A weekend writer’s retreat hosted by the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild at the Cirenaica lodge just outside of Fall Creek.

This month, the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild announced its second season of weekend retreats for writers looking to push their craft to the next level. Last year, these summer “residency” programs featured a fantastic lineup of writers in multiple genres – from fiction to poetry to memoir to radio – each leading their own 3-day weekend at the Cirenaica lodge, nestled within a patch of hilly woods amid the farm fields just outside of Fall Creek.

Each weekend included workshopping sessions, one-on-one time with the experts, craft discussions, and a special gathering/Saturday night reading where participants can show of their work. The price of admission also included a fantastic on-site chef and plenty of social opportunities with fellow writers. As a writer from last summer puts it, “I used to think writing was a solitary experience, but after the residency I realized the importance of community and the energy derived from a community of writers.”

Participants also had the option of paying a little more to stay overnight at the lodge.

The summer residencies for 2017 look to be equally engaging. You’ll find all of the features mentioned above with an all-new set of experts.

Acclaimed writer and professor Allyson Goldin Loomis will cover narrative non-fiction (June 8-11). Award-winning novelist Nickolas Butler will focus on the theory and practice of fiction (June 22-25). New York Times best-selling author June Melby will dig into memoirs (July 6-9). Former Wisconsin Poet Laureate Max Garland will discuss how poetry can locate and recreate ourselves in the world (July 13-16). And finally, veteran writing teacher Marsha Qualey will explore young adult fiction (July 21-24).

To get more details about the residencies, to apply for them, or to learn more about the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild and its many events, visit cvwritersguild.org