For seven days, work with acclaimed author Connie May Fowler, Founder and Director of the Novel Retreat, in the charming village of Stowe situated in the heart of the Green Mountains and the Worcester Mountain Range.
Special guests, craft explorations, publishing talks, abundant writing time, manuscript discussions, community.
“Attending Ink Blossom’s summer writing retreat in Vermont was truly a revelation. The community we were able to build together as writers during this week was not something I’ve ever experienced before, and I attribute that to both the openness of my fellow attendees and Connie’s leadership and vision. Ample time for writing in the morning and early afternoon flowed seamlessly into late afternoon sessions where we shared and learned from each other and from experts. Connie conducted a very skillful series of writing prompts that opened up a new novel for me, and I’m forever grateful. We dined together each evening, and it was always a joyous, fun time. I highly recommend working with Connie in any capacity, but certainly through her retreats. She is a wonderful writer, teacher, and human.”—Amber Blair, 2025 Participant
IMAGINE
immersing yourself in your writing, free from disruptions and distractions
IMAGINE
the joy of having a single responsibility: your writing
IMAGINE
being part of a supportive, nurturing, legendary community of writers
IMAGINE
a self-directed retreat in which you decide if you want to dip into craft and publishing talks, workshops, readings, and prompt sessions or if you’d prefer to remain focussed on your stories
IMAGINE
inspiration and rigor, conviviality and friendships, learning and growing, drafting and finishing
VERMONT NOVEL RETREAT
JUNE 19-26, 2026
FOR NOVELISTS, MEMOIRISTS, SHORT STORY WRITERS, AND ESSAYISTS
IN BEAUTIFUL STOWE, VERMONT
AT THE HISTORIC GREEN MOUNTAIN INN
A TYPICAL DAY
Early rise
Vermont breakfast
Coffee in a BIG mug
Morning stroll amid the mountain mist
Retreat into story, narrative, your art
Take notes, muse, dream
Dip into sessions as your heart desires
Casual and fortifying conversations with your writing tribe
Early evening gatherings
Dinner under the stars
A moonlit walk
LODGING
We have secured a special group rate at Green Mountain Inn. Upon acceptance into the retreat, you will be provided with a reservation code and other pertinent lodging details. It’s important that you apply early. Green Mountain Inn will hold our rooms until Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
FEES
Tuition - includes 7-day retreat, readings, craft and publishing discussions, workshops, prompt sessions, and opening night reception - $1,600
Deadline for paying tuition: May 1, 2025
A non refundable deposit of $300 is due upon acceptance
If you are accepted into the retreat, we will send you payment details
CANCELLATION POLICY
We understand emergencies happen and empathize with those facing challenges. We are a small, boutique workshop because we feel learning and inspiration takes place more readily in intimate, nurturing settings. That also means that cancellations place a particular burden on us. We are only able to refund tuition fees, not including the nonrefundable deposit, up to January 30. After January 30, we are only able to refund your tuition, not including the deposit, if we are able to fill your spot with another writer.
SCHOLARSHIPS
A limited number of scholarships are available. If you require financial assistance, please send us a one-page letter of intent that details how you use the retreat to further your specific writing project.
APPLY
If you are currently in one of Connie’s monthly writing workshops, if you are admitted into the 2026 workshops, or if you attended the 2025 Vermont gathering, you do not have to apply. All others must send a five-page writing sample. Click here to send the sample. There is no application fee.
Submitted writing samples must be sent as a Microsoft Word email attachment, rendered in 12 point Times New Roman font, default one-inch margins, double-spaced, and paginated.
Application deadline: April 1, 2026
A LIMITED NUMBER OF PRIVATE, ONE-HOUR MANUSCRIPT REVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE
50 pages: $200
Up to 300 pages: $900
Other page counts decided on an individual basis.
Manuscript review fees due April 10, 2026.
The manuscripts, which must be formatted following the guidelines in the Apply section, are due April 10, 2026 unless other arrangements are made.
