Retreat Schedule
Mornings during the week are filled with an intensive writing workshop (2.5 hours). Afternoons vary. Evenings feature invited guests, readings by island authors, and music making.
It's a "pick your own adventure." You can take full advantage of our talented faculty or take time to nurture your creativity with a beach walk, some journaling, deep conversations, or a nap.
The schedule for Saturday is distinct. See below.)
1 | Yoga (Optional)
Center yourself at the start of your day with morning stretches and the sound of ocean waves. Led by a local yoga teacher.
2 | Breakfast
Breakfast is provided by Camp Mokulēʻia: fresh fruit, a yogurt bar with granola, eggs, pancakes or toast, and plenty of coffee.
3 | Daily Writing Workshop
You pick the genre—fiction, nonfiction, or memoir. Every day you'll meet with the same instructor and cohort. These writers will become your classmates, your confidants, your creative cluster throughout the week.
4 | Lunch
Lunch is provided by Camp Mokulēʻia: a mix of sandwiches, salad bar, soup, pasta, tacos, and more.
5 | Songwriting/Poetry/Art Workshops (Optional)
Step away from your writing desk and through a new creative doorway. You can explore songwriting, poetry, or visual art, letting play and curiosity guide you. No experience is needed—just show up, try something new, and see what opens.
6 | Cultural Excursion
Each year features one unique cultural experience. Some years offer guided visits to sacred sites such as the Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau and Ka‘ena Point. Others include a visit to Waimea Bay and "talk story" about some of its legendary watermen.
7 | Free Time
Write, swim, or rest. This is your time to recharge, relax, and reset. Sequester yourself in your room and write with an ocean view or jump into the ocean and let your writing worries wash away. If you're lucky enough, you may spot some turtles during mating season.
8 | Dinner, with a Side of Culture
Most dinners will be provided by Camp Mokulēʻia. We will arrange one special dinner of freshly-caught fish and locally grown veggies. Following dinner on two nights, we invite Hawaiian cultural luminaries to sing, dance, and tell us stories
9 | Yoga (Optional)
Whether you’re taking a night swim, diving into a lively conversation about AI’s impact on writing, or playing guitar and singing in the Lodge, evenings are full of possibilities to play, connect, and create. Each night unfolds differently.
Saturday Bonus Beats 2026
We offer an all-new day of workshops on Saturday. Participants in the weeklong retreat may attend. Island writers may register for Saturday only, for $160, which includes snacks and lunch. There will be various writing workshops in the morning and afternoon.
10-12 pm | Morning Sessions
Writing about Place
Three generative writing workshops will look at writing about place in fiction (setting), travel writing (destinations), and poetry (imagery). Writers will have a chance to follow writing prompts, generating vignettes or stanzas, and sharing their work.
Fiction with "Intimacy and Grace"
Donald A. Carriera Ching, in his 2025 book Blood Work and Other Stories, tells stories that are unflinching and, as one critic writes, "filled with intimacy and grace." He will share ideas on how to do this, leading writers through prompts and a sharing of their work.
12-1 pm | Lunch
Lunch is provided by Camp Mokulēʻia in the dining hall.
1-1:30 pm | Free Time
Time to swim, walk on the beach, or just chill.
1:30-4:45 pm | Afternoon Sessions
1:30-3:00 pm
Intel on Artificial Intel
What role might AI play in our writing and photography? Demystify, learn, and play with tools so that you can feel inspired rather than overwhelmed.
Fresh off of her release of her second novel, The Pōhaku, Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes shares the ins and outs, the befores and afters, of writing historical fiction. (The session is open to writers of all genres, as getting the history right always matters!)
3:15-4:30 pm
Next Steps in Your Writing Path (panel)
Christina Fang guides a discussion with faculty on anything you want to ask about.
1:30 - 4:30 pm
Manuscript Masterclass
For those who have a manuscript ready to polish and publish, Connie Hale offers a professional-level evaluation and edit on pages that you will submit in advance.
4:45 - 5:45 pm
The Last Page: Integrate, Exhale, Let Go
Author Kate Nirlipa offers us a breath-led somatic yoga practice with slow movement and guided rest, so that insights from the retreat can settle into the body — like ink drying on the page — leaving you calm, clear, and steady.
5:45 - 6 | Closing
Celebrate and swap contact information.