Writers Retreat at Eatonton
Writers Retreat Comes to Eatonton
Did you know that nine Georgia Writers Hall of Fame members lived, worked, and/or wrote
within 30 miles of Eatonton? This is the largest literary hub in the state, outside of any major
metropolitan area! At Georgia Writers Museum, we like to say, “There must be something in the
soil!” For that reason, we are launching our first Writers Retreat, February 25 – 27, 2022! For
more information or to register, visit us at https://www.georgiawritersmuseum.org/2022-
writers-retreat/.
The retreat opens on Friday, February 25 th with keynote speaker George Weinstein, a two-time
former President of the Atlanta Writers Club and author of five novels, followed by two days of
workshops with more than 14 published authors, editors, and literary agents from across the
state. The full workshop ($270) includes six sessions over two days, lunches both days, the
keynote dinner, and a literary field trip. Registration for one day ($130) includes 3 sessions and
lunch, or select your sessions a la carte ($45) for each 90-minute workshop. “We are planning
for an in-person retreat with precautions for Covid safety, and are ready to pivot to an online
conference at a moment’s notice, if necessary,” shared Melissa Swindell, Georgia Writers
Museum Executive Director, who is ready to get back to in-person events but emphasizes that
writers’ safety is first and foremost.
Saturday sessions include:
Writing Southern Fiction in the Modern South, Ginger Eager and Veena Rao
Working with an Editor, Tyra Douyon
Writing Crime, Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense, Roger Johns
Rejection and Revision, Chris Negron
Your First Page, Peter Selgin
Writing Poetry, Scott Thomas Outlar
Sunday sessions include:
Researching and Writing about Historical Events for Fiction and Nonfiction, Rona
Simmons
So You Want to Get Published…, Kristine Anderson, Ben Meeks, Chris Swan, and Jim
Auchmutey
Writing and Pitching Your First Book, Justine Cowan
Finding and Working with a Literary Agent, Pamela Harty and Kim Jackson
Getting Your Book to Become a Best-Seller, Chip Bell
Organizing Productive Writing Groups, Kerry Neville
Many of us know that Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker (The Color Purple) and internationally
recognized folk writer Joel Chandler Harris (Brer Rabbit stories) were born and raised in
Eatonton. Who will be the next celebrity author to write in this town? Join us for our inaugural
Writers Retreat and maybe you’ll meet the next best-selling author… or maybe it will be you!
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Georgia Writers Museum is dedicated to inspiring today’s writers and readers, and celebrating
Georgia’s literary heritage. Currently, small group tours are available by appointment.
Admission to the museum is free; the museum relies on donations from guests and supporters to
deliver quality programming, exhibits and classes. To learn more,
visit www.georgiawritersmuseum.org, Facebook: georgiawritersmuseum, and Instagram:
georgiawritersmuseum8.
