Retreat description: The best stories transport us. We open the first page and the world falls away.  But what makes a story good? What makes it work?  How does the author do that “thing” that takes our breath away or makes us feel punched in the gut? That’s what we’ll explore in this combination workshop and craft retreat.  Together we will examine the elements that make for compelling storytelling—point of view, setting, dialogue, voice, plot, and of course character–as they emerge in the manuscripts we workshop. On occasion, we’ll get “under the hood” and read excerpts and passages from published works that illustrate the craft topics we’re exploring.  

Each member of the workshop will submit ten pages of their story, novel, or memoir for workshop. Our discussions will be rigorous as we work to become better writers and readers, but they will always be thoughtful, respectful, and supportive.  Between our workshop, one-on-one instruction, and time for revision and reflection, our goals for the week are to hone our skills, engage our work, and discover the possibilities for our creativity in the company of our fellow writers.

We’ll begin our time together on Sunday with a 1-hour class to talk about the writing process and where we draw inspiration. On Monday and Tuesday mornings we’ll workshop the manuscripts.  Wednesday is our free day with time for writing, revision, reflection, and leisure. On Thursday and Friday mornings we’ll reconvene to ask follow up questions and share the progress we’ve made with our revisions.  Each student will have a 1-hour private meeting with Natalie. We’ll end the week with a group reading to celebrate our progress and our time together.

Natalie Baszile is the author of the novel, Queen Sugar, which is being adapted for a seventh television season by writer/director Ava DuVernay, and co-produced by Oprah Winfrey. Queen Sugar was named one of the San Francisco Chronicles’ Best Books of 2014, was long-listed for the Crooks Corner Southern Book Prize, and nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Her new non-fiction book, We Are Each Other’s Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land & Legacy, was named an Amazon Editors Pick and a Wall Street Journal "Favorite Book of the Year." In We Are Each Other's Harvest, Natalie brings together essays, poems, conversations, portraits, and first-person narratives to tell the story of Black people’s connection to the land from Emancipation to the present.  Natalie's non-fiction work has appeared in National Geographic, The Bitter Southerner, O, The Oprah Magazine, and a number of anthologies.  Visit Natalie’s website here.

Dates and Prices

Dates: October 21-28, 2023

Location: Tuscany, Italy

Fee: *$5,925-$7,425, depending on accommodation preference.

Friday, July 21: Priority deadline to apply (applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until full)

Monday, July 31: Notifications sent

Monday, August 14: Deposit due

Friday, September 8: Payment in full due

*Thanks to the generosity of our Ca’ di Pesa hosts, net proceeds go to work at Hedgebrook, supporting all of our programs that help Women Authoring Change.

The Villa

Ca’di Pesa is an ancient, multi-leveled ‘borgo’ consisting of several distinct, attached structures built around a central courtyard. The oldest parts of the house date back to the 11th century, while most were constructed during the Renaissance in the 15th and 16th centuries. It has been upgraded and modernized to 21st century standards. It is lovingly maintained by the current owners and has been furnished with antiques and original artwork throughout. Each room is unique. Please be aware there many stairs, no elevators, nor any bedrooms on the ground floor. Please take this into consideration in your choice of room/accommodation.

An ancient medieval borgo in the heart of Chianti, the villa grounds are just three miles outside of the village of Panzano and within an hour’s driving distance to the Florence airport. Its position on a hillside overlooking the Pesa Valley offers exceptional views of the prized vineyards of the Conca d’Oro, a tapestry of olive groves, vineyards, woods, and country estates in all directions. Building was begun on this house approximately one thousand years ago. In the medieval period, it evolved into a ‘borgo,’ or small village, clustered around an interior courtyard and protected by a typical Tuscan ‘torre’, or tower.

Today the restored property has 11 bedrooms, an outdoor pool, and beautiful gardens with a bocce court and many private areas to enjoy the views and atmosphere in peace and quiet. There are several common areas, a large kitchen and living room, and three terraces.  There is wireless internet accessible from most rooms, as well as a movie theatre and an extensive collection of films and books. Find more pictures and information about Ca’ di Pesa, here.

Retreat Accomodations

Each writer will be housed in their own room at the villa with delicious meals and amenities provided. During their stay, writers will enjoy the sweeping views of the Tuscan countryside, free time for afternoon day-trips to explore nearby sites in Italy, and an intimate workshop limited to a small group size of 8 students.  All class participants are free to arrive up to a day early to recover from jet lag and settle into the Italian countryside.

Arrivals: Saturday, October 21 before 4pm

Retreat/workshops: Sunday, October 22-Friday, October 27, 2023

Departures: Saturday, October 28 before 11am 

Accommodation Details

Depending on the level of accommodation you choose, you will have a desk in your room or a separate sitting/writing area. Some rooms have private baths w A/C. All rooms are private bedrooms in the villa. All writers have access to all amenities: A large, shared living room, kitchen and dining room, garden and terraces with reading nooks and seating, pool (not heated), cinema, bocce court and vegetable garden and orchard. There is excellent WiFi throughout the villa, and laundry services can be arranged. Please note: the villa at Tuscany is multi-leveled, with no bedrooms on the ground floor. Please contact us to discuss any accessibility needs you may have.

Price $7,425 - Full Suite with large double bedrooms, full private baths, separate sitting/writing room

Price $6,675 - Unique Suite with shared bath (1 other person), private sitting/writing room

Price $5,925 - Single Room with shared bath (1 other person), writing desk in room

Payment

If selected, you will be required to send a non-refundable deposit of $1,500 to Hedgebrook by August 14, 2023, to hold your spot. The balance must be paid in full by September 8, 2023.  Not included – airfare, transportation to/from the villa, optional field trips, liquor, wine, and meals outside the villa.

Refund Policy

Travel insurance to cover all trip expenses is highly recommended. We regret that we are unable to provide refunds.

Fees and Policies

The cost of the class varies from $5,925 to $7,425, depending on the accommodation.  (Travel and alcohol are not included). Accommodations for 7 nights, all meals provided daily at the villa, all workshops, and a personal one-on-one session with Natalie Baszile are included.

Travel

Class participants are responsible for their own travel. The closest airport is Florence, Italy. One can easily rent a car at the airport. Having your own transportation allows you to intimately experience the Tuscan countryside and we can provide you with directions to various nearby sites and hill towns. You may contact the villa’s concierge for assistance with arranging airport transfers or transportation to and from Florence or other destinations.  Concierge service is included, but guests are expected to pay for transportation and other services directly to providers.  At this point, most drivers and establishments will take credit cards, but cash is still always preferred. The villa is about one hour from Florence and the airport, 20 minutes from Greve, and a stone’s throw from Panzano!

To arrive at the villa on Saturday, October 21 requires a flight departure from North America on Friday, October 20.

Please note: Each Radical Craft Retreat has a priority deadline, and classes often fill with a waitlist. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by Hedgebrook staff and teachers, so we strongly recommend interested writers apply as soon as possible. We anticipate decisions will be finalized within two weeks of the priority deadline.