Cross your fingers & save the date!
Women's Writing Retreat
September 16-19, 2021
at Blue Mountain Retreat Center, Knoxville MD
Retreat limited to 15 writers - it will see out!
Praise for Melanie's previous retreats
- "I was inspired by all the women and their writing projects. It was exhilarating to be surrounded by women writers and talk about writing all weekend!"
- "It was a great opportunity to refocus my attention on something that is important to me and that I don't always take the time to nurture. Doing this in community allowed me to feel motivated and supported." - "A really good break from my life!" - "A lovely time to focus on writing in a beautiful setting; opportunity to meet other women writers, learn from workshops and informal sharing; luxury of putting creativity first in my schedule." |
- "Melanie is a skilled facilitator and experienced writer knowledgeable of a broad variety of genres. Her practical advice and candid feedback was invaluable for any writer."
- "I am so happy to have gone on your retreat. The retreat itself was wonderful, and I think you are an inspiring and powerful teacher. I appreciate your sincerity and your authenticity." - “Let me say once again how wonderful the retreat was…I got up this morning and wrote for two hours before I felt the need to eat breakfast and shower! I feel really fired up about my project. Never would have happened if not for the retreat and the chance to reflect on what I want to do.” |
Retreat Schedule
We will start at 4pm on Thursday and close the weekend after lunch on Sunday.
The weekend will be an energizing mix of focused workshops, rich conversations, and practical suggestions with time to hunker down and make real progress on your writing. More details to come!
The weekend will be an energizing mix of focused workshops, rich conversations, and practical suggestions with time to hunker down and make real progress on your writing. More details to come!
Location, Accommodations & Food

Situated on 27 secluded acres, Blue Mountain Retreat Center is just 5 minutes from Harper's Ferry and the C&O Canal walking paths.
This comfortable retreat center was originally a large family home with a spacious open living area and large deck. Now, it boasts a large separate building for workshops, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, and an on-site massage room. All bedrooms have access to three shared hall bathrooms. The rooms have twin-size European-style platform beds and high quality mattresses for a simple but very comfortable stay.
Delicious homemade organic meals are served buffet style, with hearty vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Other dietary restrictions are easily accommodated. The retreat owner, Beth, is well-loved for her delicious and generous desserts at both lunch and dinner.
This comfortable retreat center was originally a large family home with a spacious open living area and large deck. Now, it boasts a large separate building for workshops, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, and an on-site massage room. All bedrooms have access to three shared hall bathrooms. The rooms have twin-size European-style platform beds and high quality mattresses for a simple but very comfortable stay.
Delicious homemade organic meals are served buffet style, with hearty vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Other dietary restrictions are easily accommodated. The retreat owner, Beth, is well-loved for her delicious and generous desserts at both lunch and dinner.
Bring a friend! You have the option to indicate the name of your preferred roommate(s) during the registration process. Otherwise, the perfect roomie will be assigned to you.
This retreat is a safe space. We do not discriminate against anyone, regardless of age, color of skin, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender expression and identity, sexual orientation, or anything else. We expect the same from all participants.
This retreat is a safe space. We do not discriminate against anyone, regardless of age, color of skin, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender expression and identity, sexual orientation, or anything else. We expect the same from all participants.
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About Melanie

Melanie Figg (MFA, PCC, CPCC) is an inspiring writing mentor and certified professional coach. She has helped guide hundreds of writers (from beginners to published authors) to improve and submit their work, finish their manuscripts, rein in their inner critics, create sustainable writing routines, and most of all—express themselves and enjoy their writing lives. Melanie's award-winning poetry collection, Trace, was published in October 2019, and her award-winning poems, essays, and reviews have been published in dozens of literary journals. She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, The McKnight and Jerome Foundations, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and others. Melanie has taught creative writing for more than 25 years and currently teaches at The Writer’s Center, The Writer's Passage, The Loft, and in private homes. She also works 1-1 with writers on manuscript review, creativity coaching, and more.