Writing Journeys: Prague | St. John | Australia

A Writer’s Journey to St. John, US Virgin Islands

If you love crystal-clear water, palm trees and peace and quiet, the island of St. John is the perfect place for you. It is a perfect haven for writers, being the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands and over half the island a U.S. National Park, affording us the privacy and seclusion we need to create. The island is accessible by ferry from the larger island of St. Thomas, just across Pillsbury Sound, where hundreds of pirate ships are said to be buried under the turquoise blue waters. The island’s main attraction is its white sand beaches, which are almost deserted in May, assuring a tranquil and relaxed environment. Our trip is scheduled after the tourist season ends in the winter and well before island residents batten down the hatches for hurricane season, which runs July through November.

The focus of this class is Memoir and if you have wanted to write a memoir but never known how to begin, then this is the class for you. Or maybe you have started a memoir but stopped or stalled in frustration. Maybe you would simply like to leave a record of your life and how you lived it, as a gift to future generations. And even if you've never considered writing a memoir but just want to get some of your stories down onto the page, then this is also the class for you. Together we investigate all of these options and rediscover the pleasure of writing both about and from the depth of our own lives.

We will meet at breakfast each morning, out on the deck overlooking the water, to set up writing exercises for the day. Afternoons will be free for swimming, writing, relaxing, hiking and exploring the island. In the evenings we will talk, write together, read and discuss our work. During our time together we will examine the elements and stages of writing a memoir and we will investigate multiple techniques for working with memory and personal history. The class can only accommodate six students maximum in order to maintain an intimate and productive working group. The workshop will be tailored to fit the specific needs, interests and goals of each writer. Our goal is to challenge you to engage fully with the act of writing, dreaming, deep relaxation and enjoying everything that the island has to offer. Each student will be encouraged to begin to imagine a body of work and to create patterns in their own lives that will sustain their writing practice long after the Journey is over.

Students will be housed in a luxury villa on the island. The villa accommodates six students in single- and double-occupancy suites, each with a private bathroom. It has a private pool, sundecks, a fully equipped kitchen and large, comfortable living spaces. The villa is cooled by ceiling fans in each room and by the trade winds that enter through the many windows and doors. The villa is fully furnished and all linens, sheets, towels and beach accessories are provided. There is ample space to write and lots of private corners to do our work in solitude. The beach is a short distance away. A healthy daily array of food for breakfast and lunch will be offered and students can prepare dinner on their own or head into town to dine at one of St. John's excellent restaurants. A jeep will be provided to take students into town for dinner, shopping or to visit any of the island’s other beaches or attractions.

The writing faculty for this Journey will be Max Regan, MFA. For more information, please see Max’s faculty bio.

Tuition for the Journey to St. John is $3000. It includes housing on the island for two weeks, transportation to and from the ferry in Cruz Bay, jeep transportation around the island, orientation materials about the history of St. John and the Caribbean, a sourcebook of readings and ideas and the daily writing class. A deposit of $800 is due upon registration and is non- refundable. Payments can be made by cash, money order or check made out to Hollowdeck Press, LLC. Sorry, we are not able to accept credit cards at this time. Students are responsible for round trip airfare and meals. This Journey fills quickly, so please give us a call as soon as possible.

For more information, view or print our current flyer (PDF).