ZOETROPE ALL-STORY GETAWAY TO BELIZE

I have to start this off by stating I have no idea where Belize even is, but from September 16 to September 23, 2005, Charles D’Ambrosio and George Saunders will be leading the Zoetrope Short Story Writers’ Workshop there, and that sounds like reason enough to visit Belize if you want to learn that particular craft.

There are many such getaways (though I’m sure the term Writing Conference or Workshop looks better on the old 1040 Schedule C’s), especially through the summer months for writers young and old to attend, enjoy, and better themselves in their crafts. Another great annual one according to what I’ve heard from those who have attended in the past is the Kenyon Review Writers’ Conference in July. Past instructors have included Nancy Zafris, Erin McGraw, David Lynn, and other well established writers and teachers of fiction.

Besides these workshop excursions, there are also Writer Retreats out there to be utilized – a week to a month or so at a remote location that allows the writer the solitude to really delve into their work. No instructors, just meals and maybe evening meetings. How often do you read in the acknowledgements to a novel or story collection, a thank you to such and such a retreat where the bulk of my book was written? I seem to see that pretty frequently.

I’m curious to hear from those that have attended either type, or both, which do you prefer and why?