No. This retreat is designed for writers at several stages. You may arrive with a book idea, an outline, partial chapters, a messy draft, or a manuscript in progress. The pre-retreat workshops will help you arrive prepared and focused.

Yes, absolutely. This retreat is designed for women and non-binary writers working on nonfiction books and memoirs.

This retreat is best for business, personal development, leadership, memoir, spiritual nonfiction, self-help, narrative nonfiction, and books by entrepreneurs, coaches, consultants, creatives, and professionals.

The women who say this most are usually the ones who need this retreat most. Four days of focused investment in work that matters to you is also a model for your family—that important projects deserve protected time, and that you take yours seriously. 

One past attendee, a busy mom building a business, said reducing her mental load for a week was exactly what she needed to make real progress on her book. She came home with momentum, clarity, and pages written.

Your family will still be there on Monday. Your book might finally be too.

Good. That uncertainty is exactly why you should come. This retreat is not designed for writers who have everything figured out. It is designed for writers who have something important to say and need the right eyes and the right environment to help them say it well. Part of what Laura does at the retreat is help you see what your book is actually capable of. Many attendees arrive doubting their idea and leave with a clarity and conviction they could not have found alone. Uncertainty about your idea is not a reason to wait. It is a reason to come.

Yes. Every attendee receives a private one-on-one meeting with Laura Kaiser to discuss their manuscript and will leave with clear editorial direction. Laura will be available throughout the entire retreat for questions, guidance, and conversation about your book. You will also have a Zoom one on one consultation with Porsché Steele, a publishing professional who will guide you in the publishing process.

Ask yourself this: what would it mean for your business, your credibility, and your life if your book was finished and in readers' hands by this time next year? One past attendee said she got more out of this experience than from coaching programs that were longer and more expensive. Another left with a solid outline, hired her editor, finished her first draft within weeks of returning home, and went on to become a multi-time Amazon bestseller, and is booking speaking gigs. The retreat is the investment that makes everything else in your book journey faster, clearer, and more likely to actually happen.

This is where the pre-retreat workshops make a real difference. You will not arrive at the retreat still figuring out what you want to write. By the time you walk through the door you will have your structure, your reader, and your focus already clarified, so the protected writing blocks are spent actually writing, not still preparing. Laura will also meet with you one-on-one to make sure your time at the retreat is focused on exactly what your manuscript needs most. Most attendees are surprised by how much they produce. The environment, the structure, and the absence of ordinary life do more than most writers expect.

This retreat is designed for nonfiction writers. Fiction writers may benefit from the writing time, but the editorial and publishing guidance will be tailored to nonfiction, business books, and memoir. We’re happy to have a call to see if this would be a good fit for your current needs.

Yes. Healthy daily meals designed to fuel your brain are included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and refreshments.

No. This is an alcohol-free retreat designed to support clarity, focus, and creative presence.

The retreat is located in Ghent, New York, in the Hudson Valley, minutes from the Berkshires. Exact address and arrival details will be shared with confirmed attendees.

This will be an intimate retreat with only 7 spots available.

The core retreat gives you focused writing time, editorial guidance, and a clear plan for your manuscript. The Author Accelerator Day goes one step further: a full additional day dedicated to the practical tools of authorship—a 1:1 with publishing consultant Porsché Steele, your author bio suite, a marketing funnel strategy, and a complete author assets checklist. If you want to leave not just with pages but with a plan for what happens after the writing is done, this day is for you.

Because this is an intimate retreat of just 7 women sharing a home for several days, every applicant has a short Zoom call with Laura before being accepted. This isn't a formality—it's how we make sure the retreat is the right fit for you, and that everyone in the room is there for the same reason. After your call, if it's a good fit, you'll receive a link to secure your spot with your deposit.

We know life is busy, which is exactly why these workshops exist. Every session is recorded and sent to all attendees, so if you can't make a session live, you won't miss a thing. That said, we encourage you to join live when you can—the conversation and connection with your fellow attendees is part of what makes these sessions valuable.

Exact directions, parking information, and a packing list will be sent to confirmed attendees well in advance of the retreat. In general, plan to bring comfortable clothing, anything that helps you write (laptop, notebooks, your favorite pens), and anything that makes you feel at home for a few days. The retreat home is accessible by car, and the nearest major airport is Albany International.

Your retreat experience does not end when you pack your bag. Every attendee receives three monthly virtual group check-ins with Laura to keep your momentum alive and your writing on track. You will also have access to a private group chat with your retreat cohort so you can cheer each other on all the way to publication.