait until the last minute to do so!
In community,
Rob