Retreat Intro
2009 AROHO Retreat
Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, New Mexico
August 10-16, 2009
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Imagine a place where serious women writers come together to study craft, write, and share their stories amid the stunning scenery of Georgia O’Keefe’s famous Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. In August 2009, we’ll invite 50 talented women to the ranch for classes, panels, and readings, and to enjoy the many trails and vistas of the 21,000 acre ranch in a canyon of the high mesa desert. Bring your fiction, nonfiction, or poetry to workshop in groups of no more than seven women led by our faculty of professional women writers. Or simply spend your days wandering, writing, and living in a community of women who share a passion for the written word.
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Photo by Miriam Berkley
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Cloe Dugger, New York, reads in the afternoon shade.
[Photo by Miriam Berkley]
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Comments from 2007 retreat participants:
“This is the first retreat I responded to on a soul level. It was an exhalation-as if I had finally given myself-the deepest level-a writer.” --Lynn Tryba (Northampton, MA)
“Quite Simply: Off the charts. The location is unbelievable. The faculty were so generous and gifted. I felt like a Queen!” ---Patricia Loughrey (San Diego, CA)
“The women I met here were not only supportive, warm, and interesting personally but they were writers at a much higher level than I expected.” -Sharon Locy (Santa Monica, CA)
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We keep our fees as modest as possible and provide several scholarships. We love diversity and welcome women from many different backgrounds. In the past, our participants have included published authors, poet laureates, construction workers, lawyers, stay-at-home moms, teachers, pilots, and psychologists. More information about our faculty and application process will be posted March 2008.
Who comes? AROHO Retreatants are not beginning writers. This is a place where women serious about their craft come together to have fun! All applicants are screened and must submit a writing sample and résumé. We've had retreatants from as near as Placitas, New Mexico, and as far away as Japan, young and old, all colors and sizes. Retreatants' day jobs have included state poet laureate, Pulitzer Prize wining journalist, salon owner, lawyer, high school English teacher, art gallery curator, state government consultant, professional actress, professor, and stay-at-home mom. We enjoy diversity!
What do we do? We write, and we talk about writing! You may participate in the Retreat as a workshop member or as a "free agent." Whichever path you choose, all retreatants are welcome to participate in the keynote address and discussion, all readings, optional seventy-minute classes, and panel discussions. Friday is a free day to explore local attractions like the Georgia O'Keeffe Studio and Chimayó, or to stay on the ranch for hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, or maneuvering high and low ropes courses.
- Workshop Members meet in groups of no more than eight participants, for ten hours of intense activity led by an expert member of the AROHO faculty. Each workshop member also meets privately with the workshop leader for a half-hour conference.
- "Free agents" do not participate in workshops and have more time to write and relax. "Free agents" participate in as many or as few of the retreat's other offerings as they choose. Free agents will also have a unique opportunity to sign up for a special three-hour workshop.
Can I get a scholarship? AROHO is pleased to offer several scholarships for deserving women writers. Sign up for our online newsletter to receive updated information about the scholarship opportunities.
How do I sign up? The application will be posted online to download and send to us with a six-page sample of your writing, and a brief résumé which shows your commitment to writing.
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