Who are the retreat hosts?

Unearth writing retreats are hosted by Ari B. Cofer (@ari.b.cofer), author of Paper Girl And The Knives That Made Her and Unfold, and Caitlin Conlon (@cgcpoems), author of The Surrender Theory. 

What do retreat costs include?

Your cost to attend a retreat will include lodging and food/drink for the entire stay. If you wish to explore the city during or outside of retreat time, or if you’d like to buy additional food/drinks/souvenirs, we encourage you to bring extra funds to cover that cost. You are responsible for the cost of transportation to the retreat. 

Are scholarships available?

We understand that cost can be a prohibitive factor in applying to/accepting an invitation for our retreat, so we intend to fully fund the tuition for one applicant. While this scholarship is available to all applicants, we will prioritize those who are LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, women, and/or have recently experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic or displacing events such as hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, or wildfires. Scholarship recipients will still be responsible for travel costs to the retreat location.

Can I donate to a scholarship fund or sponsor an attendee?

Absolutely! You can donate to a scholarship fund or sponsor an attendee here.

If accepted, will I need to send a deposit to hold my spot?

Upon acceptance to an Unearth writing retreat, you must pay your retreat fees in full. If you cannot pay in full, we require a $150 deposit, with two additional payment date options. You’ll find those dates on the respective pages of the retreat you’re interested in attending.

What does a typical retreat day look like?

Each day will consist of a group discussion about selected poems, a warmup writing session, and two full-length workshops led by Caitlin and Ari. Both Ari and Caitlin will give extra writing assignments for your downtime if any writers are looking for them. Between workshops, there will be time to read, write, meditate, or connect with other attendees.

All three meals of the day are provided (Ari & Caitlin are great cooks), including snacks, drinks, and games. We intend to have some fun, introvert-and-extrovert-approved bonding activities, as well as designated time for individual feedback from Caitlin and Ari on poetry written during the retreat. We’re all adults and won’t require you to be in any one place outside of guided workshop times, but you will be expected to respect noise levels if most other attendees are sleeping.

How old do you have to be to apply?

You will need to be over 18 to attend a retreat. However, we will be hosting more retreats in the future — check back when you turn 18 to see when the next retreat will be :)

Do I have to be a writer to attend a retreat?

If you enjoy writing, you’re already a writer. You don’t have to be published (traditionally or self), have any social media accounts for your writing, be a writing major in college, etc., to apply or attend. If you are interested in and motivated to learn about poetry, write good poetry, and engage with other poets, we would love to have you.

Do you accept everyone who applies?

Not everyone who applies to a retreat will be accepted — but please don’t let that stop you from applying. Caitlin and Ari carefully curate the attendee list for each retreat to ensure that the attendees' writing styles, workshop styles, and personalities will create a safe and productive environment, and due to space and cost, only a certain number of writers can attend any given retreat.

You can opt into joining the waitlist for a retreat, so keep an eye on your email if you don’t receive an initial acceptance. Finally, when a new application cycle starts, we reach out to all applicants — including attendees and those waitlisted from previous retreats — to encourage them to re-apply.

What is your cancellation policy?

If something comes up and you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible so we can invite another applicant. If, at some point after your acceptance, you suspend communication with us without warning (“ghost us”), we will not invite you for any further retreats. You will also not receive a refund of any amount. Please check your email and reach out if you have any questions.

Do I have to be a writer to attend a retreat?

If you enjoy writing, you’re already a writer. You don’t have to be published (traditionally or self), have any social media accounts for your writing, be a writing major in college, etc., to apply or attend. If you are interested in and motivated to learn about poetry, write good poetry, and engage with other poets, we would love to have you.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

Send Caitlin and Ari an email at unearthwritingretreats@gmail.com. DMs are not the best way to reach them.