A Hands-on Experience for Novelists

The Mountainside Novelist Retreat will be bigger and better than ever this year! We hope you can join us from October 8, 2023—October 11, 2023 at the Ridgecrest Conference Center.

Call 1-800-588-7222 to Register Today!

Storytelling is the ancient art of entertaining others with a powerful story. What better way to move farther along your publishing journey than at a novelist retreat in the mountains? This event will equip writers through workshops and private meetings around all aspects of being a novelist—from improving the craft of writing to valuable tips for marketing and launching a book. Through a variety of classes geared specifically for novelists, this event will help focus on building strengths from challenges. The Novelist retreat is ONLY open to fiction writers: from those with a fiction manuscript in progress, to those with multiple novels published. Join us at the Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain, NC for hours of hard work, spiritual renewal, and building a career as a novelist.

The Premise

This event will be a retreat to equip novelists—from those with an in-progress novel to those with multiple books. Featured Instructors include best-selling novelist Tosca Lee, along with Lynette Eason – literary agent with the Steve Laube Agency, Cindy Sproles, Larry Leech – editor in chief for Bold Vision Books, Edie Melson, Edwina Perkins – publisher Harambee Press, End Game Press, and Tammy Karasek. During these four days writers can expect:

classroom instruction time including:

• the craft of writing
  • book launches
  • organization
  • social media & marketing
• private writing time
• meetings with editors, agents and industry professionals

Details

• Program Fee:  $275.00 per person
• Accommodations: $109.00 per room, per night for Mountain Laurel West, $119.00 per room, per night for Mountain Laurel East
• Meals:  $111.00 per person, (includes 9 meals starting Sunday dinner through Wednesday lunch)

The Schedule

Mountainside Novelist Retreat 2023 Class Schedule

Sunday 

1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Registration

3:15 – 3:30         Opening

3:45 – 4:00         Icebreaker

4:15 – 5:15         Class:

• Understanding Facebook Ads to Build Your Facebook Page – Edie Melson

5:30 – 6:30         Supper

7:00 – 8:15         Panel Discussion – working with a publishing house

• Larry Leech
• Cindy Sproles
• Edwina Perkins

Monday

7:15 – 8:15         Breakfast

8:30 – 8:50         Announcements & Devotion

9:00 – 10:15       Class:

• Effective Social Media for Fiction Writers & Building Your Email List – Edie Melson

10:30 – 11:45     Class:

• Working with an Agent – Lynette Eason

12:00 – 1:00       Lunch

1:00 – 2:30         Private Writing Time and/or Brainstorming

1:00 – 2:00         Round Table Discussions

• Edie Melson/Tammy Karasek (talking about Platform & Marketing)
• Lynette Eason
• Larry Leech

2:45 – 3:45         Class:

• Self-editing your novel – Larry Leech

4:00 – 5:00         Class:

• Book Launch Basics – Tammy Karasek

5:30 – 6:30         Supper

7:00 – 8:15         World building for Every Genre – Tosca Lee

Tuesday

7:15 – 8:15         Breakfast

8:30 – 8:50         Announcements & Devotion

9:00 – 10:15       Class:

• Unforgettable Characters – Tosca Lee

10:30 – 11:45

• Voice and Description – Cindy Sproles

12:00 – 1:00       Lunch

1:00 – 2:30         Private Writing Time and/or Brainstorming

1:00 – 2:00         Round Table Discussions

• Tosca Lee
• Edwina Perkins
• Cindy Sproles

2:45 – 3:45         Class:

• Adding Suspense to Your Novel – Lynette Eason

4:00 – 5:00         Class:

• Sensitivity Readers & How This Will Increase Your Audience – Edwina Perkins

5:30 – 6:30         Supper

7:00 – 8:15         Class:

• Dialog – Larry Leech

Wednesday

7:15 – 8:15         Breakfast

8:30 – 8:50         Announcements & Devotional

9:00 – 9:30         Pack Your Car

9:45 – 11:00       Closing Keynote – Tosca Lee

11:15 – 11:45     Final Faculty Q & A

12:00 – 1:00       Lunch