Cultivating Community
An Ode to the Okoboji Writer's Retreat
I’ve been writing for publication for nearly two decades. What started as an article in the English Journal (I was a high school English teacher for years before transitioning to full-time writing), has flourished into a career marked by dozens (hundreds?) of published articles, short stories, and interviews, as well as eleven full-length novels (with a twelfth on the way). I love my job. And as a perfectionist and life-long learner, I am always seeking out new ways to improve my craft and grow as an author.
A quick internet search will turn up hundreds of writing retreats, conferences, workshops, and getaways. You can travel to Europe or a tropical beach, pay thousands of dollars to rub shoulders with modern day legends, or shell out twenty bucks for an evening at your local library. No doubt there are tons of fantastic opportunities for growth and learning (I’ve attended many an excellent event), but in all my years of seeking insight and inspiration at the feet of everyone from literary giants to close personal friends, I’ve never come across anything as unique and special as the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat.
Nestled in a quiet bay on West Lake Okoboji in rural Iowa, OWR embodies the legend of Midwestern literature and art. The setting is rustic and breathtakingly lovely, the caliber of teaching exceptional, and the people (as one would hope) down-to-earth, approachable, and sincerely Iowa-nice. I’ve attended writing retreats where it took days to break the ice with fellow attendees and the presenters remained aloof and unfriendly. Not so at OWR. We mingle like family and make fast friends with everyone we meet. All are welcome here.
This September will mark my third OWR, and I wouldn’t dream of missing it. Of course I love teaching breakout sessions on everything from plot and character to marketing and how to write a good query letter, but I am just as excited about popping into workshops where I know I’ll learn new ways to refine my own craft. The poetry track is so inspirational and has helped to elevate my prose. After speaking on a panel with a pair of flash fiction gurus, I fell in love with the art and started writing my own. And lunchtime at Lakeside Labs is always a beehive of activity and intentional conversations, newbie writers and award-winning authors bonding over sandwiches and the gorgeous views.
This year’s Okoboji Writers’ Retreat is September 22-25 and I would love to see you there. Wherever you are in your writing journey, from multi-pubbed to just starting out, there’s room for you. OWR is smart but unpretentious, fun but serious, and passionate about helping you take the next step.
I hope you consider joining the OWR community. We’d love to have you. xo - Nicole
PS - If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments!
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Excellent. You capture it perfectly.
Wonderful summary! And you are a huge reason it works! Here’s the link: https://okobojiwritersretreat.com/all-speakers/