A Kick-Ass Writing Retreat in Cape Town, South Africa
Remove Your Writing Blocks Through Personal Book Coaching & Editing
A Unique and Intimate Summer Writing Retreat in the Heart of Charming Cape Town:
Saturday 1 February – Monday 10 February 2020
(with optional 3-day overnight safari in Kruger National Park)
Give yourself this precious gift of time, quiet space and support…
Finally begin crafting or completing your book!
Max 12 writers
All writers, all genres welcome!
Memoirists, fiction writers, journalists, screenwriters, playwrights…
Stalled and Stuck?
√ Do you have a great book inside you that is (still) dying to come out?
√ Are you midway through your book, but stuck on how to finish it?
√ Is your head buzzing with different book ideas but you’re struggling to know which one to run with?
√ Do you have a brilliant book idea, but having trouble getting started?
√ Do you promise yourself every day that you will start writing ‘tomorrow’?
That’s where I come in. I’m Kelly Hayes-Raitt, and I write. I’m an award-winning writer and journalist, and I help people get their books out into the world.
I’m hosting a special 10-day retreat for 12 committed writers who are
serious about releasing the blocks that hold them back from
starting or completing their books.
Come with an Idea, Leave with a Book!
You’ll get all this included in one low price:
√ Morning sessions to set writing goals and maintain accountability to move your book from an idea to a tangible inspiration.
√ 20 minutes of personal one-on-one consultation and editing with me 3 times during the week.
√ 5 Master Classes to sharpen your writing skills, whether you write fiction, personal essays, plays or screenplays. Each Master Class is 3 hours and includes specific writing exercises to anchor the new skills learned.
√ Private ¼ hour coaching call with me 1 week before the retreat and an additional private ½ hour coaching call 2 weeks following the retreat.
√ Private accommodation in a Superior or Standard Room with a private, en suite bathroom.
√ Daily hot breakfast.
√ Daily themed lunch buffet available to suit your own writing schedule.
√ RT airport transfer.
√ Free WiFi
PLUS these Exciting Cultural Evenings
√ Opening cocktail reception with pop-up crafts bazaar.
√ Cooking class in a South African woman’s home.
√ Walking wine tasting/food pairing tour at 4 local restaurants, hosted by wine guru Tuanni Price of Zuri Wine Tasting
√ Jazz concert at The Crypt, the basement of St George’s Cathedral, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached and provided sanctuary for blacks who protested apartheid.
√ Closing dinner at Marco’s African Place featuring tribal live music and dancing, specializing in delicious ostrich, crocodile, kudu and other traditional Xhosa dishes. An incredible African cultural evening!
“The class is both entertaining and informative in a valuable way, well worth the money – a genuine boost to writers needing to move forward.”
S.G. Kislevitz“Thanks, Kelly for these great classes. I particularly benefited from the emphasis on and clear explanation of story structure giving me an immediately useful tool to go back and review the first few chapters of my book and make edits that help the story pop. Looking forward to working with you more.”
Bette Brazel“Kelly’s workshops provide insight into what makes good writing great writing. Both seasoned and beginning writers, fiction and non-fiction writers can benefit from Kelly’s approach to honing one’s inner voice and transposing it to the page.”
Linda Wayne GoldmanYou will leave recharged to finish your book!
This is not a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all retreat with generic presentations of information that you might never implement. This is not a huge conference where you’ll collect dozens of business cards and leave overwhelmed. This is not a workshop focused on writing prompts.
This IS a unique writing retreat during which your personal needs, blocks and goals will be addressed, released and supported. Kelly’s goal is that you will leave with a book you’ve made major progress on and are eager to finish and share with the world!
We’ll focus on:
√ Accountability through daily goal-setting and group support
√ Personal support to address and release your individual writing conundrums during individual, one-on-one meetings with Kelly
√ Immediate application of newly learned skills during 5 Master Classes
If you have a new book idea that you are ready to write, Kelly will work with you one-on-one to outline your book, develop your unique voice and chapter structure, and keep you accountable to reach your writing goals. By the end of the retreat, you’ll leave with a completed outline and beginning chapters!
Or you may have already dived into your book, but are stuck. Kelly will work with you one-on-one to edit and rework the outline to get you home! You’ll leave the retreat with an invigorated manuscript and desire to finish your book.
This is a fantastic opportunity to finally make your book a reality!
Private Room and Scrumptious Meals Included!
The Venue
In charming Cape Town, South Africa, we will convene at Point B, a newly refurbished guest house conveniently located near restaurants and the waterfront. Each room has a queen bed that can be separated into 2 twins and a spacious private bathroom. Free WiFi is available throughout the guest house.
There is a beautifully appointed breakfast room, a comfy living room where we’ll have evening debriefings, a lap pool with an area for pool-side yoga or happy hour cocktails, and a gorgeous outdoor space for our morning sessions and classes.
Click here to learn more about Point B Guest House
A 5-minute walk gets you to Green Point Park, a serene oasis near Cape Town’s stadium, with several secluded spaces and walking trails surrounding ponds and a golf course. A few minutes further is Green Point Common Market.
The ocean is a 15-minute walk through the park and is lined with several upscale restaurants for dinners. A variety of restaurants offering every cuisine imaginable are around the corner from the Point B Guest House.
Some retreat participants may be housed in a similar guest house near Point B. All guest houses have internet.
“While Kelly clearly knows how to structure a good story and how to develop its conflict, characters, and themes, the best part of learning from or working with her is that she listens to you. As a writer, you may have written something counter to the methods used by professional writers or editors, but Kelly will allow you to explain why you made that choice, and she then makes suggestions based on that. She may accept your reasoning, offer ways to meld your concept with traditional practices, or explain why your choice does not work. But she listens to you and tries to reach a common ground and find satisfaction for all.”
Tom NussbaumThe Most Productive 10 Days!
Before the Retreat
A 15-minute Skype consultation with Kelly before the retreat to discuss your project and your personal stumbling blocks. She may assign homework for you to complete before your arrival.
Day One
After a personal greeting at the airport, we’ll convene at Point B Guest House and relax with a welcome cocktail during our small group networking reception. We’ll go over the schedule and orient you to nearby restaurants and points of interest.
Day Two
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll discuss common “blocks” most writers deal with and how to overcome them. (“Do I have enough material for a book?” “But, I’m too – pick one: disorganized, busy, etc. – to write a book!”)
We’ll commit to a Daily Individual Writing Goal and support each other with accountability.
At 11:00, we’ll have our first Master Class: Story Structure. Students have called this class “revelatory.”
We’ll break at 2:00. Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon and early evening to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
Day Three
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon and early evening to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
At 6:00 we’ll gather for our first cultural experience: A cooking class at a South African woman’s home.
Day Four
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
At 11:00, we’ll have our second Master Class: Conflict. We’ll apply our new skills in a writing exercise and conversation about our writing choices.
We’ll break at 2:00. Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon and early evening to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
Day Five
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
At 6:00, we’ll convene for a Walking Wine Tour with Food Pairings. Zumi Wine Tasting founder Tuanni Price will teach us how to taste wine and pair it with fabulous international foods! (Your tour is included, along with wine pourings and tapas!)
Day Six
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
At 11:00, we’ll have our third Master Class: Creating Intriguing First Lines, Last Lines and Titles. You Had Me At “Hello”: Writing an Irresistible First Line
Learn the 3 things that all great opening lines rely on. We’ll examine actual first lines and participants will have an opportunity to present first lines from their work for critiquing and tweaking. You’ll leave with an enthusiasm for creating intriguing first lines of your own.
We’ll apply our new skills in a writing exercise and conversation about our writing choices.
We’ll break at 2:00. Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon and early evening to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
Day Seven
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
At 6:00, we’ll convene to head to The Crypt for an incredible Jazz Concert in the basement of the church where Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached and hid black activists during Apartheid. (Your entrance is included!)
Day Eight
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
At 11:00, we’ll have our fourth Master Class: Backstory. We’ll apply our new skills in a writing exercise and conversation about our writing choices. Writing Your Way Out of a Rut: How to Provide Backstory
Play with various exercises to deepen your understanding of your story, its Universal Meaning and your main characters. We’ll explore the various ways of providing backstory that don’t cause MEGO. You’ll leave laughing with new tools and exercises to beat writer’s block and to weave enthralling backstory that entrances your readers.
We’ll break at 2:00. Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon and early evening to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
Day Nine
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
Kelly is available throughout the afternoon to each participant for prescheduled 20-minute private coaching sessions.
At 6:00, we’ll head to Marco’s African Restaurant for a final evening of fabulous food, live music, dancing and merriment!
Day Ten
Buffet breakfast available from 7:00 am.
At 10:00, we will convene in the airy breakfast anteroom for a 1-hour Morning Accountability Session. We’ll check and see how we did on yesterday’s Daily Individual Writing Goal and strategize ways to be more productive.
We’ll commit to a new Daily Individual Writing Goal.
At 11:00, we’ll have our fifth Master Class: Character/Narrator Development. We’ll apply our new skills in a writing exercise and conversation about our writing choices. – Discovering the One Simple Thing You Need to Create Compelling Characters and Narrators
Learn how to make your narrator or main characters come alive. Hint: It’s not detail. We’ll examine and rewrite passages from actual books and from class participants’ work. You’ll leave excited by your sharper understanding of the characters or narrator you’ve created.
We’ll break at 2:00. Lunch buffet will be available for you whenever you are ready.
Your afternoon is on your own to write, write, write!
If you are leaving Point B Guest House this evening, we’ve arranged for a late check-out before 3:00 pm. Additional nights at Point B are available to all retreat participants at a 15% discount. Whenever you plan to leave, we’ll arrange a personal ride to the airport.
After the Retreat
Kelly will schedule a video call with you 2 weeks or so following the retreat to keep you on track!
KELLY HAYES-RAITT admits that she sleeps around (usually with pets!) as an international housesitter and fulltime traveler.
She’s an inspiring and engaging public speaker who loves to share her experiences. Her audiences have included Congresswomen in the U.S. Capitol who acted upon her observations in Iraq during the war and activists in Poland, Mexico, the U.K., the Philippines and the West Bank. In 2006, she ran for public office and addressed dozens of audiences every month during her three-year campaign. She has appeared on more than 500 radio and TV public affairs shows, including PBS “News Hour with Jim Lehrer,” CBS “This Morning,” CNN “Financial News,” and CNN “Moneyline.”
Chapters in Kelly’s forthcoming book about her Middle East experiences are included in seven anthologies and have won 19 literary awards. She writes a column for a Los Angeles weekly newspaper which was awarded “second place” by the Southern California Journalists Association in 2016.
She’s housesat fulltime since 2009 throughout the U.S., Mexico, Europe, Vietnam, China, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Senegal, Malawi and Mozambique. She’s visited more than 65 countries, including pre- and post-U.S. invasion Iraq (from where she reported live to Los Angeles TV and radio news programs) and has co-led delegations in Syria and India.
She has recently self-published How to Become a Housesitter: Insider Tips from the HouseSit Diva, which has been featured in USA Today, Reader’s Digest, cnbc.com, Canada’s Globe and Mail and many other outlets.
Besides sleeping around with animals, Kelly is an avid scuba diver who strives to perfect her octopus-whispering.
We’ll Take Care of Everything, So All You Do Is Write!
What the Retreat Includes:
√ 15-minute Skype consultation with Kelly before the retreat to discuss your project and your personal stumbling blocks. She may assign homework for you to complete before your arrival.
√ 10 days/9 nights at Plan B guest house in the heart of Cape Town. Your private room includes an en suite spacious bathroom.
√ Hot buffet breakfast every morning.
√ Themed lunch buffet set daily for you to eat at your convenience.
√ 5 Master Classes that are deep-dives into Story Structure, Conflict, First Lines, Back Story and Character/Narrator Development.
√ 2 half-hour private consultations with Kelly.
√ Evening Wine Walking Tour in the heart of Cape Town’s culinary district.
√ Cooking Class in a South African’s home.
√ Jazz night at St. George’s Church.
√ Welcome cocktail party with pop-up craft bazaar.
√ Final dinner at a traditional African restaurant featuring sheep’s head and dancing to live music.
√ 30-minute Skype consultation with Kelly following the retreat to keep you on track!
√ Airport welcome and taxi to the guest house.
√ OPTIONAL 3-day/2-night safari in Kruger National Park.
Reserve My Seat!
Extra Services Available, But Not Included:
√ Uber on-call.
√ On-site laundry.
√ Cocktails (except during the welcome cocktail reception).
√ Specialty coffee drinks.
√ Trip cancellation insurance.
√ Room before and/or after the retreat (BUT you are eligible for a 15% discount extended to retreat participants!).
√ International air fare
“Thank you so much, Kelly, for presenting these timely lessons. Every class focused on a vital aspect of writing and you know I will try to implement what I’ve learned as I prepare my NaNoWriMo winning draft of Murder by Bits and Bytes for publication. This is a sequel to A Person of Interest and I’m grateful to have had the benefit of your classes to improve my writing skills.”
Ardelle Holden“Kelly’s class on character development was professional, included valuable handouts and good discussion. I would recommend this class as an important part of developing and improving writing skills. Kelly knows her material and is an excellent teacher, writer and published author.”
Karen BlueOnly 12 writers can participate in this personal, hands-on writing retreat! Please do not book your plane tickets until confirmation from Kelly.
5% from my February retreats will be donated to Sithabile orphanage, up to $500 US.
The primary mission of Sithabile Child & Youth Care Center is to provide a full time care facility for children in distress through education, counseling, nurturing and a home where they belong to a family.
Our vision is to help children overcome the hurdles and the challenges they are given by life and become educated, skilled and contributing members of South African society and the world, and to empower other young people from extremely difficult circumstances.
Sithabile creates a safe haven for children who are survivors of abuse, exploitation and neglect.
