Finish Your Book

Writing retreats around the world. Virtual retreats and intensives anywhere. Bespoke events for writing groups.

Come and write...with a plan.

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Proposal Bootcamp
April 12-14 2024
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Your next rebirth begins in...

Where You Are

Virtual Intensives

Build craft, community and career with 5-day intensives in Craft & Publishing for Novelists and Memoirists. Join from any quiet location with internet access. All classes, workshops and community time happen via Zoom.
We'll send a Do Not Disturb sign for your door.

All sessions are recorded for you to review or refresh in the 30 days after the intensive.

Next Intensive

In The World

Whole-book Retreats

Don't know where to start? Lost your creative direction in the middle? Worried you'll never finish this crazy project? Includes feedback on 50 pages, story evaluation and Work Plan, focused writing time, one-on-one coaching, special topics seminars and a post-retreat check-in to keep you moving.

Travel retreat registration opens 8-10 months prior; Virtual retreats open 4-6 months prior.

Next Retreat

With Your Group

Bespoke Writing Events

Create a personalized workshop or retreat for your writing group. Writing craft, traditional and self-publishing, essay creation, pitching and querying are all fair game.

Guest teachers are available for special topics. Get in touch about your needs!

In order block out schedules, Bespoke events must be booked at least six months in advance.

Find Out More

Upcoming Retreats & Intensives

Not a vacation. A transformation.
"Allison, working with you and the retreat have totally transformed me
as a writer...at last, I know where I'm going with this book."

Amy Evrard Young

Your Guides

Allison K Williams and Dinty W. Moore
photo of Allison K Williams

Allison K Williams brings deep understanding of dramatic structure, sensitivity to voice and theme, technical expertise, and contagious enthusiasm for your work. She is the author of the writer's guides Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro From Blank Page to Book, Seven Bridges: Platform for Authors Who'd Rather Be Writing (forthcoming) and Get Published in Literary Magazines.

She has edited and coached writers to deals with Penguin Random House, Knopf, Mantle, Spencer Hill, St. Martin’s and independent presses. She’s guided essayists to publication in the New Yorker, Time, the Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney’s and TED Talks. As Social Media Editor for Brevity, she inspires thousands of writers with blogs on craft and the writing life.

A former circus performer, Allison has written for NPR, CBC, the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, Creative Nonfiction, McSweeney’s, Kenyon Review Online and Travelers’ Tales. Her plays, including Hamlette, Mmmbeth, The Next Horseman, and the London Fringe Best of Fringe Winner TRUE STORY, have been produced worldwide.

photo of Dinty W. Moore

A direct, honest and supportive teacher known for his ability to draw out meaning in memoir, Dinty W. Moore is author of The Story Cure: A Book Doctor’s Pain-Free Guide to Finishing Your Novel or Memoir and the pop-culture/enlightenment mash-up To Hell with It: Of Sin and Sex, Chicken Wings, and Dante’s Entirely Ridiculous, Needlessly Guilt-Inducing Inferno among many other books.

Dinty has published essays and stories in The Southern Review, The Georgia Review, Harpers, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Arts & Letters, The Normal School and elsewhere. A former professor of nonfiction writing at Ohio University, he serves as Editor-in-Chief for Brevity, a noted online journal of flash nonfiction.

Dinty consults regularly with authors and publishers on book proposals and revisions, many going on to publish with Big Five houses and university presses. A well-known and popular workshop leader, he has led workshops in Spain, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, and throughout the United States.

Bring your imperfect words. Immerse your creative self.
"...reinvigorated my writing habit. I left the intensive feeling more
in tune with my writing goals and intentions, excited for my various projects
and with more tools under my belt to accomplish them."

Scott Russell Morris

The Rebirth Experience

From idea to novel | proposal to memoir
lone author to literary citizen

Intensives feature MFA-level craft workshops to sharpen your writing, and frank, professional publishing talk. Seminars dive deep into narrative, dialogue, the "Invisible Magnetic River," querying, platform, and getting your work into the world.

Retreats include evaluation of your story plans and your pages with direct, constructive feedback; a pre-arrival coaching session; and a customized Work Plan. On location, you'll have craft seminars, writing time and one-on-one coaching. A follow-up coaching session helps you sustain momentum at home.

Intensives offer small-group connection time and facilitated networking. Enrollment of about 40 writers dramatically expands your literary community and ensures you'll find likeminded authors in your genre.

Retreats create strong bonds within a small group. To allow personal coaching and specific editorial feedback, enrollment is limited to 6 writers per retreat leader.

After a morning craft talk and generative writing exercise, writers work individually in shared spaces, revising their new writing, incorporating it into existing work, or focusing on their current project. Post-writing check-ins may include sharing short sections, but this is not a "workshop." Retreat leaders provide individual guidance as needed. It's like writing at your favorite cafe—with peer and editorial support.

Dedicated time helps you focus.

Direct, specific feedback helps you write better.

Rebirth Your Book combines a retreat environment with personal editorial assistance. You'll have a work plan to start writing on day one.

Rebirth Your Writing intensives reboot your writing practice while sharing professional publishing information and faciliting literary community.

Retreats include editorial feedback on 50 pages and your synopsis or chapter summaries, and one-on-one coaching before, during and after the retreat.

Intensives offer optional one-on-one time for editorial feedback, platform strategy, or book proposal evaluation.

Rebirth Your Book retreats happen in beautiful, culturally rich locations with great local food and a calm, supportive writing environment. Each retreat includes energy-boosting excursions to heritage sites and outdoor activities.

As much as we love travel retreats, "re-entry" is always tough. Virtual Rebirth Intensives happen in your regular writing place, helping create a sustainable practice within your daily life.

Individual attention. Spontaneous connections.
"...life-changing.
Days spent in community with other writers, working, eating, chatting
and relaxing surrounded by gorgeous views. After my manuscript revision,
an agent who had given me a 'Revise & Resubmit' offered to represent me,
and my book sold to Penguin Random House!"

Karen Fine, DVM
Can't Wait to Get Started?
Schedule an editorial consultation or coaching meeting
  • Office Hours
  • Editorial Coaching
  • Platform & Social Media Strategy
  • Short-Project Editing
  • Full Manuscript Editing (very limited availability)
  • Pitch Development
  • Query/Synopsis Editing
  • Memoir Proposal Editing

Frequently Asked Questions

You probably have a few

All Events

General Information

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Rebirth Your Book retreats focus on whole-book transformation: from your head to the page, from pile of material to draft, or from draft to finished manuscript. Writers receive substantial editorial feedback and individual coaching. When travel is safe, retreats take place around the world and include food, lodging and excursions.


Rebirth Your Writing Intensives are like virtual writing conferences, with craft talks, writing exercises, and in-depth talks on writing and publishing topics. Writers can also add on individual editorial time.


Bespoke events are custom-planned personal retreats for your writing group. We work together to design a plan of editorial feedback, group seminars, workshops, and writing time that fits your needs. Bespoke events can be virtual, or live when travel is safe.

Nope!

  • You DON'T need a degree in writing (or anything else!).
  • You DON'T need previous publication credits.
  • You ARE ready for direct and specific feedback about your work.
  • You're writing in English, because we aren't fluent enough to edit in any other language. (English need not be your mother tongue.)

To give each writer the specific attention their pages need, retreats with two leaders are limited to ten writers; retreats with one leader are limited to six writers.

Intensives follow a "conference" format, with whole-group craft lessons, half-group seminars and small-group discussions for about forty participants. One-on-one editorial time is available as an add-on.

For travel events, see FAQs on the individual retreat webpages for specific notes about the venue's accessibility.

For all virtual events, closed-captioning is provided for all teaching sessions. We're happy to work with technology you might need to fully experience the retreat.

Allison & Dinty have (between them) worked with writers who are d/Deaf, hearing-impaired, blind, visually-impaired, neuro-atypical and with physical disabilities. We want to work with you—let's discuss how to make it an excellent experience.

Everyone works on their own, with the energy of a shared live or virtual writing space. Sessions begin with a craft talk and generative writing. Then, you decide whether to continue the new writing; incorporate it into your existing work; or focus on your current project.


  • At a Retreat, you'll have a specific Work Plan you can use during your Writing In Company time throughout the week.
  • During Intensives, writers often draft new essays from the craft exercises.

As Allison says, "If I'm writing with a buddy and I start to get bored or frustrated, I look up and think, I can't quit now—she's still going!"



Rebirth Your Book Retreats

Focus on Your Work-in-Progress

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Nope! Your pages for feedback can be part of a book, a series of essays, or an idea and notes. If you're working on a book, we'll look at your synopsis and (proposed) chapter summaries with your pages.

If you're starting from an idea, or exploring your writing goals, we'll use your pre-arrival coaching to set goals for your time. In that case, you can choose to submit your pages after the retreat.

You do not need a book in progress for Intensives.

Not in retreats. While reading group members' work in advance and noting points for discussion is a valuable practice, it's not what we're doing here. Your focus is on your own work.

Some seminars include "live-editing" where we discuss and revise each others' pages, but no advance reading is required.

Bespoke events can include mutual reading if the participants desire.

For retreats, you'll receive feedback on up to 50 pages before arrival, plus your synopsis or chapter summaries if desired. During the retreat, you'll receive feedback on another 10-15 pages of revisions or new work.

In your pre-retreat coaching session, we'll discuss your concept, voice, story, character and craft, as well as what you want to accomplish during the retreat, and set out a specific Work Plan.

During the retreat, you'll have a scheduled one-on-one meeting to discuss your work-in-progress, your writing and your publication goals.

Throughout travel retreats, we'll have plenty of casual chatting time. In virtual retreats, Café Time allows group chat and individual questions.

After returning home, a group reunion session lets you check in and address questions or new challenges as your writing continues.

In Italy, India, Portugal and Costa Rica, a friend or family member age 16+ sharing your room pays a companion fee of about 1/2 the writer's fee. Their trip includes lodging, group meals and activities, local tours and airport transfers.

Pairs of writing friends often enjoy Rebirth Your Book together; solo writers make lasting connections.

In Lancaster, our lodging is limited to only participating writers.

Due to local regulations, Dubai is only open to women writers.

Group excursions are always included in travel retreats. Airport transfers are included where specified. See individual retreat pages for details.



Rebirth Your Writing Intensives

Virtual "Conferences"

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Your own computer and internet connection.

Our first day includes a Zoom orientation. We'll cover how to participate verbally and in chat, share work in breakout rooms, and what options you have for questions and communication with Dinty and Allison.

All teaching sessions will be closed-captioned. If you have accessibility concerns, let us know. We'll work with whatever technology you need to make the virtual intensive work for you.

Allison and Dinty have (between them) worked with writers who are d/Deaf, hearing-impaired, blind, visually-impaired, neuro-atypical and with physical disabilities. We want to work with you—let's discuss how to make it an excellent experience.

Morning sessions focus on a specific element of writing craft. A prompt carries us into Writing In Company time, where you decide whether to continue the new writing; incorporate it into your existing work; or focus on your current project.



Bespoke Events for Your Group

Create the Retreat You Need

Contact Us

Suitable for existing writing groups, this is a create-your-own program for single- or multi-day events. Bespoke events can happen virtually or in person at a retreat location near you.

You'll work with Allison to plan the right mix of editing, workshopping, publishing seminars and writing craft learning time, tailored to your group's needs.

Bespoke writing events must be planned a minimum of six months in advance.

Price depends on whether the event is travel or virtual, how many days, and if individual manuscripts are edited/workshopped.

Bespoke events usually cost per person in the same range as a retreat of similar length. (Check Lancaster for a four-day retreat; Italy or Costa Rica for a week-long event)

Bespoke writing events must be planned a minimum of six months in advance.



Booking & Payment

Let's Work with Your Budget

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We accept Venmo, Zelle, Canadian e-Transfers, international bank transfers, US checks, Paypal and credit cards.

All retreats and intensives offer payment plans; we're happy to work with a plan that's right for you!

Rebirth Your Book participates in AWP's Kurt Brown Prize, which awards $500 each year to emerging writers in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction who wish to attend a writers’ conference, center, retreat, festival, or residency. Winners and six finalists also receive a one-year individual membership in AWP. For more information, visit the AWP website.

For travel retreats, we strongly recommend travel & trip-cancellation insurance.

Commit to a retreat with a nonrefundable deposit to hold your place.


  • Balance is due or your payment plan begins 90 days before the retreat.
  • We recommend you make travel arrangements 2-3 months before the retreat.

If a writer decides not to travel after all, AND we can fill their place from the waitlist, after a $350 administrative fee, they can apply their balance to future retreats/intensives. If we can't fill their place, we'll refund payments over $2000 but the deposit and payments up to $2000 are nonrefundable.


If our destination closes to travelers or we must cancel for circumstances beyond our control, we will attempt to reschedule the retreat or relocate to a comparable destination. You will have the option to join the new plans, or we will apply your deposit minus any PayPal fees to a future retreat/intensive, and refund any additional payments.


Due to the limited number of one-on-one editorial consultations, add-ons are non-refundable. Your balance can be applied to a future Rebirth Your Book event or to regularly priced editorial services.


Refunds will be sent within 30 days of receipt of notice of cancellation.


Rebirth Your Book reserves the right to cancel the retreat in the event of civil unrest, natural disaster, pandemic travel restrictions or Act of God. In the event of cancellation of the retreat in its entirety, you will receive a full refund of any fees paid, less bank/PayPal/transfer fees. You agree to release Rebirth Your Book and its agents and/or representatives from any liability, including consequential expenses you may have incurred in planning to attend. We will provide you with documentation to support a claim to your travel insurance provider for flights and other expenses not paid to Rebirth Your Book.

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