Summer is over and I already miss it 😉

BUT I’m exploring a new project for 2027: organizing and leading a weeklong writing retreat in Québec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent, near Kamouraska.

When I go to a writing retreat as a participant, what interests me most is being offered a balance between structure and freedom. As I begin to plan this one, I’m imagining mornings devoted to structured workshop time, followed by afternoons left largely free for writing, reading, walking, exploring the region, or simply being quiet with one’s work.

Anyone who has done a writing retreat—or really, any kind of retreat—knows there’s another aspect that matters just as much: finding a sense of community without feeling over-programmed. For writers, that can be especially important.

So I’m imagining shared meals, maybe drinks at the end of the day, perhaps an oyster evening, live music one night, and maybe an evening spent reading a classic together.

For me, one of the great pleasures of a writing retreat is that you don’t have to choose between solitude and company. You can spend hours alone with the work, then come back to a table of other writers who understand exactly what that kind of day has been.

There could also be a few optional or shared outings that connect everyone more deeply to the region: a visit to the Living Memory Museum, with its focus on oral history and personal stories; a tasting of local artisan sheep and goat cheeses; or a Zodiac excursion among the Kamouraska islands to see seals, seabirds, and the coastline from the St. Lawrence.

The retreat would run for six nights. For now, I’m focused on finding a time in either June or September 2027. It would include three hours of workshop, led by me, each morning, as well as accommodation, most meals, and group transportation to and from Québec City.

I’m currently looking at beautiful lodging options in Kamouraska, including the possibility of taking over an entire inn for the week. It’s an extraordinary part of Québec, where the St. Lawrence widens into a vast, tidal landscape and begins to feel almost like the sea. Think open horizons, islands, changing light, long sunsets, and, on clear days, the mountains of Charlevoix visible across the river.

Before I go much further, I’d like to get a sense of genuine interest and of what prospective participants would value most. So I’ve put together a short survey about dates, accommodation, and the balance between workshop, writing time, and shared experiences. Filling it out is not a commitment to attend; it will simply help me shape the retreat.

If you’re a writer with an interest in participating, I would LOVE your thoughts.

Here’s the Google form / survey (and feel free to share with anyone you think might be interested):