Sweet! Write in Italy With Us

In 2026, the Stories + Songs writing retreat returns to a 12th century castle and working organic farm near Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy.

Stories + Songs Writing Retreat - Italy

April 25-May 1, 2026

An immersive and generative writing retreat for people who write—or want to write—stories and songs.

Join us for a Q & A Oct. 30 about the Stories + Songs Writing Retreat in the Tuscany region of Italy. For storytellers and songwriters.

4 p.m. PDT/5 p.m. MDT/6 p.m. CDT/7 p.m. EDT

Thursday, Oct. 30

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/SVf5VKrhQIKgG89NpCjFMA

This retreat is already half-full!

By registering for this zoom, you gain priority access for the Super Early Bird Rate.

The earlier you register, the higher you are in the line. Depending on the slots that remain, the Super Early Bird rate will be available to the first registrants. Should we hit capacity for the Super Early Bird Rate, we will put you on the wait list for the best rate because you registered for the zoom.

The Super Early Bird rate is $3,495 and is available now through Oct. 31.

Two ways to lock in this rate before slots slip away:

> GET IT NOW! Go now to https://storiesandsongsretreat.com/ and pay a nonrefundable $500 deposit.

> SAVE YOUR PLACE IN LINE! Register for this Q&A zoom call to guarantee priority access to the Super Early Bird Rate.The standard rate for the retreat is $3,995. This is a $500 savings! https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/SVf5VKrhQIKgG89NpCjFMA

ABOUT THE RETREAT

Led by memoirist/novelist Carolyn Flynn, novelist/lyricist Karen Leslie and Grammy-nominated hit songwriter Clay Mills.

It is our long-cherished vision to host a Stories + Songs Writing Retreat that offers generative workshops in two tracks, Storyteller or Songwriter, aimed at triggering new writing and songwriting, individual feedback, and a cross-genre look at the shared elements between stories and songs: musicality, lyricism, rhyming action, compression, voice, recurring motifs, “flashbulb” images, co-writing, patterns, arc, and repetition. Carolyn, author of BOUNDLESS, and Karen lead the Storyteller tracks.

With Grammy-nominated hit songwriter Clay Mills leading the Songwriter Track, all of us will explore creativity, craft, and process.

Immerse yourself in a write where you will write, write, write! The Stories and Songs experience to Italy, at a 12th century castle, villa and working vineyard. We’ll have an artist’s date trip to Siena, as well as a wine-making tour.

Wine on the terrace every evening. Open mic every night.

Pasta-making classes available at an extra expense.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

I would love, love, love to do this every year and I can’t wait for the next one!

~Carrie Cunningham, Italy 2024 [songwriter]