RELAX AND WRITE: SECOND DRAFT RETREAT – Springbrook 7 -9 August 2026

Friendly small feedback groups to help refine your work
Friendly feedback groups

RELAX AND WRITE RETREATS are thrilled to announce a special Feedback and Revision Retreat at SPRINGBROOK 7 – 9 August 2026! 

Super boost your writing next winter at this fun retreat for writers in Springbrook at the Theosophical Society’s Education and Retreat Centre. Whether you’re aiming to get stuck into planning your book project, or if you have a manuscript almost done and ready for a second draft, this is the retreat for you! 

Midday FRIDAY 7 AUGUST to 3 pm SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 2026 

Connect with like-minded women (and non-binary folk) around a heartwarming fire in a beautiful rainforest location. Be inspired by practical and informative workshops which will equip you with all the tools you need to plan your project or superpower your second draft. Stretch and relax with yoga and release your inner-goddess under the mountain stars. 

This retreat is tailored for those who have a major project underway, or in the planning stages, with a focus on structuring for success and story development with a special session on how to pitch your work to publishers. Workshops include finding the heart of your story, structuring for narrative drive, pitching and publication pathways. 

Share your work with other writers at a similar stage in small friendly feedback groups and/or pay slightly more to receive individual editorial feedback on your writing and advice from Edwina as to how best to move forward with your project. 

The program includes three yoga sessions, readings night and three creative writing workshops. 

ALL INCLUSIVE! Two nights’ accommodation in basic but comfortable single rooms, with bathrooms shared between two women, plus all meals, morning and afternoon teas are included in the cost. 

FROM ONLY $550 all inclusive, for a room of your own. Rooms have single beds with electric blankets, cupboards , a writing desk and chair.

Come along and join the fun, make new writing buddies and renew your love of writing and life. 

RETREAT PROGRAM All activities are optional 

FRIDAY 7 AUGUST 

ARRIVAL from midday– get settled and get writing 

4:00 pm – Meet and Greet 

4:30 – 6.30 pm WORKSHOP 1– Finding the heart of your story. What is your story’s central quest/question? Your premise.

6:30 – DINNER 

SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 

7:15 am – 8:30 – gentle morning YOGA and deep relaxation

8:30 – BREAKFAST 

10:00 am – 1 pm – WORKSHOP 2 – Structuring for success. Scene lists, suspense and more 

1 pm – LUNCH 

2 pm – 6 pm FEEDBACK GROUPS/INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK SESSIONS/OR WRITING TIME 

6:00 pm – YOGA Breathing and deep relaxation 

6:30 pm – DINNER 

7– 8:30 pm – READINGS AROUND THE FIRE 

SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 

7:15 am – 8:30 – gentle morning YOGA and deep relaxation

8:30 – BREAKFAST 

10:00 – 12:30 – WORKSHOP 3 –Publishing pathways, pitching and proposals, bios, your writing CV – collage 

3 pm DEPARTURES 

Check out all the fun we had at our last Feedback and Revision Retreat HERE

And there are plenty of endorsements from past retreaters HERE.

UNWAGED/ CONCESSION: $550 (those struggling financially)

WAGED: $700 (those doing okay – please choose this option if you’re doing well)

Plus optional $75 extra for editorial feedback on your synopsis and first 10 pages from Edwina (Includes 20 min meeting) 

You can pay your $200 DEPOSIT HERE 

Come and join us in spectacular Springbrook for a weekend dedicated to helping you get your book written and ready for publication!

Drop me a line for the flyer or SIGN UP HERE (remember to always send me an email to make sure I have places still available).

I hope you can come! We always have a wonderful time!

Lots of love

Edwina xx

MEMOIR AND LIFE WRITING RETREAT 2026 – Springbrook 10 – 12 April

writers at work in paradise
Come and write with us!

Is your creative spirit crying out for a little TLC? Always wanted to write but don’t know where to start? Need to reboot your writing mojo and be inspired to tackle that project based on your life that you’ve been thinking about forever? Come along and regain your love of writing and life at the next Relax and Write Retreat From midday FRIDAY 10 April – 3 pm SUNDAY 12 April 2026 in glorious Springbrook, at the TS Rainforest Retreat Centre high above the Gold Coast hinterland, surrounded by tall trees and lush rainforest with friendly pademelons and wallabies to keep us company.

Join like-minded women (and non-binary) writers in a fun and supportive environment discovering just how much some deep relaxation can ignite your imagination and get you writing again. Relax and unwind with gentle morning yoga sessions and be inspired by innovative workshops to help move those stories out of your head and onto the page. Learn how to turn your life stories into powerful creative works, whether memoir, autobiographical fiction or personal essays. 

“I feel transformed, as a writer and as a human being.”

Bianca Millroy – writer and retreater

The program includes two yoga sessions, four workshops to get you writing, plus advice on submitting your work. Two nights comfortable single accommodation with bathrooms shared between two women, plus delicious vegetarian meals and a special readings night around the fire are included.

“The fully-catered retreat environment was comfortable and stress-free. An atmosphere that encourages, motivates and inspires.” Gay Liddington – writer and retreater

Connect with other creative types in a beautiful, peaceful location and remember your creative self. No more putting your dreams on hold. Treat yourself to this special weekend nurturing your writing spirit. Delicious home cooked meals, cosy corners to hide and write, the joyful companionship of fellow writers on the same path. Isn’t it time you put yourself and your creative dreams first. Let us nurture you for a change. You deserve it!

RETREAT PROGRAM All activities are optional

FRIDAY 10 April 2026

ARRIVAL from midday

4 pm – Meet and Greet  

4:30 – 6:30 WORKSHOP 1– Your Stories

6:30 DINNER

SATURDAY 11 April

7:15 am – 8:30 – Gentle morning yoga and breathing

8:30 – BREAKFAST

10:00 am – 1 pm – WORKSHOP 2 – Writing Scenes and Characters in memoir/life writing

1 pm – LUNCH 

1:30 – 4:00 – FREETIME and FEEDBACK SESSIONS

4 – 6:00 pm – WORKSHOP 3 – Writing from start to finish – developing a plan

6:00 pm – DINNER

6:45 – 7:30 pm – Readings around the fire

SUNDAY 12 April

7:15 – 8:30 – Gentle morning yoga and breathing

8:30 – BREAKFAST

10:00 – 1 pm– WORKSHOP 4 – Where and how to submit work, goal setting, questions and collage

1 pm – LUNCH

 3 pm DEPARTURES

Editorial feedback sessions with Edwina available on request $75 extra for those needing professional advice on a project.

FEEDBACK DETAILS – email Edwina your first 10 pages, double spaced, plus your synopsis at least 2 weeks prior to retreat for full edit/advice plus 30 minutes meeting time.

Massages/Bodywork treatments with Monique DeGoey – a highly sought after Zen Thai Shiatsu practitioner will also be available.

COST for the weekend of writing, fun and feasting, including comfortable single room basic accommodation, with bathrooms shared between 2, all meals, 2 yoga sessions, 4 creative writing workshops and a readings night. 

Transport not included.

Unwaged (finding it tough to make ends meet) $600. 

Waged (I’m doing okay thanks) $750

Please only choose the unwaged option if genuinely struggling. If you’re doing okay, please help me support those writers who aren’t.

All inclusive! For single accommodation and all retreat activities and meals.

PAY YOUR DEPOSIT HERE

I’ve been running these retreats every year since 2017 and they’re always a joy. I love watching new writing friendships form and the ‘Aha!’ moments when a writer gets a flash of inspiration and finds the answer to a story issue. At these memoir retreats we do a lot of writing to prompts as well as learning about how to write in scenes and develop characters in memoir. Remember in memoir, YOU are the main character. You can’t leave the ‘me’ out of memoir. You’ll also learn how to shape your memoir/story to keep your reader hooked right from the first page.

We always have a wonderful time. You might like to check out the Memoir Retreat Rundown from the 2025 memoir retreat here. Plenty of testimonials HERE too.

I hope you can come! $200 deposit will secure your place. Always check with me that places are still available before you pay!

If you’re find money tough right now, just drop me a line and we can work something out.

Your story is important. You deserve to be heard. Come along and join the fun and find a community of like minds to inspire your creativity.

Lots of love

Edwina 🙂 xx