Venice Writing Retreat: Creative Immersion and Expert Mentoring

This time last month, I was listening to the bells of Venice in the peculiar silence that comes with an absence of cars. Yes, we were running our ninth annual Venice Writing Retreat, in the 16th century palazzo in which we gather every year.

Nine Years of Writing Retreats in Venice

We’ve been running our writing retreat since 2015 and, as usual, we made an effort to provide the space and opportunity for our participants to feel their own creative surge. Somehow, the city always works its magic, as does the alchemy of a gathering of like-minded souls.

Working with writers from across the globe, each bringing their unique projects and perspectives, never fails to energise me. I’ll be honest: dedicating focused attention to each person’s writing for an hour each day is demanding work. Yet it’s also invigorating. Their creative breakthroughs ignite our own imagination. It thrills us as much as it does our participants when seemingly impossible challenges resolve.

A Day at Our Venice Writing Retreat

Let me paint you a picture of our typical day. At precisely 6:45am, Trish and I set off on our morning walk, threading through the narrow calli to reach Academia just as dawn broke over the lagoon. I must have captured this sunrise a hundred times yet, each morning, I was still drawn to take just one more. We continued through San Marco while it still belonged to the Venetians. Shopkeepers arranged their displays, brooms scraped rhythmically against ancient stones, delivery boats navigated the smaller canals.

Some mornings we ventured to the Rialto market, where the briny scent of fresh catch mingled with the fragrance of seasonal fruit, and I couldn’t resist selecting a perfect peach for breakfast. On others, we followed the Guidecca Canal to its meeting point with the Grand Canal, stopped to photograph the soaring Baroque façade of Santa Maria della Salute, before wending our way through tiny squares, still with their original wells, past the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Have a look at our Instagram or Facebook pages to get a taste of our morning walks.

Writing Workshops and One-on-One Mentoring

Returning to our palazzo, we gathered for flaky cornetti and coffee before our morning workshop began. This was when Richard, Fred, or I explored different facets of the craft, or invited participants to share their work aloud. We heard extraordinary pieces this year—some that had us doubled over with laughter, others that moved us to tears.

We had short stories, memoirs, travel pieces, novels in progress. Our participants this year hailed from the UK, South Africa, America and Canada and, somehow, everyone blended and bonded. It says something about the creative sensibility, I think.

After our morning gathering, everyone scattered: to write in quiet corners of the palazzo, practise active observation in the nearby Campo Santa Margherita, to wander the maze-like streets, to absorb the city’s magic. Our role was to clear their creative path. During individual consultations, Richard, Fred, and I offered each person our undivided attention, whether they needed help refining their prose, developing characters, or breathing life into a stubborn concept.

Meet Your Venice Writing Retreat Mentors

I love collaborating with these two exceptional mentors, and I’m genuinely proud of our programme. Richard possesses one of the most inventive minds I’ve encountered—a fountain of ideas with particular genius for narrative structure and cinematic storytelling. His expertise spans crime fiction, young adult literature, and speculative genres.

Fred brings the precision of a seasoned journalist and the wisdom of 10 published books. He can diagnose a manuscript’s weakness from across the room and prescribe the perfect remedy. His passion lies in travel writing, narrative nonfiction, and long-form journalism—he’s masterful at teaching writers to harness specific details and craft sentences with architectural elegance. I love watching him coax people into producing work that exceeds their wildest expectations.

As for me? You know my story. I’m a novelist who still thinks like a journalist, devoted to the craft and to helping writers discover their full potential.

Exploring Venice: Writing Inspiration Beyond the Palazzo

Come late afternoon, Trish, Fred, or I guided small expeditions through Venice’s hidden treasures: to the charming Campo San Giacomo, where locals gather for aperitivo and gelato, past primary-coloured displays of Murano glass; to the tiny bookshop where every volume is hand-bound and an artwork in itself; to the artisanal clothing store, selling locally produced garments in jewel tones; or to that irresistible pasticceria famous for their almond cakes.

Some evenings we shared readings and discussions over cicchetti and wine. Other nights, our writers formed their own groups and ventured out to discover bacari tucked away in quiet neighbourhoods. Our wonderful host, Caterina—a true Venetian with generations of family history here—overflows with recommendations. She invariably knows an artisan who creates “absolutely the finest” masks, handmade paper, or traditional sweets.

Venice Writing Retreat 2026: Now Three Weeks Available

I’m convinced our retreat creates lasting memories. Each retreat leaves me drained but deeply fulfilled, largely thanks to the remarkable people who join us and their courage to embrace every moment. Year after year, Venice reveals new secrets while welcoming us back like old friends.

Our 2026 Venice dates are 5 to 26 November. Here’s exciting news: our first week sold out within two weeks of last year’s retreat ending, and the second week is already half full. So we’ve added a third week—19 to 26 November—with the same programme, the same mentors, the same magic. You can join us for week two or week three, or stay for both if you’d like to fully immerse yourself in Venice and your writing. Contact Trish to enquire or to book your place. Download the Venice Writing Retreat brochure here. 

What Writers Say About Our Venice Retreat

Here’s what some of our 2025 participants had to say:

‘The retreat was more than I could have imagined. Through daily one-hour sessions, my mentor quickly understood the problems with my story and helped me address and solve them in ways that excited and inspired me for the next draft.

‘Daily group sessions and meals provided support and camaraderie. The venue was magical, and the extracurricular activities enhanced the writing process. The Venice Writing Retreat is a creative experience that lets you dig deep while also letting you get away. I’m going back for two weeks next year and can’t wait.’ – Pam, Chicago

‘The Venice retreat is unique, and it’s such a privilege to be part of it. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas, working on projects, or fine-tuning skills, the group sessions are fun and productive and there’s a great synergy with the other writers. The coaching and expertise in the one-on-one sessions with Joanne and Richard are worth their weight in gold. And the city itself? History, excitement and charm are waiting to be discovered around every corner and across every bridge and it’s impossible not to be inspired!’ – Jassy, Kyalami

‘The Venice Writing Retreat is for nonwriters who want a pathway and maybe some handholding to become writers, new writers who need are hacking through the bush and need an extra machete, on-track writers who need a little guidance or a shoulder to cry on, and experienced writers, who know that feedback and brainstorming always produce more creativity. It is also a space that is collegial and fun. Anyone who either aspires to write or is already writing, will benefit from a week or two with the lamps that light the dark—Richard, Joanne, and Fred. And the wonderful Trish makes sure everything works seamlessly.’ – Sharon, Chicago

Email Trish to book your place at the Venice Writing Retreat 2026 – Spaces are limited.