Spring Writers’ Retreat
At the Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
Friday, April 23 – Monday, April 26, 2027
Register early to be sure of a spot!
The Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
415 Harris Street, Ingersoll, Ontario. (1½–2 hours west of Toronto / 1 hour
west of Hamilton / 1–1 ¼ hours east of Sarnia and Port Huron, Michigan / 2 hours
east of Windsor and Detroit. Map here)
Give yourself four days of writing
time – a long weekend of
instruction, inspiration and creativity. Award yourself with time away from
distractions, with no dishes to do, delicious food at every meal, and with
the leisure you need to sit with your feet up and write.
The retreat will feature both instruction and
guided writing exercises, plus one-on-one critiquing and coaching from Brian.
You’ll also have lots of time to relax, rejuvenate, and reconnect with
your creativity. All writing levels welcome. Whether you’re just beginning
or have a novel in progress, please join us.
The setting: Nestled on 30 acres
of beautiful rolling countryside, the Elm Hurst mansion was built in 1872 as
the personal residence of James Harris and family. A fine example of the Gothic
Revival style, it remained a family home for more than a century.
The last Harris heir sold the property in the mid
1970s, and the house was transformed into a popular dining establishment that
opened in 1979. An addition was added to the rear of the original structure
five years later, with the 49-room Elm Hurst Inn & Spa being built in 1988.
The original mansion and its beautiful carriage house
with its rustic wooden beams (often used for weddings) remain integral parts of
the Inn.
James Harris made his fortune partly from the
apple orchard planted on the grounds but mostly from the cheese business. He
erected the James Harris Cheese Factory in 1865. To establish the area as the
cheese capital of Ontario, he and other local cheese makers created a giant,
7,300-pound cheese ball. The Mammoth Cheese toured exhibitions in Toronto,
Chicago, New York, Paris, and London (Yes, the cities in France and England,
not the Ontario versions).
Ingersoll still boasts a cheese museum, which is a
two-minute drive or twenty-minute walk from the Inn (here).
James McIntyre, a local poet, wrote an ode to the
big cheese ball. McIntyre possessed a talent for writing poetry so truly awful
that experts in the field of Good Bad Verse consider him one of the greats and
cite his “Ode on the Mammoth Cheese” as a world-class example poetry so bad
that it exhibits a certain genius. (For more on Good Bad Verse, see here and here.)
Much later, the Town of Ingersoll created an
annual poetry contest in McIntyre’s honor, though the object was to write good
poetry, not bad. For many years Brian Henry had the honor of judging the
children’s division of the contest.
Rates for the retreat
include accommodation and meals. Each room has a king bed or
two queens, an en-suite four-piece bathroom, and a desk for writing.
All meals are provided, from dinner on Friday
through to lunch on Monday, including the Elm Hurst’s wonderful Sunday brunch.
And of course, we’ll also have coffee service for our meetings. Alcoholic
beverages are extra, as are Spa treatments – but you might want to check those
out (here).
All activities included. When you’re not writing,
or for spouses who accompany you, the inn has an indoor sauna and steam room
and an exercise room. The rural Oxford County setting offers idyllic
opportunities for biking and hiking, with numerous trails in the area (here). The Inn itself has
beautiful grounds – it’s a great place to get away and relax.
Check-in on Friday is 3 p.m.
Our first writing get-together will be at 5 p.m. On Monday, we'll have our last
writing get-together at 9:30 a.m. Check out is at 11 a.m. followed by lunch and our final get-together.
Instructor Brian
Henry has been a
book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He
publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada's most popular blog for writers, teaches
creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from
Boston to Buffalo and from Saskatoon, to Toronto, to Saint John. But his
proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first
book published and launch their careers as authors.
Read pieces related to Brian’s previous writing
retreats, workshops, and classes here.
Fee, including both the
writing retreat and accommodation, meals, coffee & snack service, tips, and
all inn amenities, for all three nights: $1,708.85 plus 13% hst.
Not included: alcoholic drinks, spa services, or
other extras.
Bring a (non-participating)
significant other along
for the weekend to share your room for an additional $548.67 plus hst for the
three nights. (No change from last year. Includes accommodation, meals and all
amenities, but not the writing part of the retreat).
Book early – space is limited! And
this retreat may fill up quickly.
For more information or to register,
email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca
Note: Bookings for accommodations for this retreat
must be done through Brian (unlike our retreats in Algonquin, where you book
your accommodations through the resort).
Should I bring my work in progress?
Yes! If you have an on-going writing project,
bring it with you. Bring more than you expect to get to; you'll have lots of
time for writing. Besides, you may want to switch projects or share a project
that’s just started or one that’s all done, except for reading it to a small,
appreciative audience. If you’re not currently working on anything, don’t
worry, we’ll get you writing.
Should I bring my laptop?
Yes! Unless you only work on paper. Or bring both
– your laptop and your writing pad. No sense being short of essential supplies.
Who can attend the retreat?
Everyone interested in developing their writing
skills is welcome to attend, whether you're an aspiring writer or an
accomplished author or simply enjoy writing as a hobby. There is no
requirement for you to have been previously published or even to have an
intention to publish.
I'm a poet / playwright / other
writer. Is this retreat for me?
The retreat is open to anyone who enjoys writing.
Instruction will focus on narrative writing; i.e., stories, whether fiction or
memoir. But if you’re an essayist or poet or whatever, you’re entirely welcome.
Can you cater to specific dietary
requirements?
Yes. But you need to let me know early, so I can
let the staff know about your needs.
I want to stay longer or arrive
early. Is that possible?
If you want to arrive early or stay longer, that’s
fine. You’ll book the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night with Brian, and
arrange any additional nights with the inn; just make sure they know you’re
with Brian Henry’s writing group.
Is there cell phone reception and
WIFI?
Alas, yes.
Can I use the spa at the inn or play
a round of golf in the area?
Yes, you can certainly book a spa treatment (here) though that’s extra, and
you book that directly with the inn (not through Brian). As for golf, yes
there’s a nearby course (see here).
Can I bring my spouse (or partner or
friend)?
If you want to share your room with a partner,
they’re very welcome. Just let them know you’ll be spending most of your time
writing, (though you will have some free time every day).
For more information or to register, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca
***
See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, afternoon
workshops, and writing retreats here.
