Imagine a Writing Retreat in Italy: A working family-run farm resort on top of a ridge in the heart of the Umbrian countryside surrounded by incredible vistas, nature, and other writers, learning the art of the plot. Where everything you eat is organic, cultivated, and made fresh on site: the pasta, bread, wine, olive oil, prosciutto, cheese, vegetables, and other culinary delights. The farm breeds Chianina cattle, Cinta senese, and large white pigs and the Apennine breed of sheep. This is “La Dolce Vita” and the perfect place to allow your imagination to soar and your writing skills and story craft to deepen.
The Retreat: Join us for this exclusive opportunity to spend four days and four nights taking a deep dive into one of the most important elements of your craft: plot structure. We will keep this gathering intimate (maximum of 17 students) to allow for personalized guidance and interactions. Learn from thriller/mystery/suspense/horror-focused Author Accelerator certified book coach Samantha Skal, with the support of MFA-trained writers and coaches Sarah Willis (graphic novels, kid-lit, women’s fiction) and Mary Jane Nirdlinger (historical fiction, mystery, kid-lit). You’ll focus on how to create and maintain plot tension, increase story stakes, and use propulsive storytelling to keep your reader (and agents and editors) turning pages until The End.
Our mix of masterclass sessions, hands-on exercises, interactive discussions, and practical guidance will give you tools to elevate your work. Our goal is for you to go home with a thorough and nuanced understanding of strong plotting and how to apply it to your own work.
Who Should Come: The ideal retreat attendee has completed a full manuscript at some point (need not be published) to give you experience on how important plot is to your craft. To get the most out of this retreat, it’s helpful to have a manuscript, an outline, or a full story concept to bring with you.
If you’ve ever gotten feedback that your story isn’t unique enough, that you need to increase your character’s stakes, or that readers weren’t connecting with your story, chances are you may need to strengthen your plot. Discovery writers, plotters, and plantsers are all welcome. We won’t focus on a one-size-fits-all formula, but provide guidance and techniques to create powerful plots for your story regardless of genre and target audience. You’re probably familiar with many of the plot-structure guides on the market, and they can be useful, but a deep dive into how to apply plot techniques to your work is essential to translating that information into actionable steps.
Expectations: To set clear expectations for the experience, this retreat isn’t a full-manuscript evaluation, nor will we be providing feedback before the retreat. This masterclass offers the chance to discuss your work, participate in interactive discussions with the leaders and other writers, and to experiment and strengthen your plot skills. The focus is not on publication, but craft (although there may be some discussion during office hours about publication.) The retreat will be an open, inclusive, and welcoming environment, and we will not tolerate harassment of any kind.
Free Time: When not in sessions, you can relax, swim in the private stone pools, or walk or run in this expansive natural setting. This will be an immersive writing experience that also doubles as a fun-filled Italian vacation. You may want to invite a family member or friend to join you (for an additional cost for room and board), or you may want to gift this experience to the writer in your life.
Interested in Attending? Fill out this Application
We will work with writers of all levels and all genres, and we want to make sure this retreat is for you. Please send us the following information and we will get back to you soon.
How to apply:
Fill out this online application form to express your interest.
We will review applications and offer a brief Zoom call to answer questions and make sure the retreat is a good fit for your needs.
Once your application has been approved, you will be sent an invoice and your payment will confirm your spot at the retreat.
Filling out this application doesn’t oblige you to attend, but does indicate your strong interest in participating in the retreat. Our expectation is that if you are accepted, you will register and can attend for the entire retreat dates of July 28 - August 1, 2025.
meet YOUR writing INSTRUCTORS
Samantha skal
A fan of the scary, mysterious, and suspenseful, Samantha Skal (she/her) is the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the co-founder of Shadows & Secrets Writing Retreats (a series of thriller/mystery focused writing retreats in Salem, MA’s most haunted hotel), and an Author Accelerator certified book coach who specializes in coaching mystery, thriller and suspense authors from novel planning through the delightful hell that is revision. Her superpower as a coach is brainstorming twists without ground-up rewrites, and she recently released a standalone mini-course for blocked thriller writers: Find Your Final Twist. An enthusiast of homemade sourdough and cheese of all kinds, Sam is an agented author who writes stories that keep her up at night and lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Learn more at www.samanthaskal.com and www.shadowsandsecretsretreats.com
guest Instructor: Mary Jane Nirdlinger
Mary Jane writes books and works in local government. She leads workshops on tapping into your inner writer, plotting, and plain language. She received an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2020. Non-writing obsessions include sewing, yoga, baking, and (as always) reading. She writes middle grade and adult fiction and is currently focused on her first historical fiction with lots of romance and a bit of mystery. She lives with her husband and scaredy-cat dog named Felix in North Carolina. www.maryjanenirdlinger.com
guest Instructor: Sarah Clawson Willis
Sarah (she/her) is an author, educator, and story coach who enjoys working with writers in all stages of their careers. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Sarah writes in multiple age ranges, genres, and formats. Her middle grade graphic novel, Band Nerd, will be published by HarperAlley in April 2025. The second book in the Band Nerds series is planned for 2026. She has also published short fiction under the pen name Clara Sawson in The Louisville Review. Current projects include middle grade and young adult contemporary novels, historical fantasy novels, and contemporary graphic novels. She particularly enjoys coaching writers working in kid lit, romance, speculative fiction, and women’s fiction. www.sarahclawsonwillis.com
pricing and plans
RETREAT PARTICIPANT
$3225*
ALL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED
ALL WORKSHOPS (18+ hrs instruction)
4 Nights Lodging in a Private Room with Bath
All Meals
Evening Session Readings and Social Activities
Farm Tour
Cooking Class/Demonstration
*thE Price includes all taxes. You can pay 50% of the fee upon registration with the remaining balance due 30 days later. Contact us if you need a 3-payment plan.
PARTNER ADD-ON
$975
PERFECT FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Time to Explore the Surrounding Area
4 Nights Lodging (shared room)
All Meals
Listen to Evening Session Readings
Farm Tour
Cooking Demonstration/Class
NOTE: We may consider holding a few spots for full participants that would like to share a room (with two beds) and have a slightly reduced price per participant. If you are interested in that option and either have another full participant that you would like to share a room with or would like to be on a list to share with another same gender participant, please contact the coordinator at: dwapnermusic@gmail.com
What Do You Get?
All Workshops
Over 18 hours of writing workshops, brain-storming sessions, and author feedback.
Delicious Traditional Meals
Join Sam, Mary Jane, Sarah, and all your writing buddies for incredible, organic, fresh, traditional, Italian fare. Everything is grown, harvested, and/or made on site from ingredients and products from the land.
Evening Sessions
Bring your creativity and camraderie to these post dinner surprise sessions and fun-making where we just let it all hang out.
Umbrian Experiences
We have some ideas for outings that you may want to participate in - perhaps a cooking class, a farm tour, or an excursion to Gubbio. We want you to get a taste of this beautiful region.
What Will You Learn?
The fundamentals of plot structure
Adapting for your story and your writing style
Sticky-note plotting
Villains and Antagonists
Characterization
Setting as Character
Revision and course correction
THE LOCATION
Our retreat is on a working farm resort, an agriturismo, set on a ridge near Monte Cucco, in the region of Umbria, Italy known for its lush landscapes, medieval towns - and of course, truffles, chocolate, and wine. It is a 20 - 45 minute drive to the historic towns of Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi, Spello, and Spoleto - or to two well known caves in the area; Parco Monte Cucco or the Frasassi Caves - which once was the backdrop for an Andrea Bocelli holiday concert.
The nearest airport is in Perugia, although Florence and Rome are only about 2.5 hours away.
To get ready for this retreat and locale, you may want to read some of the mystery writers who use Italy as a back drop - David Wagner’s Return to Umbria, Iain Pears Art History mysteries set in Rome, Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series set in Venice, or John Mortimer’s Summer Lease set in Tuscany.
private pool and teaching area
organic, farm-fresh meals
THE VINEYARDS of the farm
THE DAILY SCHEDULE*
Monday, July 28
Monday, July 28
3:30 – 4:30 pm Students Arrive
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm Welcome, Introductions and Opening Session
8:00 pm Welcome Reception and Dinner
Post Dinner Evening Session
Tuesday, July 29
Tuesday, July 29
8:00 - 9:30 am Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 am Foundations of Plot Structure
11:00 – 11:45 am Farm Tour
12:15 - 1:15 pm Characterization Masterclass
1:30 – 3:30 pm Lunch and Free Writing Time
4:00 – 5:15 pm Individual Feedback/Office Hour
5:30 – 6:30 pm Villains/Antagonists Masterclass
8:00 pm Dinner
Post Dinner Session - Open Mic/Flash Readings
Wednesday, July 30
Wednesday, July 30
8:00 - 9:30 am Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 am Emotional Arc and Aha Moments
11:00 - 11:30 am Individual Feedback/Office Hour
11:30 – 1:00 pm Cooking Class
1:00 – 3:30 pm Lunch and Free Writing Time
4:00 – 5:15 pm Sticky Note Plotting
5:30 – 6:30 pm Setting as Character
8:00 pm Dinner
Post Dinner Concert and Social Activity
Thursday, July 31
Thursday, July 31
8:00 - 9:30 am Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 am Putting It All Together Part 1
11:00 – 12:30 pm Putting It All Together Part 2
1:00 – 3:30 pm Lunch and Free Writing Time
4:00 – 5:15 Implementing Your Plot Part 1
5:30– 6:30 pm Implementing Your Plot Part 2
8:00 pm Dinner
Post Dinner Farewell Gathering
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Friday, August 1
Friday, August 1
8:00 - 9:30 am Breakfast
Departure
*Schedule may be modified.
Still not sure if this retreat is right for you?
Samantha, Mary Jane, and Sarah got together for a zoom call to discuss why they are excited about this retreat - and why you should be too!! Click on the photo and listen…maybe some of your other questions or concerns will be answered.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. WHEN AND WHERE DOES THE RETREAT TAKE PLACE?
The retreat takes place near Gubbio, Italy in the Umbrian Countryside, at an agriturismo from July 28 - August 1. Meals, accomodations, workshops, nightly music jams, and most planned activities will be on-site. Most areas at Villa Dama will be reserved for participants of this retreat only. Lodging will be spread out among various buildings on the property.
Q. CAN MY PARTNER ATTEND EVEN THOUGH THEY WON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASSES?
Absolutely, non-participating partners are very welcome and the price per non-participating partner is $850 which can be added to the retreat fee when you register. All planned meals, evening events, and "Umbrian Experiences," are included in the Partner package. Lodging will be in the student's room.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
You can receive a full refund minus any transaction fees within the first 30 days of booking. Please consider getting travel insurance to cover unexpected occurences that may cause you to cancel after the refund period. Music World Retreats reserves the right to re-schedule or cancel any event if there should be an "Act of God" or occurence outside our control that makes the scheduled retreat impossible to hold such as a pandemic, natural disaster, earthquake, or any civil unrest that would put our participants "at risk." In these situations (which we hope never occurs), we will reschedule or refund participant payments minus any transactional fees and expenses related to the event that we cannot get reimbursed. If we reschedule, and you cannot make the new date, we will credit your account for the amount paid for up to 1 year, and you can use that credit towards any other retreat that is held during that year. There is an 8 student minimum and a 17 student maximum. After purchasing your place at the retreat, please wait to plan airfare or other costs until you get an email from our office letting you know the minimum number of students has been reached.
Q. WHO CAN I CONTACT IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE RETREAT?
Please contact us.
Q. CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE THOSE WITH DIETARY ISSUES?
We are happy to try and accomodate your dietary needs. Vegetarian, vegans and basic diet requirements are included in the price – just contact us. Villa Dama does an amazing job in preparing baked goods and pasta for those who are gluten-free.
Q. ARE THE RETREAT VENUES SUITABLE FOR THOSE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES?
We are not able to accommodate anyone with severe mobility problems. Please contact us to discuss your particular needs
Q. HOW DO I GET THERE?
You can travel to the Umbrian region of Italy by air from all over the U.S. and Europe. Fossato di Vico-Gubbio Railway Station is the nearest train station to the agriturismo. Perugia (PEG) is the closest international airport, but most people will probably fly into Florence (FLR) or Rome (FCO), and either rent a car to get to Villa Dama, or take public transportation to Perugia or Gubbio - and then arrange private transport to the agriturismo. The most direct trains to Fossato di Vico-Gubbio will be from the Roma Termini train station and takes about 2.5 hours and run frequently. If you are considering spending some time before or after the workshop, the easiest option would be to rent a car from whatever airport you fly into in Italy. You will receive more detailed information about getting around the Umbria region, including possible private transport options upon registration. In the meantime, you can check out directions HERE**
This is What Participants tell us…
Working with Sam Skal has helped mystery writers get to the finish line. Here’s what a few had to say about their experience…
"I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss my pages with someone who knows them as well as I do, but who also has a big-picture perspective. Sam’s approach is friendly and open. I appreciated her brainstorming suggestions and ideas on how to fix plot problems, as well as being pushed into articulating my characters' more nuanced emotions." - Emma Dhesi, Author & Book Coach
"Sam helped transform me from a dreaming writer to an author. I enjoyed most her energy, insightful edits, strategic view of the storyboard, and wonderful encouragement, and I couldn't have finished the book without her. ”- Rashmi Jolly, Writer
"[Sam] is amazing, insightful, positive, encouraging, and can find those little holes that make all the difference. It feels like Sam really loves MY story, that she gets what I'm trying to say and thinks it's worth saying, and that she clearly wants me to succeed. It's so refreshing. It's wonderful." - Tammy Euliano, Author
"[Sam] will elevate your story in ways that you couldn't imagine. You will learn, you will get ideas, you will feel inspired, and you likely will gain an "I got this" confidence that you didn't feel before!” - Katie Payne, Writer
Can’t Attend but Want to Stay in Touch?
Fill out this form if you’d like to be on our email list and get information about future retreats.
If you have any trouble with this form, just email Donna Wapner at: dwapnermusic [AT] gmail [DOT] com
“It’s amazing what we can do if we simply refuse to give up.”
Learn From The Best
MUSIC WORLD RETREATS
are hosted by Peppino D'Agostino an internationally acclaimed guitarist and Donna Wapner, a community building organizer. Our goal is to partner with some of our favorite creatives and together design supportive, learning experiences. We pick locations that will inspire and encourage the exploration of one’s creativity. When participants walk away having refined their skills, made new friends, are content and motivated, can’t wait to join us again, and had fun too - we know we have done our job. Thank you to all who have supported these efforts through the years.