Donations

Getting Your Middle Grade or Young Adult Novel Unstuck: On-Demand

Open Dates

OVERVIEW: Online, On-Demand Self-Paced Course 7 pre-recorded online sessions you can access on-demand for up to 6 months from the date of your registration. A 20-minute Zoom call with Erin or Chris after you register. Optional monthly office hours on the first Tuesday of each month from 7-8pm EST for up to 6 months from […]

Seize the Reader: Writing for Emotional Impact, An On Demand Online Course

Open Dates

OVERVIEW: Online, On-Demand Self-Paced Course Included are 4 pre-recorded online sessions you can access on-demand for up to 6 months from the date of your registration Imagine your reader cemented in place by your story, unable to move until they reach the end. Imagine your reader racing to place your book into the hands of […]

Day Visits

Open Dates

2025 Personal Retreats at The Barn at Boyds Mills

Flexible Dates

Personal Retreats at The Barn at Boyds Mills Please see more information about personal retreats here: https://thebarnatboydsmills.com/personal-retreats/  

The Motherlode Retreat

April 27 - May 1, 2025

The Motherlode Retreat   Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus for The Motherlode Retreat. . We welcome all writers looking to gather in community and deepen our understanding of the Motherlode and how to write about it. We'll gather a few times each day for discussions, writing excercises, and generative prompts designed to […]

Asian and Asian American Voices: An In-Community Retreat

May 1 - 4, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/asian-and-american-voices-an-in-community-retreat *please note the add a day option!

Muslim Storyteller Whole Novel Retreat (Spring)

May 5 - 9, 2025

Muslim Storytellers Whole Novel Retreat 2025   Register for the second part of your immersive, in-community Muslim Storytellers Whole Novel program. This 5-day/4-night immersive experience offers a supportive space for Muslim novelists to revise their stories, with limited programming and ample time to connect with fellow retreaters and find ways to amplify Muslim voices and […]

Picture Book Plotting from A to Z: A 5-Week Online Course for Writers

May 6 - June 3, 2025

Welcome to the Whole Novel Workshop: A Virtual Course for Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers

May 7 - July 16, 2025

OVERVIEW: Welcome to this Multi-Month Online Course with a Full Novel Critique! The Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop offers you the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program is for any writer of […]

Writing For The Educational Market: Sandra Athans Post-Course Critique 2025

May 8 - 22, 2025

A Critique By Sandra Athans For students who have completed the Writing For The Educational Market Online Workshop,  there is the option to add faculty critiques. OPTIONAL written critique of submission packet. The cost for this optional feedback is $125, and within 4-6 weeks of submission deadline participants will receive written feedback. Please submit by […]

Writing For The Educational Market: Mike Downs Post-Course Critique 2025

May 8 - 22, 2025

A Critique By Mike Downs For students who have completed the Writing For The Educational Market Online Workshop,  there is the option to add faculty critiques. OPTIONAL written critique of submission packet. The cost for this optional feedback is $125, and within 4-6 weeks of submission deadline participants will receive written feedback. Please submit by […]

Jersey City Writers Retreat

May 9 - 11, 2025

Jersey City Writers Retreat   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, […]

Yale RITM Faculty Writing Retreat

May 12 - 15, 2025

Yale RITM Faculty Writing Retreat   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a retreat.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, […]

Revision Retreat: Moving Your Story Ahead

May 15 - 18, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/revision-retreat-moving-your-story-ahead

From Pencil or Paint to Pixel: A Two-Night Mini for Beginning Illustrators

May 20 - 22, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/from-pencil-or-paint-to-pixel-a-two-night-mini-for-beginning-illustrators/

The Unreliable Narrators Retreat

May 24 - 29, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a writing retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as […]

The Crash Course in Children's Publishing

May 28 - July 30, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/the-crash-course-in-childrens-book-publishing/

Team James Kidlit Retreat

May 29 - June 1, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the […]

All About Picture Books: A Retreat for Storytellers

June 1 - 4, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/all-about-picture-books-a-retreat-for-storytellers

Building Brilliant Book Proposals: A Two-Night Mini

June 3 - 5, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/building-brilliant-book-proposals-a-two-night-mini/

Revise and Rise: A Retreat for Novelists

June 6 - 10, 2025

Join two seasoned authors and book coaches for an immersive retreat at the Highlights Foundation campus designed specifically for novelists seeking to refine their craft and elevate their storytelling. In this retreat, we will help you build a road map to demystify the revision process and sort through conflicting advice to polish your manuscript while […]

Birth a Book Coach Retreat

June 7 - 11, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

Rhyming Picture Books: A Two-Night Mini

June 10 - 12, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/rhyming-picture-books-a-two-night-mini/

Just Do It Alumni Retreat

June 12 - 15, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for Just Do It Alumni Retreat.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and […]

Writing About Mental Health in Novels: A Two-Night Mini

June 16 - 18, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/writing-about-mental-health-in-novels-a-two-night-mini/

BSFW Goes to Highlights

June 19 - 22, 2025

  Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a writing retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets […]

Crafting Kidlit Community

June 20 - 23, 2025

Crafting Kidlit Community   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the […]

Working Creatively With Conflict

June 23 - 28, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

Reconnecting with Your Story through Meditation: A Two-Night Creative Reset

June 23 - 25, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/reconnecting-with-your-story-through-meditation-a-two-night-creative-reset/

VCFA Guardians of Literary Mischief Retreat

June 28 - July 1, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the campus is surrounded […]

Tracking Wonder - Unplugged + Unbound Retreat

June 28 - July 2, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

Show Don't Tell: Making it Real with Sensory Details

July 3 - 6, 2025

WELCOME! We are delighted you’d like to join us at the Highlights Foundation Retreat Center for the Show Don’t Tell Retreat! We’re looking forward to teaching the classroom parts of the retreat and especially can’t wait to lead the experiential exercises. There’s also going to be ample time for you to write, and opportunities for […]

Summer Camp in Illustration: Intensive Artistic Inspiration

July 6 - 9, 2025
Book now for early bird pricing. The price goes up to $1,549 on May 1.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=45298

Disability Representation in Novels for Kids: A Two-Night Mini

July 7 - 9, 2025

Writing for the Educational Market: A 6-Week Online Program (Summer)

July 9 - August 12, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/writing-for-the-educational-market-summer/

Braintrust Retreat

July 10 - 13, 2025

There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. This 3-night, 2-day retreat will feature introductory exercises on Thursday evening followed by 3-hour generative workshops on Friday and Saturday mornings beginning 9 am. Afternoons will be dedicated to individual writer's longer works (up to 50 pages to be submitted at least […]

An Inspired Life Retreat with Be & Breathe Studio

July 10 - 13, 2025

An Inspired Life Retreat By Be & Breathe Studio with Julie Heasley and Don Myer Four days on “pause” in nature practicing yoga. This is an opportunity to cleanse any debris that clouds your own natural way of being. When the waters settle your true, natural state of being is revealed. Untethered, you can create […]

NIAY Collective Residency

July 10 - 13, 2025

This 3-night (or 4-night if desired) retreat will offer ample opportunities for relaxing, walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the campus is surrounded by nature and farms. This setting is sure to ignite your creativity and inspire you well beyond the retreat experience. You may check into your lodging any time after 3pm […]

Intro to Novels in Verse: Drafting and Deepening Your Story

July 10 - 31, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/intro-to-novels-in-verse-drafting-and-deepening-your-story/

Summer Camp in Writing: Create and Dream!

July 13 - 17, 2025
Book now for early bird pricing. The price goes up to $1,649 on May 1.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/?p=45303&post_type=tribe_events&preview=1&_ppp=b66caf9a22

Picture Book Essentials: A Two-Night Mini for Picture Book Writers

July 15 - 17, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/picture-book-essentials-a-two-night-mini-for-picture-book-writers/

VCFA Writing for Children and Young Adults Alumnx Retreat

July 17 - 20, 2025

VCFA Writing for Children and Young Adults Alumnx Retreat   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a writing retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has […]

WCSU MFA 2025 Summer Retreat

July 29 - August 3, 2025

Join us for WCSU MFA’s 2025 Summer Residency, located at the Barn at Boyds Mills, near Honesdale, PA! The residency will feature morning and afternoon workshops, open mics, evening readings, as well as delicious and expertly prepared locally sourced meals. This residency will offer some peaceful time to reunite with friends, connect with new writers, […]

Cartoon Everything!

August 3 - 6, 2025

Cartoon Everything!   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus, where there will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. There are ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the campus is surrounded by nature and farms. You may check into your lodging (a private cabin […]

Sera Rivers Client Retreat

August 3 - 6, 2025

Sera Rivers Client Retreat   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for *a writing retreat.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, […]

Black Voices: An In-Community Retreat for Storytellers

August 7 - 10, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/black-voices-an-in-community-retreat-for-storytellers

Novels in Verse: Working Retreat

August 10 - 13, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/novels-in-verse-working-retreat

Getting the Gig: A Two-Night Mini on Speaking Opportunities for Storytellers

August 12 - 14, 2025

Nonfiction Retreat: Science, Nature, Biography, and More

August 13 - 16, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/nonfiction-retreat-science-nature-biography-and-more

Welcome to the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (August)

August 17 - 22, 2025

OVERVIEW: Congratulations on your acceptance into the Whole Novel Workshop: A Summer Retreat for Novelists! The Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft of a novel (up to 80,000 words) read with written feedback and a private consultation, along with rich presentations specifically designed for novelists at this stage […]

Coming Home to Ourselves and Reclaiming Our Wholeness as Highly Sensitive People - Gathering Retreat

August 29 - September 2, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets […]

Neurodiverse Kidlit Retreat

September 2 - 6, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a Neurodiverse Kidlit Retreat! This retreat will be low-key with a few key semi-structured lectures (topics chosen by attendees), ample writing time, and potential to make valuable connections with other neurodivergent children's writers. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. […]

Crafting Kidlit Community II

September 3 - 6, 2025

Crafting Kidlit Community   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the […]

Expressing Your Voice: A Two-Night Workshop for YA & MG Novelists

September 8 - 10, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/expressing-your-voice-with-dialogue/

Middle Grade Writers: A Generative Retreat

September 10 - 13, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/middle-grade-writers-a-generative-retreat

Picture Book Authors and Illustrators: Working Retreat

September 13 - 16, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/picture-book-authors-and-illustrators-working-retreat

Jennifer Louden Writing Retreat 2025

September 21 - 27, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

From Idea & Sketch to Dummy & Submission: An Author/Illustrator Online Course

September 30 - November 4, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/from-idea-and-sketch-to-dummy-and-submission/

Kindling Words at Highlights

October 3 - 8, 2025

Kindling Words at Highlights   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a retreat.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

Intro to Nonfiction Writing: History, Biography, Steam and Much More

October 7 - 23, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/intro-to-writing-nonfiction-history-biography-steam-and-much-more/

Diving into Picture Books (Fall)

October 7 - 28, 2025

Just Do It! Your Collaborative Support Group for Finishing Your Draft (Fall)

October 8 - December 3, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/just-do-it-your-collaborative-support-group-for-finishing-your-draft-fall/

Welcome to the Whole Novel Genre: An Online Course for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror, & Beyond

October 8 - December 10, 2025

OVERVIEW: Welcome to this Multi-Month Online Course with a Full Novel Critique! The Highlights Foundation Whole Novel Workshop offers you the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and a private consultation provided. This online program in particular is for writers […]

Wing Night

October 9 - 11, 2025

Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus for Wing Night. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the […]

Viable Paradise Alum Retreat

October 9 - 12, 2025

Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus for Wing Night. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the […]

The Pub Retreat 2025

October 10 - 17, 2025

The Pub Retreat 2025   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets […]

Prospect Agency Fall Retreat

October 17 - 19, 2025

Prospect Agency Fall Retreat   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for our Fall 2025 two-night retreat. There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day and night.  This retreat will be low-key and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, […]

Penned by You Fall Writer's Retreat

October 19 - 22, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets […]

Drexel MFA Program Writer's Retreat

October 23 - 26, 2025

Drexel MFA Program Writer's Retreat Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus for a writing retreat. This long weekend is designed to allow you to focus on your writing and soak up the creativity granted to us through nature. There are no formal classes, but writers may organize a  workshop if desired. You may […]

From Story to Script: An Introduction to Writing Graphic Novels

October 23 - November 13, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/?p=47581&post_type=tribe_events&preview=1&_ppp=ddce472ea2

Peg and Awl Retreat

October 23 - 26, 2025

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

Welcome to the Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October)

October 26 - 31, 2025

OVERVIEW: Congratulations on your acceptance into the Whole Novel Workshop: A Fall Retreat for Novelists! The Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft of a novel (up to 80,000 words) read with written feedback and a private consultation, along with rich presentations specifically designed for novelists at this stage […]

Successful School Visits for Authors and Illustrators: An Online Course

October 28, 2025 - February 6, 2026

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/successful-school-visits-for-authors-and-illustrators-an-online-course/

Poetry Palooza! A Workshop for Poetry Lovers

November 1 - 4, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/poetry-palooza-a-workshop-for-poetry-lovers

Revising Your Novel in Verse: An Online Course

November 5 - December 17, 2025

Writing Through Trauma & Grief to Empower Readers: A Retreat for Storytellers

November 6 - 9, 2025

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/workshop/writing-through-trauma-and-grief-to-empower-readers-a-retreat-for-storytellers

Plotter Reunion and Retreat

November 9 - 14, 2025

Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus.There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching and gorgeous sunsets as the campus is […]

Inked Voices Retreat

November 9 - 12, 2025

 Retreat   We're hosting our third in-person writing retreat for Inked Voices members at the Highlights Foundation and we'd love to have you join us. This retreat is carved out time for you to refill your creative well, in the company of other Inked Voices writers. We’ll write for most of the day – or […]

CAT Agency Retreat

November 16 - 20, 2025

Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for a CAT Agency Creative Retreat!!   This 4-day retreat is an opportunity to gather with your CAT colleagues, and rest, connect, and create! We will have a loose, attend-if-you’d-like agenda, including presentations given by our Agents (and possibly some of you!), writing critique groups, portfolio reviews, brainstorming […]

Theater Camp For Writers

April 16 - 19, 2026

Come join us at the Highlights Foundation campus for Theatre Camp for Writers. Link to the full workshop description here: https://sites.google.com/view/theater-camp-for-writers/home?authuser= There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day. This retreat will provide some unstructured time to write, and to connect as a group. The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities […]

CR template / organization paying

May 1 - 4, 2026

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]

CR template / individuals paying

May 1 - 4, 2026

**Retreat Name**   Come join us at Highlights Foundation campus for **a writing retreat**.  There will be delicious, locally sourced meals, with snacks and beverages throughout the day.  This retreat will be low-key and unstructured and a time to connect as a group.  The Highlights Foundation campus has ample opportunities for walking, hiking, bird watching […]