VENICE WRITING RETREAT Palazzo Albrizzi

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Pierce Robertson
5 years ago
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1 VENICE WRITING RETREAT Palazzo Albrizzi 5 to 12 September 2018

2 EVER DREAMT ABOUT BEING A WRITER AT WORK IN VENICE? JOIN US FOR SOME INTENSE AND CREATIVE WRITING AT THE HISTORIC PALAZZO ALBRIZZI IN THE HEART OF VENICE I learnt so much from the tutors, met some like-minded people, enjoyed luxurious accommodation, ate fabulous food, saw interesting things and so on. A HUGE thank you to all of you for what I sincerely hope is not a once in a lifetime experience. Give yourself time to follow in the footsteps of Byron and Hemingway and, most importantly, give yourself the gift of time to develop your own creativity. Whether you are writing fiction or creative nonfiction, or for film and television, the Venice Writing Retreat will give you something infinitely precious: time out of your busy daily life and responsibilities, and the space to work on your own writing in an inspiring environment, with individual mentoring. Our home for the week, Palazzo Albrizzi, built at the end of the seventeenth century by a noble Venetian family, has remained in the family ever since, and has impressive literary credentials. Lord Byron frequented literary conversazione and receptions held by Countess Albrizzi, herself an author. Of course, Byron can no longer enjoy literary conversazione and receptions at Palazzo Albrizzi, nor can he relish the romance of wandering Venice for creative inspiration. That s for us to do. It was a wonderful indulgence to be able to step away from everyday responsibilities and to be simply a writer for six full days. All I had to do was think about the words I had written and to make my manuscript as good as it could be.

PALAZZO ALBRIZZI It was a unique venue rich in

settle down to write and an inspirational view from

3 PALAZZO ALBRIZZI It was a unique venue rich in Venetian history, luxuriously appointed, spacious and no wi-fi problems. There were plenty of private areas where one could settle down to write and an inspirational view from every window and patio. The meals were extremely generous no starving in a garret for us!.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT The Palazzo Albrizzi s beautiful, romantic setting was a wonderful backdrop in which to settle down each day to write.

nights for dinner. Inspiration. Encouragement. Support. Feedback.

Fred de Vries. You ll be free to write for the rest of the day in the palazzo, or in any inspiring corner of Venice that you choose.

4 WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT The Palazzo Albrizzi s beautiful, romantic setting was a wonderful backdrop in which to settle down each day to write. I enjoyed the companionship and catching up with other writers and aspirant writers, first thing in the morning around the big table for breakfast, then again at lunch, and on our first and last nights for dinner. Inspiration. Encouragement. Support. Feedback. Each day will start, after a leisurely Venetian breakfast, with a group talk and discussion, led by All About Writing s Jo-Anne Richards and Richard Beynon or travel writer and non-fiction specialist Fred de Vries. You ll be free to write for the rest of the day in the palazzo, or in any inspiring corner of Venice that you choose. Each writer will have a daily one-on-one mentoring session with Richard, Jo-Anne or Fred. For those who don t have an existing project, we offer daily creative exercises with feedback, or brainstorming sessions. The schedule is designed to provide you with the skills, tools and inspiration every writer needs to craft a story. INSPIRATION AND TIME FOR WRITING You may simply need the time to indulge your creative self Or, you have a writing project and relish the thought of seven full days with nothing to worry about but the words on your page. SUPPORTIVE AND ENCOURAGING MENTORS Take part in writing practice talks and creative discussion. Receive individual attention from caring and astute mentors in daily one-on-one sessions. LUXURIOUS AND HISTORIC VENUE The beautiful, historic palazzo, in a quiet residential area in the heart of Venice, offers an inspiring setting in which to write and from which to explore. DELICIOUS TYPICALLY VENETIAN MEALS Enjoy the companionship of fellow writers over two meals a day created by the resident cook from fresh ingredients bought daily at the Rialto Market.

5 WHO WILL THE RETREAT BENEFIT? Jo-Anne and Richard s approach is always professional and their guidance is thoughtful, generous and pertinent. From day one, with their first short talk on an aspect of writing, I was motivated to commit myself to the process of the retreat. * Anybody who has longed for the time to exercise their creativity in a warm and supportive environment. * Experienced writers who need the space to write, with the benefit of another creative eye. * Beginner writers who want to try their hand at writing, with daily support and mentoring. * Anyone with a vague idea for a project, who needs to try it out, brainstorm or discuss it with experts. * And finally, those of us whose daily life has been leached of creativity or romance and possibly both.

Trish showed us to the magnificent room which was to be ours for the next six days. It was time.

6 THE VENUE There it was, dominating the small campiello Albrizzi. The Palazzo, centuries of history peeling off its façade. Enormous, green wooden doors, that required some weight be applied to them, swung slowly into an eerily dark, cavernous entrance hall. Trish showed us to the magnificent room which was to be ours for the next six days. It was time. The days that followed were a blur of delicious food supplied by the amiable Marta, writing briefings as a group and the invaluable, one on one sessions with Richard and Jo-Anne. an experience of a life time. Palazzo Albrizzi is an historic building located in San Polo, near the Rialto Bridge. It was built at the end of the seventeenth century by a noble Venetian family, and has remained in the family since then. Not far from the Grand Canal, it commands its own small square in the quiet of a lovely neighbourhood. We'll be spread out over three apartments on the top three floors of the palazzo - the piano nobile apartment, Principessa, and the top floor, Tempio. The most striking feature of the imposing piano nobile apartment is its enormous Gallery/Grand Hall, which runs almost the full length of the apartment. It has well-regarded museum quality paintings on its walls, very tall windows and a wooden ceiling. The palazzo is elegant and is furnished with antiques and family heirlooms. Important frescoes in the sitting rooms and dining room by Hayez and Borsato (who worked at La Fenice) have recently been restored. Several rooms have silk-covered walls. The library walls are covered in original mahogany cupboards. From the tall windows of the apartment there are views of gardens and rooftops of Venice. These views can also be enjoyed from a large terrace with lovely plantings, tables and chairs. Several rooms have fireplaces. The family regularly uses this apartment, so guests will enjoy the feeling of an exclusive and magnificent Venetian home..

7 PALAZZO ALBRIZZI

We'll be occupying the main floor of the palazzo, the piano nobile, which has six bedrooms and accommodates eight to ten people; as well as two additional sumptuous two-bedroomed apartments.

8 MEALS AND ACCOMMODATION It felt like a family experience staying together, not in a hotel, but in a home steeped in history. The food and the joy that Marta took in providing delicious meals was a highlight. I loved that we weren t rule bound and could do our own thing. We'll be occupying the main floor of the palazzo, the piano nobile, which has six bedrooms and accommodates eight to ten people; as well as two additional sumptuous two-bedroomed apartments. In total there is accommodation for up to eighteen people in: Two master bedrooms, one in the main apartment and one in Principessa. Two double beds in the spectacular Tempio apartment on the top floor. Two rooms with twin beds, one in the main apartment and one in Principessa. Four single rooms in the main apartment. We suggest you book early to get the room of your choice. Participants are welcome to bring a non-writing partner with them. We will limit the number of writers on the retreat to twelve. We'll have a cook on hand who prepares two typically Venetian meals made with fresh ingredients from the Rialto market every day - a delicious breakfast, dinner on three nights (the first night, last night and one mid week meal) and lunch on four days. We'll have the mid week supper and drinks on the last evening on the terrace of Tempio while watching the sun set over Venice. The spectacular 360 degree view from the top terrace allows you to see as far as the Pyrenees on a clear day.

9 ROOMS 1 & 2 PIANO NOBILE APARTMENT Room 1 - Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment master bed. Sleep in seventeenth century grandeur with the modern convenience of a spacious bathroom. A large window looks out directly over a canal and a secret garden. This is a massive room with very high ceilings, a king size bed, desk, sofa, en suite bathroom with bath and shower, and a dressing room. Room 2 - Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment twin. En suite bathroom shower only.

10 ROOMS 3 & 4 PIANO NOBILE APARTMENT Room 3 - Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment - single with double bed. Shared bathroom with room 4. Accommodates one only unless a couple and a friend take rooms 3 and 4 and are happy to share one bathroom. Shared bathroom - rooms 3 & 4, shower over the bath Room 4 - Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment - single with single bed. Shared bathroom with room 3.

11 ROOMS 5 & 6 - PIANO NOBILE APARTMENT Room 5 - Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment - single with single bed. Shared bathroom with room 6. Shared bathroom - rooms 5 and 6 Palazzo Albrizzi main apartment - single with two single beds. Shared bathroom with room 5, bath only. Accommodates one only unless three friends take rooms 5 and 6 and are happy to share one bathroom.

PRINCIPESSA AND TEMPIO Principessa apartment

homely apartment filled with antiques, a

provides a rooftop eyrie paved in Carrera

12 PRINCIPESSA AND TEMPIO Principessa apartment - Live as the Venetians do in a plush, but homely apartment filled with antiques, a grand piano, your own kitchen and living room. Room 7 - Principessa master Room 8 - Principessa twin Principessa living room Tempio living room Rooms 9/10 - Tempio bedroom View from Tempio upper terrace Tempio provides a rooftop eyrie paved in Carrera marble, with a spacious living room and kitchen. Two rooftop terraces allow you to look down on the squares and roofs spread out beneath you, surrounded by Roman statuary.

13 COSTS I thought the retreat was totally fabulous and it exceeded all my expectations. The venue was magnificent, allowing participants a huge amount of space in which to operate so that we could be private and meet at common venues like the patio, the dining room and the drawing room for the early morning discussions. Venice is a beautiful city and afforded a veritable feast of things to see and do when we were not busy scribbling away. Thank you Jo-Anne, Richard and Trish for creating the space at Riccardo s magnificent Palazzo Albrizzi. Your organisational skills, as well as all your excellent creative sessions, feedback, encouragement, insight, caring simply astonishing. Magic is happening here and your writers look to you, hoping that this is the start of an annual tradition! Piano nobile and Principessa master bedrooms and Tempio double rooms - rooms 1, 7, 9 and 10 Writing participant - single EUR 3275 per person Writing participant - sharing EUR 2100 per person Non-writing partner - sharing EUR 1550 Twin rooms per person sharing - rooms 2 & 8 Writing participant - single EUR 2900 per person Writing participant - sharing EUR 1925 per person Non-writing partner - sharing EUR 1375 Single rooms - rooms 3,4,5 & 6 Writing participant - EUR 2125 Although two of the single rooms can accommodate two people each, we treat them as singles unless three friends take rooms 3 and 4 or rooms 5 and 6. Costs for three sharing rooms 3 and 4, or rooms 5 and 6 are: Writing participant in the single bed rooms 3 or 5 - EUR 1925 Writing participant - sharing in room 4 or 6 - EUR 1550 per person Non-writing partner - sharing with a writer in room 4 or 6 - EUR 1000 Prices include seven nights accommodation, two meals a day, tuition and mentoring, course material, staff costs, wifi and heating. Telephone, airfares, other transports costs and travel insurance excluded. Payments can be made in three tranches. In order to secure your place, please make a payment of 30% immediately. The second payment is due on 15 March and the balance is due on 15 June To book your place or for more information, please us at admin@allaboutwritingcourses.com

WHO ARE WE? Thanks once again to Richard and Jo- Anne for a week that was simply put, life changing.the Palazzo Albrizzi was so conducive to writing and enjoying the beauty of Venice.

We are passionate about writing and have devised our courses to help communicate that passion plus the skills that make it all much more than an academic exercise to others with a similar calling.

14 WHO ARE WE? Thanks once again to Richard and Jo- Anne for a week that was simply put, life changing.the Palazzo Albrizzi was so conducive to writing and enjoying the beauty of Venice. All About Writing was founded by two writing professionals, Jo-Anne Richards and Richard Beynon, in We are passionate about writing and have devised our courses to help communicate that passion plus the skills that make it all much more than an academic exercise to others with a similar calling. Our annual Venice retreat at Palazzo Albrizzi is the highlight of our calendar. Jo-Anne and Richard are skilled book doctors, trusted by publishers to give practical advice on where a manuscript works, where it doesn t, and how to mend its flaws. With their distinctive honest-but-kind approach they will tailor their feedback and mentoring to suit your needs. Internationally published novelist, Jo-Anne, has published five books and has a PhD in Creative Writing. Her first novel, The Innocence of Roast Chicken, was originally published by Headline Review in the UK, and has recently been rereleased as one of the prestigious Picador Africa Classics collection. Scriptwriter and story consultant, Richard, has had a long and accomplished career in the film and television industry. He has conceived, shaped and written scores of documentaries, has written over a thousand scripts, and has led numerous storytelling teams in devising story for many of the country s most popular soaps. Having lived in various parts of Africa since 1985, Fred de Vries is an experienced traveller and travel writer. He has worked as a foreign editor and foreign correspondent for European newspapers and magazines and has six nonfiction books to his name. He is currently working on a book about America s Deep South. You'll be in the very capable hands of a team with decades of professional writing and teaching experience. To book your place or for more information, please us at admin@allaboutwritingcourses.com

15 WRITERS IN VENICE To book your place or for more information, please us at

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