Indulge your writing self by joining us to Stay - Learn - Write and Play in the beautiful Southern Highlands just a 90-minute drive from Sydney and the Illawarra, or two hours from Canberra. Our Winter Writing Retreat will be held in June 2027 at The Hermitage, Mittagong.  Our exciting line up of tutors are chosen for both their expertise and their Masterclass teaching skills and tutor joining us in 2027 include Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Dr Laurel Cohn, Dr Lee Kofman, James McKenzie Watson and Dr Hayley Scrivenor.

On Sunday evening, 6 June 2027 you will check-in to your private accommodation with ensuite. You will then have time to settle into your room before meeting with other writers for dinner followed by an Acknowledgement of Country, welcome and after-dinner drinks. 

Each morning Monday through Thursday you will attend a Masterclass learning from your chosen tutor; you will remain with this same tutor throughout the retreat.  Working with the same tutor/group will enable you to go deeper into the subject and further enrich your writing.  Participants in each Masterclass are restricted to eight (8) plus the tutor.

Afternoons are free for you to write, rest or enjoy all the Southern Highlands has to offer - art galleries, wineries, shopping, national parks, walking trails, golf courses and more. 

Your evenings will be filled 'in conversation' with visiting tutors and time to get to know your fellow writers.    

On the morning of Friday, 11 June you will vacate your room, say farewell to old friends and new, then make your way home feeling rested, filled with new ideas and enthused to continue with your writing project. 

The Hermitage LA Valla provides comfortable single bedrooms with ensuite that offer stunning views of the surrounds; all bedrooms have a chair and writing desk so perfect for that quiet focused time all writers long for.  Meals are provided (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon tea).  The homemade meals are not only delicious and generous in portion, but abundant in freshness and variety. Dietary requirements (lactose free, vegetarian and gluten free only) are catered for.  Break-out rooms are conveniently located within the building; these are a great place to meet up with friends or make new writing buddies.

In line with our promise to deliver small, quality events, the number of participants in each Masterclass is restricted to eight (8). A limited number of non-residential places are available.  Masterclasses on offer this year are detailed below.

For full details, booking form and cost, please email writers@writersatthewoolshed.com.au or click on the button opposite.

The Hermitage 

Click here to Register Your Interest

The Next Draft - Structural Editing for Writers with Dr Laurel Cohn:
Are you standing on the edge of a finished manuscript wondering what to do next? Are you bogged down in the revision process? Are you resisting approaching the next draft because it all feels too hard? Many writers struggle with making the biggest leap forward possible in their next draft not because they can’t do it, but because they don’t know how to go about it. Developmental editor Dr Laurel Cohn demystifies structural editing, exploring what role it plays in manuscript development, how to go about it, and how to survive it. Breaking the process into stages, you will learn strategies and tools to apply to your own manuscript, with a focus on topics writers regularly struggle with. Note: to get the most out of these sessions, you will be encouraged to undertake ‘homework’ tasks provided.

TARGET AUDIENCE: For writers of fiction and narrative non-fiction with a complete draft of their manuscript who are willing to explore the challenging inner terrain that underlies critical engagement with their own work. 

Bio:
 Dr Laurel Cohn is a developmental editor passionate about communication and the power of words to engage, inspire and challenge. Since the late 1980s Laurel has been helping writers of all types prepare their work for publication and navigate the challenging terrain of developing a manuscript over multiple drafts. Her approach is informed by the importance of honest, clear and practical guidance, and an awareness of the journey of the writer, as well as the writing itself. She is a regular workshop presenter for peak writing organisations in Australia, and also teaches in Europe. She has a PhD in literary and cultural studies. Read more about Laurel here.

Dr Laurel Cohn

Creating Narrative Drive with Ashley Kalagian Blunt:  
In 2027, Ashley will repeat her highly successful 2026 Winter Writing Retreat masterclass, Creating Narrative Drive. Tension on every page is the key to narrative drive, whether you're writing fiction, memoir or any narrative work. Join bestselling author Ashley Kalagian Blunt to learn a set of practical tools and techniques to help you craft both gripping scenes and a compelling story arc. You'll learn why narrative drive is essential to storytelling and discover how to create properly structured, tension-filled scenes that fuel story momentum. You'll also learn about suspense, pacing, momentum, polarity, story loops, the power of false victories and defeats, and how to use all of this to make your manuscript irresistible to agents, publishers and readers. To develop our understanding, we'll analyse a number of scenes before considering how to structure our own through a series of in-class exercises. 
TARGET AUDIENCE: writers of fiction, memoir and any narrative work (less relevant for short stories, unless the writer is particularly keen on learning scene structure).

Bio:
Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the number one bestselling author of Dark Mode, a psychological thriller. Dark Mode was shortlisted for the ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year, the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction, and the Danger Award for Debut Fiction. It was ranked number 20 in the Better Reading Top 100.  Her latest thrillers are Cold Truth, which was also shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award, and Like, Follow, Die.  Her previous books are How to Be Australian (2020), a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge (2019), a thriller novella and collected essays. My Name is Revenge was shortlisted for the 2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards and was a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award. Read more about Ashley here.

Ashley Kalagian Blunt

Surprise & Disorder as Storytelling Strategy with Dr Lee Kofman 
Ongoing predictability in characters, narrative and prose is an enemy of good writing. Readers thrive on surprises. In this masterclass, which is suitable for writers of both fiction and creative nonfiction, writers will learn how to introduce a measure of disorder into our stories to increase tension, to delight and also to make our narratives more authentic, because real life is complex and so not that predictable no matter how much we might try and tame it. We'll learn how to 'disrupt' our writing on the three levels of plot, character development and voice through a mix of theory, discussion and practical exercises.
TARGET AUDIENCE: experienced writers of both fiction and creative nonfiction. 

Bio:
Dr Lee Kofman is a Russian-born Israeli-Australian author of six books and editor of three anthologies, writing teacher and mentor based in Melbourne. Lee’s first three books, the novels Scars (1994, Tamuz) and I will love Christina (2003, Hed Arzi – Ma’ariv Guild), and a short story collection Single Woman, 32 (1999, Hed Arzi – Ma’ariv Guild) were published in Israel, in Hebrew. Lee’s books in English include a writing and reading guide The Writer Laid Bare: Mastering Emotional Honesty in a Writer's Art, Craft & Life (Ventura Press, 2022) and two memoirs: Imperfect (Affirm Press, 2019), which was shortlisted for Nib Literary Award, and The Dangerous Bride (Melbourne University Press, 2014). Ruptured (LJLA, 2025; Gefen 2026). Lee has also edited three anthologies of personal essays, Rebellious Daughters (Ventura Press, 2016), Split (Ventura Press, 2019), which was longlisted for ABIA awards, and Ruptured which was shortlisted for Australian Jewish Writers Awards 2026 and published internationally, that feature prominent Australian writers. Read more about Lee here.

Dr Lee Kofman

Finding Your Voice: Authentic Writing in an Artificial Age with James McKenzie Watson
As AI redefines the writing landscape, authenticity and voice will become more important than ever. Unique perspectives not only stand out in an increasingly crowded market but are vital for the craft of writing itself to remain human, urgent and relevant.

In this masterclass, you'll explore how your experiences, interests and way of seeing the world can give your writing a strong and distinctive voice. Combining theory, discussion and hands-on learning, you'll examine what drives you as a writer, discover the many ways of bringing lived experience to the page, and learn how the fundamentals of descriptive writing can underpin powerful work. Drawing on contemporary examples and practical exercises, this masterclass explores the power of leaning into the authentic at every level of your writing.   

TARGET AUDIENCE:  Writers of both fiction and non-fiction and suitable for emerging to experienced writers.

Bio:
James McKenzie Watson writes fiction with a focus on health and rural Australia. His novel Denizen won the 2021 Penguin Literary Prize and was shortlisted for Best Novel in the 2022 Australian Shadows Awards and Best Debut in the 2023 Ned Kelly Awards. It was also named one of the best books of 2022 by multiple Australian publications.  James’s writing has been published in The Guardian, Meanjin and Kill Your Darlings. His short fiction has been recognised in competitions including the Newcastle Short Story Award, the Grieve Writing Competition and the International InkTears Flash Fiction Contest. He has received residential fellowships from Varuna and the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre.  James has appeared at events including Sydney Writers’ Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival. An experienced interviewer, he regularly hosts book launches and author conversations. He teaches creative writing for organisations such as Writing NSW. Since 2020, he has co-hosted the writing and health podcast James and Ashley Stay at Home with Ashley Kalagian Blunt.  Read more about James here.

James McKenzie Watson

Novel Masterclass with Dr Hayley Scrivenor
This four-day Novel Masterclass is a repeat of Hayley's successful 2026 Novel Masterclass and gives writers the tools and confidence to craft a full-length work in any genre. Across four focused sessions, you'll explore the essential elements of storytelling: on day one, discover the power of POV and voice; on day two, dive into character and setting; day three unpacks plot and tension, including strategies for fixing that dreaded saggy middle; and on the final day, learn practical techniques for editing your own work as well as navigating the often-bumpy road to publication. Each session blends craft insights with practical advice to keep you writing through to The End. With pre-reading, tailored workshopping of your own writing, and expert guidance from an internationally best-selling and award-winning writer, this masterclass offers both inspiration and practical pathways to bring your novel to life.

Bio:
Hayley Scrivenor is the author of two novels. Girl Falling was published in Australia in 2024 and described by the Sydney Morning Herald as "a remarkable exercise in complex storytelling written in Scrivenor's idiosyncratic, metaphorically vivid prose" and a "worthy follow-up to the best-selling Dirt Town." Dirt Town was published internationally (as Dirt Creek in the U.S., where it was a USA TODAY bestseller) in 2022 and quickly became a #1 Australian bestseller. Dirt Town won the ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Mystery and the ABIA for General Fiction Book of the Year and has been translated into several languages. Hayley is an experienced mentor and teacher and a former festival director. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong and lives on Dharawal country.  Read more about Hayley here.
Photo credit: Emma Leigh Meldrum