Island Scribe
Writing Retreats
New dates! July 15 - 20, 2024.
An Invitation
Island Scribe is a destination writing retreat in the Caribbean curated for Black and women of colour writers.
Writing is an act of liberation. It draws from our deepest selves, craves attention, requires vulnerability and grace.
This is why we believe in the Island Scribe ethos:
- Reflect: Be curious about the writer you are and the stories you must tell.
- Rejuvenate: Refresh your creative practice with moments of joy.
- Write: Find flow and focus in a community curated just for you.
We believe in creating spaces where women writers of colour are truly free to discover their craft. Our retreats honour these writers, their lived experiences, and their practices, by centering them and their stories.
Have a project waiting to be liberated?
Bring your story and come.
Your Muse
Audre Lorde. Paule Marshall. Jamaica Kincaid. Merle Collins. Dionne Brand. Edwidge Danticat. These Black women writers have forged new literary landscapes and set the world ablaze with stories born out of the same muse. The Caribbean.
Steeped in language, image, rhythm, and folklore, the literary tradition of the Caribbean and its diaspora is vast, varied, and vibrant. While the region continues to captivate with its geography, it is not to be reduced to this single story.
An Island Scribe Writing Retreat
Bring your story and come
Imagine: starting your day mindfully, meditating to nature or moving your body; writing from a studio, nestled between the foothills of the rainforest and the Caribbean Sea; nourishing your mind and body with local culinary delights; resting in treehouse-styled eco lodges; supporting a local economy where sustainability matters. These are examples of the experiences that await you on an Island Scribe writing retreat.
Your 2024 muse is Dominica. Write from Calibishie on Dominica’s stunning North-East coast, from July 15 to July 20, 2024.
Explore Writing Packages
Meet yourself rising with the sun over the sea before you set an intention for the day. Be nourished throughout the day by wholesome food prepared by local chefs. Feed your curiosity and be inspired with an occasional excursion beyond your island writing studio. Do all of this as you attend to your craft at your pace from the comfort of your well-appointed room (or the beach), knowing that you are in a writing community where you belong.
Each Island Scribe writing retreat is as unique as the islands we visit.
Packages below are a sample of what we offer.
Kiskadee Flow is designed to support writers who are building or experimenting with their practice and/or craft. Scarlet Ibis Focus provides writers who are established in their practice time, space, and care to attend to their craft.
Reflect, Rejuvenate, Write
July 15 - 20, 2024, in Dominica
Kiskadee: FLOW
Rest in shared accommodations.
Write in community through generative group workshops led by Writer Host.
Flow with guided writing prompts in nature.
Feast on a partial meal plan of breakfast and dinner.
Breathe into your writing practice with one wellness session.
Meet with the Writer Host, post retreat, for a one-hour coaching call to support your flow.
Scarlet Ibis: FOCUS
Rest in private accommodations.
Write with the freedom to attend to your craft at your own pace.
Focus on a self-directed writing project that brings you joy.
Feast on a full meal plan of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Breathe into your writing practice with three wellness sessions.
Schedule an optional coaching call with Writer Host, post-retreat, for support to plan your project’s next steps.
Included:
- Pre-retreat virtual orientation meetup
- Daily group reflection and facilitated knowledge-sharing sessions
- An inspirational full-day island tour
- Guided writing and nature hike/li>
- An Island Scribe tote with writer’s tools and local Caribbean nibbles
- Wholesome local meals
- Airport transfer to/from accommodation
FAQs
Island Scribe writing retreats offer a joyful combination of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation.
We believe that all three serve the reason we are gathering as a community: to write.
And best of all, you get to attend to your craft with a beautiful, off the beaten path, Caribbean location as your backdrop. Our writing retreats include time to explore the island on your own and on a tour.*
So leave the concerns of your day-to-day needs behind, find a soft place to land with a lightly scheduled daily routine, and dream up the stories you were born to tell.
* The island tour may include time in a boat or driving by bus. Do consider this before booking or get in touch, if you have questions.
Your schedule will look different depending on your location, package, and writing needs, but here is a sample day:
7:30 Breakfast
9:00 Yoga
10:00 Writing
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Writing
6:00 Reflection and Sharing
7:00 Dinner
Free time for activities such as a dip in the ocean or a village walk is available at your discretion.
One day of the writing retreat is reserved for a group activity on the island.
No. However, you are encouraged to share your work when we come together in the evenings for group reflection before dinner.
All writers will be invited to read before our final dinner together on Day 5. Think of this as a gift to your future writer self and your writing community.
Our writing retreats are intimate and we offer 6 – 10 spots, depending on the location.
No. You are responsible for your own flight costs.
We totally understand that everyone has different financial situations. We want to make this opportunity for you to invest in yourself and your writing as attainable as possible.
We offer two payment options:
- Full payment – Rest knowing that you’ve made your investment and now it’s time to plan and prepare.
- Multi-payment plan – Spread the cost over multiple months. After providing a downpayment to secure your registration, the remaining balance will be divided into equal monthly payments.
Your total payments must be received no later than 2 months prior to your retreat start date.
Please note that registration is only considered complete after receipt of either the full payment or the initial downpayment.
The retreat is refundable up to 24 hours after your initial payment, less any processing fees.
After 24 hours, if you cancel, you are eligible for a credit towards any future retreat that is open for registration for up to 12 months.
No credit or refund is available within 65 days prior to the retreat. No credit or refund is available if you do not attend the retreat, arrive late or leave early.
Any cancellations after the initial 24-hour period are subject to a non-refundable fee of USD $150.
You will receive a suggested packing list when you book, but here are some recommendations:
- Passport
- Flight itinerary
- Credit/Bank cards
- Cash
- Travel Insurance documents
- Plug adapter (if applicable)
- Small, day bag
- Toiletries
- Sunblock and a hat
- Bug and mosquito repellant
- Swimwear
- Light, comfortable clothing
- Yoga clothing (as needed)
- Flip flops/sandals
- Water-ready shoes
- Comfortable walking shoes/sneakers
- Medications
And, of course, your writing materials!
Another woman of colour writer!
Island Scribe is dedicated to creating welcoming writing spaces for those who identify as women of colour. This is an adult-only retreat. As such, non-writers, non-people of colour, people who identify as men, and children are not included in these spaces unless expressly invited.
In order for us to know if we can accommodate your needs, please send us a note at hello@islandscriberetreats.com. Only share what you’re comfortable sharing.
We are working towards offering a variety of accessible options in our inventory.
If you have any food allergies and sensitivities (peanuts, soy, dairy, etc.), please let us know immediately after booking. It is your responsibility to provide this information to us as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
We still recommend taking the added self-care responsibility of reconfirming during meals that ingredients that you are allergic or sensitive to have not been used. Human error does occur, so please always re-confirm and be aware for your own well-being.
Good news! Airport transfers are included in all packages. Transportation will be provided to get you to the retreat from the airport upon arrival, and back to the airport on departure.
You will need to provide your arrival and departure details ahead of time so that we may book these transfers for you.
If other writers are arriving or leaving at the same time, transportation may be shared.
Yes, free Wi-Fi is available throughout the retreat, including in your accommodation. However, we do hope that you will take this retreat as an opportunity to disconnect.
You can contact us via hello@islandscriberetreats.com.
The Confirmation I Never Knew I Needed
Island Scribe was the confirmation I never knew I needed that I was on the right track. Being in a beautiful locale where my only focus was writing was gamechanging. Being among likeminded writers who are all so brilliant in their own ways was comforting. Being led by Simone was fulfilling and nothing short of an honour. I was able to focus on my creative output in a way I hadn’t before, and I’m eternally grateful for what this experience has done for me as a writer and a woman.
The Book of Possibilities (forthcoming)
May 6, 2023
A Transformative Experience
This was a transformative experience for me as a Black Caribbean writer in the diaspora. I’ve felt very disconnected from the region where my story and my heart live. Having the space to build community, to rest and create, is exactly what I needed. I’m deeply grateful for this.
May 6, 2023
One of the Most Generous Gifts I've Given Myself
I sincerely believe that this retreat has been one of the most generous gifts I’ve given myself, as a writer, but as a human being. It was a gift in that it was a blessing. I also think that all women of colour writers deserve this experience, should have access to this kind of sacred time and community.
The retreat emphasizes being in the present moment through dedicated writing time, yoga, and communing in the ocean and the neighbouring waterfalls. At the same time, the retreat challenged me to be forward-looking. To imagine what is possible not just in a week, but in a lifetime of learning and dedication to a writing practice.
So Loud! (forthcoming)
May 27, 2023
I Felt Safe, Considered...Taken Care Of
I really enjoyed attending a retreat that gave me time to write as well as showed me around the islands. I felt safe, considered, and taken care of.
Manifest
May 6, 2023
I Spent a Lot of Time Thinking About the [Writing] Process
I spent a lot of time thinking about the process actually, that’s probably what I reflected on the most. You know, what is my process for going to the page and starting my writing. Thinking a lot about the mantra. Not just saying a mantra or doing a mantra but thinking about how my writing day should start. Or how I want to think about myself as I go towards my writing.
Gutter Child
May 27, 2023
Nature Here is Rejuvenating
…the nature here is rejuvenating. After lunch, we got caught in a storm and I remember looking down and there were thousands of dime-sized frogs, just leaping from our shoes, trying to get out of the way. Or, thousands of snails, just clinging to rocks at the waterfall. Being pushed over by the sea. You know, eating mangoes and losing the skin in the water. That kind of thing rejuvenated me. I’m in the city … you know, running down concrete, trying to make sure I make deadlines all the time. I haven’t had the chance to just listen to nature’s roar.
May 27, 2023
Your Host
Meet Simone
A self-described “island scribe,” Simone Dalton is a Trinidad-born, Toronto-based author, teaching artist, and writing coach. After 12 years as a public relations professional, Simone now writes solely for her love of language.
Simone has worked with writers, ages 14 to 80+, in Canada and the United States, and most recently served as an Adjunct Professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is one of the inaugural Black Teaching Fellows of the creative arts center GrubStreet. Recipient of the 2020 RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Prize for nonfiction, she holds an MFA from the University of Guelph. Her work is anthologized in Watch Your Head; Black Writers Matter; The Unpublished City: Volume I, a finalist for the 2018 Toronto Book Awards; and ARC Poetry Magazine’s Islands of Influence issue. In 2019, her play “VOWS’’ was produced for RARE Theatre Company’s, Welcome to My Underworld. Simone is working on her first memoir.
