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I’m just back from Villa Diodati a great four-day retreat/critique session with a group of European writers. The group has been going for a decade, but for some reason I only found out about them this year, even though I knew some of the members. It started as a meeting place for people writing in English living in non-English-speaking countries in Europe, though by now it has expanded to include some UK-based writers. They meet twice a year for a Thursday-Monday session of critiques, writing, chatting, and general shenanigans.
I missed the first session this year, but the latest one was just impossible to refuse as it was held in the UK, and in a location half an hour drive from my house!
We had a beautiful, if somewhat draughty, Tudor building all to ourselves. I had a bedroom with four-poster-bed and murals that dated back to 1610.
We made our own dinners, with one person cooking and another assisting every evening, and the food was amazing.
I had a thoroughly good time. The people were all lovely, and it helped that we were only seven in total, which makes it easier when you're joining an established group. They made me feel very welcome and in no time I felt like I've known them for ages (well, I did know a couple of them from on line, but not very well).
The critique sessions were very helpful as well. We'd shared the material ahead of time--I sent the new opening of my novel in progress and got some good comments. And as always, it was just good fun to be with other writers and share stories and experiences over tasty food and drink (sometimes too much of the latter!). Though I must say we all rather sucked at midnight karaoke…
The next session will most likely be in Tallinn, Estonia, and I'm seriously considering going.
Edited to add the name of the workshop, I don't know why I didn't to begin with.
Edited to add the name of the workshop, I don't know why I didn't to begin with.
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