Is there a story you want to tell? Is it stuck inside your head itching to get out? Whether it’s fiction, nonfiction, long or short, you need time to get it written. And you need quiet, privacy, encouragement, and support in beautiful surroundings with delicious meals provided.

This class offers a week of hours to call your own. Most mornings are uninterrupted writing time. After lunch, you are free to take a nap, walk, read or to continue writing. In late afternoons, the group gathers for feedback sessions aimed to encourage and to make the work shine. There are optional sessions in the mornings for writing prompts and in the evenings for creative arts exploration. You will also have an opportunity to sign up for a private meeting with Sharon.

Whether you are writing a short story, crafting a memoir or working on your book, you are bound to make progress as you join a community of women who love writing. The Women Writers’ Retreat was created by author/teacher Judy (Redbird) Bridges, who led the class for many years. 

Bring your favorite writing tools and devices: pens, pencils, notebook, computer, etc. If you have Judy Bridges’ book Shut Up & Write!, please bring it. Sharon will contact students prior to class.

Sharon Nesbit-Davis is an author, artist, and storyteller. She began her arts career by escaping from college and joining a mime troupe. She worked as a solo mime artist performing for festivals, theaters, and schools. In 1996, Sharon joined the staff of the Rockford Area Arts Council as a community arts coordinator and retired as the Executive Director in 2020. Sharon’s connection to The Clearing began in 2010 when she discovered Judy Bridges’ Women Writers Retreat, which resulted in Sharon’s published memoir, Intended, a Marriage in Black & White. Sharon conducts memoir writing and creative recharge retreats which include storytelling, writing and painting. Sharon and her husband currently reside in Evanston, Illinois, where she writes and teaches online, and her husband, George, serves as the Director of the Baha’i Temple.

Level: Intermediate