Develop Your Book Idea

25-28 May (fully booked)

28-31 Aug (1 place left)

4th-8th Oct (2 spaces left)

4-Day Writing Course

Join novelist Natalie Young (tutor) and a guest speaker (Carol Rifka Brunt confirmed for the May course) to turn an idea from a kernel in your mind to something fully formed. Suitable for writers of any level of experience, or none. 45 mins 1-2-1 tutorial on work in progress with Natalie.

Open both to those who live locally and those who want to stay with us. Max 12 participants. 8 residential spaces.

£299 non-residential/camping. Includes lunch. Budget/dorm accommodation £350. Private room, shared bathroom: £499. Large private room, ensuite £699.

Vegetarian meals. Morning yoga. Evening meditation. Wood-fired sauna. Guided walk along the river at Fingle Bridge on Dartmoor.

Please come to the course with an idea for a book in place or perhaps a couple of ideas that you'd like to explore with the group. Fiction, creative non-fiction, non-fiction, prose poem all welcome.

Natalie’s an editor and mentor for Bloomsbury. Her first two novels We All Ran Into the Sunlight, 2011 and Season to Taste or How To Eat Your Husband, 2014 were published while she was working as a journalist at The Times. For the last five years she has designed and taught creative writing courses for Writers & Artists and received a grant from the Royal Literary Fund and two awards from Arts Council England. Most recently she was given a Work in Progress award from the Society of Authors and the Authors Foundation. In 2025 Natalie co-wrote, with Simon, a screenplay, How To Eat Your Husband, and is working on a triptych of novels exploring attachment trauma, mental health, intimacy, mothering and loving. You can read more about Natalie’s writing and mentoring at www.natalieyoung.co.uk.

Carol Rifka Brunt grew up in the suburbs of New York City and now lives in Devon with her family and several parrots. She has published short fiction and non-fiction in The North American Review and The Sun. Her first novel, Tell the Wolves I’m Home, was named a best book of the year by Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, Kirkus, BookPage and Amazon, was an ALA Alex Award winner, a Barnes and Noble Discover pick, Target club pick, Costco Pennie’s Pick and has been translated into 18 languages. She is currently trying very hard to forget all that, pretend there is no pressure to live up to anything, and concentrate on writing her second novel

What to Expect

Morning workshops discussing ideas and work in progress. Prompts to take away and work on in the afternoons. The rest of the day is yours to write, read, relax, wander, dream etc..
A 45 mins 1-2-1 tutorial on work in progress.
45 acres of woodland and pasture to roam.
Connection, conversation, energy from other writers.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided. Vegetarian food made using local, in-season produce. We are lucky enough to have an organic farmer who lives next door and drops a big box of veg at the end of the lane.
Guided walk to Fingle Bridge on Dartmoor.
Time to switch off from the world and ‘tune in’….

Quiet.

What Not to Expect

Perfection.

Sample Schedule

  • Arrive in time for tea and a tour around the place. Time to rest, settle in. Intro talk 6-7pm in the main house/garden. Dinner at 7:30pm in the main house/garden.

  • 8am - gentle yoga with Natalie or Jojo

    9am - help yourself to a buffet breakfast in the main house.

    10:00 am - first workshop. Troubleshooting ideas.

    11:15 - coffee break

    11:30 - second workshop - openings.

    1pm - lunch in the main house or in the garden.

    Afternoons free to write, rest, read, walk. Enjoy a wood-fired sauna.

    2-5pm - 1-2-1 with Natalie.

    6pm - guest speaker

    7:30pm dinner in the main house or in the garden.

  • 8am - gentle yoga with Natalie or Jojo

    9am - help yourself to a buffet breakfast in the main house.

    10:00 am - first workshop. Troubleshooting ideas.

    11:15 - coffee break

    11:30 - second workshop - openings.

    1pm - lunch in the main house or in the garden.

    Afternoons free to write, rest, read, walk. Enjoy a wood-fired sauna.

    2-5pm - 1-2-1 with Natalie.

    Guided walk.

    7:30pm dinner in the main house or in the garden.

  • chance to share work in progress or sample of other projects.

  • The course ends at 4pm on Day Guests are welcome to book an extra night in order to travel the following morning.

Where to Find Us

We are 20 min drive north east from Exeter and a 10 mins drive (or two hour walk) from the ancient market town of Crediton.

Crediton has a branch-line rail station that will connect you to the mainline stations at Exeter St David’s. We can collect you from Crediton and drop you off again after your retreat.

Closest airports are Exeter, Bristol, London Heathrow. We can collect you from Exeter airport (£45) and there are trains and coaches from Bristol and London Heathrow to Exeter.

If coming by car please use Googlemaps or What3Words with information provided on booking. Please do not use Satnav in this postcode.

How to Book?

Payment of £100 deposit by bank transfer, Paypal or cheque will secure your place. Balance is due 30 days before the course. Please see our Terms and Conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and book.

Book

  • Walk up Posbury hill (an ancient volcano) or, if you’re feeing fit, into the ancient market town of Crediton. Almost all the walking around us is on single track lanes and quiet roads.

  • There are many shops, including Morrisons, Lidl, and Tesco in Crediton. Also a library, an organic shop and cafes. You can walk if you’re feeling fit. It’ll take you about two hours. Or someone may be driving in so you could get a lift.

  • We want very much to make writing retreats and courses in a tranquil, beautiful place opportunities for as many as possible. We endeavour to keep the costs as low as we can.

    We offer yoga, meditation, wood-fired sauna as part of retreats and some of our courses. Everything is optional. Except turning up to the workshops :)

  • Yes

  • Yes, we can discuss this when you get here. The possibilites are endless!

  • Walking boots/trainers

    Swimming costume + towel for sauna

    Writing equipment

    Yoga mat if you have/can

    Waterproofs/wet weather gear if it looks like rain.

    Your self, just as you are.

  • Yes!

  • No.

    We provide beer + wine with an honesty sheet to fill in. £2 for a bottle of beer. £2 for a glass of wine.