Freshwater Writing

INVENTIVE, INVITING, INTIMATE.

 
 

Freshwater Writing: Spring Retreat

REGISTRATION IS FULL. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING EVENTS. If you’d like to be placed on the waitlist for Shimmer in the Dark: A Writing Retreat on the Shores of Lake Superior, please contact Chelsea.

Join Freshwater Writing for an intimate, generative writing workshop on the North Shore, complete with delicious food and your own room with a view of Lake Superior at The Inn on Gitche Gumee. Writers of all levels, all genres, and all backgrounds are welcome. The retreat dates are Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28.

About the Retreat

Winter can feel like a season of stagnation and inactivity. At times, writing can be like that, too. We lose our way in a project or can’t find the words to give our writing life. In this way, the writing process can mirror the cycle of the seasons. We experience frustrating periods of dormancy, in which any seeds we might have planted end up obscured by snow and cold.

 Luckily, just as winter gives way to spring, fallow writing periods can signal the arrival of growth and discovery: an opportunity to revisit our process, take new directions in a project, and reconnect with our voice. Bolstered by the renewal of spring, at our weekend workshop we will investigate what new growth has been lying in wait during the winter season—what’s been shimmering in the dark. We will reunite with our clearest, truest voice by following our inner writer and returning to the tools that help us shake off the cold, nurture ourselves, and create the work that only we can write. Whether you are a brand-new or seasoned writer, join us for an intimate retreat on the shores of Lake Superior to discover—or rediscover—the power of attuning to the process of writing.

This retreat is designed for writers of all genres and all levels. While the workshop is meant to be generative rather than critique-based, there will be plenty of opportunities to share work. The retreat will take place April 25th-28th at the Inn on Gitche Gumee in Duluth, MN.

retreat Facilitators

Chelsea B. DesAutels

Chelsea B. DesAutels is the author of A Dangerous Place (Sarabande Books, 2021), which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and described by Publishers Weekly as a “lush and transformative debut” (starred review). Chelsea has received support from the Anderson Center at Tower View, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Tin House Summer Workshop, Vermont Studio Center, and Yaddo. Winner of the Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize from the Missouri Review, Chelsea’s work has appeared in Copper Nickel, Massachusetts Review, Ploughshares, Ninth Letter, Southeast Review, and elsewhere, and her poem “City Lake” was featured by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón on The Slowdown podcast. Chelsea is the founder and director of Freshwater Writing, and she lives with her family in Minneapolis. You can find more at chelseabdesautels.com.


Rachel Ballenger

Rachel Ballenger is a writer and translator. Her work appears in The Common, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, The Barcelona Review and elsewhere. She received her MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston. Former Fiction editor of Gulf Coast, her work has been supported by the Fulbright foundation, the Spanish commission of Foreign Affairs, Jiwar Creation and Society, and Inprint. Her novel-in-progress, Take My Life, won the Inprint Joan and Stanford Alexander Prize in Fiction. She lives between San Diego and Barcelona. 

Rachel has maintained a deep mindfulness meditation practice for the last six years, including receiving mindfulness training at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) and sitting residential retreats. Daily meditation has been personally transformative for Rachel and become an integral part of her writing life. She is excited to share her love of meditation with those interested at the Freshwater Writing Winter Retreat. 

retreat Schedule

Each morning, we’ll meet for an optional guided meditation. Then we’ll gather around the fireplace in the cottage living room for an engaging workshop, where we’ll discuss elements of craft and process, and generate fresh writing in response to thoughtful prompts and exercises. Take the afternoons to write, explore Split Rock Lighthouse or the Glensheen Mansion, grab a slice at Betty’s Pies, or hike the shoreline. In the evenings, we’ll reconvene by the fireplace for bites and drinks, plenty of laughs, and if we’re lucky, listen to new work written by one another. Finally, retire to your room or suite, perhaps light a fire of your own or draw a bath in the whirlpool, and rejuvenate. Writers will leave with a renewed sense of wonder: in spring, in the writing process, and in their own work. If you’d like additional, private feedback on existing work from Chelsea or Rachel, you may reserve an individual critique for an additional fee. Individual critiques will be scheduled for Friday or Saturday afternoon.

  • 3:00-5:00pm: Check in 

    5:30-7:00pm: Welcome reception

  • 8:00-9:00am: Breakfast available

    9:00-9:30am: Guided meditation (optional)

    10:00am-12:00pm: Workshop 

    12:00pm: Lunch available 

    12:00-5:30pm: Free time to write and explore, and scheduled individual critiques

    5:30-7:00pm: Evening reception

  • 8:00-9:00am: Breakfast available

    9:00-9:30am: Guided meditation (optional)

    10:00am-12:00pm: Workshop 

    12:00pm: Lunch available 

    12:00-5:30pm: Free time to write and explore, and scheduled individual critiques

    5:30-7:00pm: Evening reception 

  • 8:00-9:00am: Breakfast available

    9:00-9:30am: Guided meditation (optional)

    10:00-11:00am: Workshop

    11:00am-12:00pm: Check out

Tuition

Tuition is $1050. Payments may be made in any number of installments—whatever works best for you—as long as tuition is paid in full prior to the first day of the retreat. Please contact Chelsea if you’d like to arrange a payment schedule; we’re happy to do so. Additionally, one partial scholarship is available. Please contact Chelsea if you’re interested in the scholarship (no need to disclose any financial information).

What’s Included

LODGING

Tuition includes three nights lodging at the Inn on Gitche Gumee, a cozy resort located between Duluth and Two Harbors, Minnesota (approximately 2.5 hours north of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport). Every room is inspired by North Shore cabins and features a view of Lake Superior. In addition, each room has a private bathroom and will include, at minimum, a microwave and refrigerator. Many rooms have a fireplace and kitchenette, and some even boast a separate bedroom and/or whirlpool. 

nourishment

Tuition also includes seasonal breakfasts, lunches, and evening receptions, all prepared by the renowned New Scenic Cafe specifically for our weekend retreat. New Scenic Cafe focuses on organic ingredients sourced from the North Shore to create inspired (often Scandinavian) dishes and menus. While we work and write, we can relax knowing our bodies will be well-fed. 

The evening receptions will include hors d’oeuvres and drinks; however, those who want a heavier dinner are encouraged to bring food to prepare in their room, or to wander to one of the many eatery gems in Duluth and Two Harbors. If you’d like recommendations or help making a reservation, the Inn is happy to assist—just reach out ahead of time.

WRITING + connection

Finally, tuition includes optional guided meditations, a three-day generative workshop, and most important, the opportunity to join with other writers on the beautiful North Shore in shared admiration for and curiosity about the written word.

Individual Critiques

Writers who want individual feedback on existing work can purchase a critique from Chelsea or Rachel. Writers will send their manuscript—up to 10 pages of poetry and 20 pages of prose—at least two weeks ahead of time. Writers will then meet one-on-one on Friday or Saturday afternoon at an assigned time with Chelsea or Rachel for 45 minutes to discuss their work, and receive notes and ideas for revision. The fee for an individual critique is $100. If you’d like to include an individual critique in your retreat weekend, please indicate so in your registration information or email Chelsea or Rachel directly.

frequently asked questions

  • This retreat is designed for writers of all genres and all levels. We welcome poets, novelists, and essayists alike!

  • While many of the rooms at the Inn are located on the ground level, entry to the rooms does require moving along a large-rock path. If you have accessibility needs or concerns, please let us know in your registration information. We will do our very best to make sure the retreat is open and accessible to all.

  • The Inn on Gitche Gumee is nine miles from downtown Duluth and eighteen miles from Two Harbors on the North Shore Scenic Drive, which was recently designated an All-American Road and part of America’s Byways®.

    Duluth and Minneapolis are the closest airports.

    FROM THE TWIN CITIES:

    Take I35 north to Duluth. Go through the downtown area on the expressway. Exit onto London Road (Hwy 61). Go about 4 miles and take the North Shore Drive along Lake Superior. Go 3 more miles and the Inn is on your left.

    FROM CANADA:

    Take Hwy 61 south. As you leave Two Harbors, get onto the North Shore Scenic Drive. Travel about 18 miles and the Inn is on the right.

  • Cancellations made 30 days or more before the retreat will be fully refunded, aside from a $100 cancellation fee. Cancellations made more than two weeks before the retreat will be refunded half of the full amount. Unfortunately, cancellations made within two weeks of the retreat cannot be refunded, but you will have the opportunity to send another writer in your place.