ACTIVATE THE WAKING DREAM AND WRITE

• My first poems were published while in a City College extension class. A few of us formed a writing group and shared submission market research.

• It was my collaboration with an award-winning Young Adult Author that earned an Emmy nomination – we gave each other comments and helped each other interpret often cryptic producer’s notes.

• For each one of my published pieces, I received rounds and rounds of notes from mentors and fellow writers. 

Here’s what else I’ve learned: gathering with others in a relaxed, natural setting, with a shared intention and facilitated guidance, is the catalyst for sparking insights, shifting perspective and transformative renewal. 

It starts with you. 

I’ve chosen this location for this specific purpose.  

“Mission Ranch has a guest house, patio, cottages, giant eucalyptus trees, and a casual restaurant that overlooks sheep in a field and the sand dunes guarding the Pacific Ocean.”

—Junius Rochester

Mornings we’ll convene in the farmhouse where you’ll write to timed prompts with guided visioning, curated especially for your project. My writing prompts are designed to drop you into a specific moment in your story, to best convey the emotional impact with authenticity and immediacy.

We’ll read and share, and I’ll offer guidance on how what you’ve written could be expanded or integrated into your project – something for you to explore during your solo writing time. 

Your solo writing time. How does that sound? 

What you’ll get: 

• Structured, supported time to focus on creative expression. 

• Opportunities to share work for positive feedback, build confidence to know when your writing is landing. 

• Facilitated, intuitive, caring guidance from a writer with experience in multiple genres and formats.

• Freedom from daily obligations, dishes and distractions, in a stunning coastal California setting long-favored by artists and writers seeking inspiration and respite. 

• Optional somatic exercises that invite access to your writing mind through your body, and inspiring excursions.

Here’s what I do distinctly:  

• Facilitate groups and work one on one with writers, meeting them where they are to offer personalized guidance that enhances their writing practice and elevates their level of craft.

• Offer experiential writing prompts that bring writers directly into their stories.

• Provide innovative instruction on structure, craft and revision.

• Facilitate supportive feedback from peers that validates your work from a variety of perspectives.

And here’s why it might be just right for you:

• Repeated positive experiences of sharing your work and having it received will help overcome fears and provide encouragement and validation. 

• Working on your project in a guided group will help you maintain momentum and motivate solo writing. 

• You’ll have the tools and inspiration you need to complete and publish your project.

Karen’s highly-personalized approach focuses on each writer while also holding space for the overall progress of the group. Facilitated feedback illuminates valuable material that arrives intuitively (and is often missed by writers themselves – just as in a dream) and encourages writers to continue this form of exploration as they write, as opposed to allowing the critical/editorial mind to step in when the odd word or concept intrudes – when that odd word or concept could be the very thing that unlocks the intention only their intuitive mind is able to deliver. The deeper writers delve in this way, the more sensory information and essential story material they are able to mine, which makes the difficult process of writing more enriching, enjoyable, and sustainable.

What’s included:

• Pre-Retreat Zoom call to share about your project and et intentions. 

• Morning and evening sessions with writing prompts, reading, group feedback and professional writing guidance. 

• Optional 1:1 in-person session with me during the retreat 

• Free parking and internet. 

• Post-Retreat Follow up group zoom call, to reflect on your experience and share your progress. 

What’s not included:

• Travel to and from Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

• Food and beverages at the hotel or off-property

• Transportation during your stay

• Lodging is booked directly with the hotel, you’ll get to choose your preferred private room in the Farmhouse.

Here are the available rooms. They are all located in the Farmhouse, which is also our gathering place. With six participants, we will have the Farmhouse to ourselves.