What the participants from the 2015 Venice retreat said:
I thought the retreat was totally fabulous and it exceeded all my expectations. The venue was magnificent, allowing participants a huge amount of space in which to “operate” so that we could be private and meet at common venues like the patio, the dining room and the drawing room for the early morning discussions. Venice is a beautiful city and afforded a veritable feast of things to see and do when we were not busy scribbling away. Yes, I would definitely attend another retreat in Venice!
It felt like a family experience staying together, not in a hotel, but in a home steeped in history. The food and the joy that Marta took in providing delicious meals was a highlight. I loved that we weren’t rule bound and could do our own thing.
I learnt so much from the tutors, met some like-minded people, enjoyed luxurious accommodation, ate fabulous food, saw interesting things and so on. A HUGE thank you to all of you for what I sincerely hope is not a once in a lifetime experience.
It was a wonderful indulgence to be able to step away from everyday responsibilities and to be simply a writer for six full days. All I had to do was think about the words I had written and to make my manuscript as good as it could be. The Palazzo Albrizzi’s beautiful, romantic setting was a wonderful backdrop in which to settle down each day to write. I enjoyed the companionship and catching up with other writers and aspirant writers, first thing in the morning around the big table for breakfast, then again at lunch, and on our first and last nights for dinner.
Thanks once again to Richard and Jo-Anne for a week that was simply put, life changing.
The Pallazzo Albrizzi was so conducive to writing and enjoying the beauty of Venice.
Jo-Anne and Richard’s approach is always professional and that their guidance is thoughtful, generous and pertinent. From day one, with their first short talk on an aspect of writing, I was motivated to commit myself to the process of the retreat.
It was a unique venue – rich in Venetian history, luxuriously appointed, spacious and no wi-fi problems. There were plenty of private areas where one could settle down to write and an inspirational view from every window and patio. The meals were extremely generous – no starving in a garret for us!
Thank you Jo-Anne, Richard and Trish for creating the space at Riccardo’s magnificent Palazzo Albrizzi. Your organisational skills, as well as all your excellent creative sessions, feedback, encouragement, insight, caring… simply astonishing. Magic is happening here and your writers look to you, hoping that this is the start of an annual tradition!
There it was, dominating the small campiello Albrizzi. The Palazzo, centuries of history peeling off its façade. Enormous, green wooden doors, that required some weight be applied to them, swung slowly into an eerily dark, cavernous entrance hall. Trish showed us to the magnificent room which was to be ours for the next six days. It was time. The days that followed were a blur of delicious food supplied by the amiable Marta, writing briefings as a group and the invaluable, one on one sessions with Richard and Jo-Anne. … an experience of a life time.
To book your place on our next writing retreat in Venice or for more information please contact us via email.
