Our September retreat, the Quail Retreat is focused on craft, generating new pages, and sharing your creations by reading aloud with your workshop group. Workshops are led by our Author-in-Residence and editor/retreat director Heather Lazare. The Quail Retreat is perfect for the writer who needs time away from all their obligations and uninterrupted hours to delve into their writing.

Our Poppy Retreats occur every Spring, with new retreats and dates announced in August. Poppy Retreats are publishing focused, featuring 1 Author-in-Residence, 2 Guest Literary Agents, and 1 Editor, to give you a well-rounded understanding of the publishing industry. We do written workshops of 20 pages submitted prior to the retreat, and workshops are facilited by each literary agent and editor/retreat director, Heather Lazare. Our goal, always, is to create community and bring together writers with similar publishing ambitions, and give them the tools to understand the next steps in their publishing journey.

Wow, that is so kind! While we appreciate your thoughtfulness, all applicants need to be the writers who want to attend. Because we rely on a personal statement and pages from the writer, we need them to be the ones writing it, and we need them to be aware of the retreat and what they'll be doing while they're here. Our retreats are only open to those who are accepted, so it's not just a matter of paying for a space, the writer need to be accepted first. Make sure to send your friend or loved one the link to our website and encourage them to apply--there's nothing better for a writer than someone supporting them!

You may submit published or unpublished work for the application. Our goal is to see your writing talents and be sure you are a good fit for the retreat. What you decide to workshop at the retreat is your choice: part of a novel or a short story, which you'll be asked to submit a month before your retreat date.

Wonderful! Applications for our Spring 2027 Poppy Retreats are now open. Learn more and apply here.

Make sure to sign up for our newsletter, plus follow us on Instagram to get more information about future retreats and our Virtual Courses (check our courses here!).

Yes. With the generosity of our alums, as well as Guest Agents and Authors-in-Residence who have donated their honorarium back to the retreat, we are able to offer financial aid.

When acceptance letters are sent, we will give you the option to apply for financial aid. As soon as we have all requests in hand, we’ll review our funds and see what we are able to gift. Aid is needs based, not merit based.

Thanks to the generosity of our 2026 Author-in-Residence, Cleyvis Natera, award-winning author of Neruda on the Park and The Grand Paloma Resort, we are proud to offer The Cleyvis Natera Scholarship for BIPOC Mothers to one female-identifying fiction writer to one session of our 2027 retreats. If you are interested in learning more and applying, please visit our Scholarship page.

Unfortunately we can’t accept every writer who applies as we have limited space. Please be sure to show us your best work, and really tell us about yourself and your writing journey in your personal statement. While the submission needs to be strong, we get to know you as a person from your personal statement.

We want to be sure that the writers who apply are serious about their writing and their intent of attending Northern California Writers’ Retreat.

Our September retreat, the Quail Retreat is focused on craft, generating new pages, and sharing your creations by reading aloud with your workshop group. Workshops are led by our Author-in-Residence and editor/retreat director Heather Lazare. The Quail Retreat is perfect for the writer who needs time away from all their obligations and uninterrupted hours to delve into their writing.

Our Poppy Retreats occur every Spring, with new retreats and dates announced in August. Poppy Retreats are publishing focused, featuring 1 Author-in-Residence, 2 Guest Literary Agents, and 1 Editor, to give you a well-rounded understanding of the publishing industry. We do written workshops of 20 pages submitted prior to the retreat, and workshops are facilited by each literary agent and editor/retreat director, Heather Lazare. Our goal, always, is to create community and bring together writers with similar publishing ambitions, and give them the tools to understand the next steps in their publishing journey.

Wow, that is so kind! While we appreciate your thoughtfulness, all applicants need to be the writers who want to attend. Because we rely on a personal statement and pages from the writer, we need them to be the ones writing it, and we need them to be aware of the retreat and what they'll be doing while they're here. Our retreats are only open to those who are accepted, so it's not just a matter of paying for a space, the writer need to be accepted first. Make sure to send your friend or loved one the link to our website and encourage them to apply--there's nothing better for a writer than someone supporting them!

Wonderful! Our Spring 2027 Poppy Retreats are now open for application. Learn more and apply here!

Make sure to sign up for our newsletter, plus follow us on Instagram to get more information about future retreats and our Virtual Courses (check our courses here!).

You may submit published or unpublished work for the application. Our goal is to see your writing talents and be sure you are a good fit for the retreat. What you decide to workshop at the retreat is your choice: part of a novel or a short story, which you'll be asked to submit a month before your retreat date.

Rooms are simple, and each has a bathroom ensuite (with shower, toilet, and sink). All linens and towels are provided by the retreat center. Most rooms have two beds, though we’ll only have one writer in each room in order to allow everyone privacy and quiet. Our goal is to provide a peaceful, tranquil experience that both fosters community and respects the space needed to create.

Yes. Our retreat price is all-inclusive and your experience is further enhanced by being amongst community throughout your time here (plus you don't have to go home and do dishes or cook!).

Rooms are simple, and each has a bathroom ensuite (with shower, toilet, and sink). All linens and towels are provided by the retreat center. Most rooms have two beds, though we’ll only have one writer in each room in order to allow everyone privacy and quiet. Our goal is to provide a peaceful, tranquil experience that both fosters community and respects the space needed to create.