At Las Chimeneas (click on link for further information and to book) in the Alpujarra mountains of Granada, Southern Spain.

“Harriet Griffey offers beginners and experienced writers creative space to write, one-to-one feedback, and group opportunities to share and discuss their progress.” – The Guardian

Take time out to explore, develop and craft your own writing practice on retreat at this beautiful and peaceful Spanish location, epitomised by Bloomsbury writer Gerald Brenan in his 1957 literary memoir South from Granada.

Whether you are completely new to writing or trying to develop or complete a piece of work, this retreat offers a creative space for a concentrated daily writing practice, with one-to-one feedback, and group opportunities to share and discuss writing development. Whether you want to focus on memoir, fiction or non-fiction writing, poetry or prose, this retreat provides an opportunity to create the time and space to focus on your own writing.

Prior to the retreat, each participant will be invited to submit a piece of writing along with an outline of their individual aims for the week, in order to develop, extend or problem solve some aspect of their writing practice.

The provision of a supported environment at Las Chimeneas allows the freedom to write, whether or not you want to pursue publication, and can provide either a first step into committed writing or a final push to completion.

The location offers a tranquil space in beautiful dwellings, with delicious meals produced from the abundant local produce. There is a small pool in a relaxing courtyard, free Wifi connection in most areas of the accommodation, good connections via Almeria and Malaga airports, plus all the benefit of experienced hosts David and Emma who have lived in the area for over 20 years.

If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet,
you must be the one to write it.
Toni Morrison

Harriet Griffey leads and facilitates Writers’ Retreats.
She is a London-based ex-publisher, published author and journalist, with an MA in Modern and Contemporary Literature.

She is a past commissioning editor at George Allen & Unwin, past editorial director at Macdonald Publishers, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Royal Society of Literature, teaches creative writing at the Highgate Literary & Scientific Institute and is a tutor with the Creative Writing Consultancy.

Author of over 30 books, she has been published by Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, Pan Macmillan, Hardie Grant and Quadrille publishers.

She was also previously editorial consultant to One Hand Clapping magazine, columnist at In The Moment magazine and cultural editor at The Ecologist.

As a print journalist, she has written for all the UK national newspapers and was a past book reviewer for the FT newspaper. As a broadcast journalist, she has worked for both BBC and LBC radio.

Every first draft is perfect because all the first draft has to do is exist.
Jane Smiley

Whether the focus is on memoir, fiction or non-fiction writing, poetry or prose, this retreat
provides an opportunity to create the time and space to concentrate on writing. Prior to the retreat,
each participant will be invited to submit a piece of writing, along with an outline of individual aims for the week.

Feedback from participants June 2023

‘If I hadn’t come on this week’s writing retreat, I probably wouldn’t have started to write the novel that’s been in idea form for a while.’ Cathy

‘The whole thing was worth it solely for the one-to-one! And I absolutely loved the interviews with Chris Stewart [author of Driving Over Lemons] and David Illsley [author of The Heart Of a Life].’ Diane

‘Very helpful and enjoyable week – inspirational on the creative side.’  Katherine

‘The freedom and flexibility of the week has been one of the highlights for me. A nice balance was struck as the one-to-one session was invaluable but knowing that Harriet was available throughout as well worked brilliantly.’ Amy

At heart, write always for yourself, not for family and friends, for admired teachers, for reviewers or publishers; but make sure you write from your real self, not that one besotted by vainglorious dreams of a future self. One day you will realise that the true rewards of writing lie inalienably in the writing self.
John Fowles

Exercises, prompts & inspiration to spark your creative writing

Whether writing for yourself or for publication, it is a wonderful way to explore personal creativity – each of these exercises and prompts will enhance your skill and confidence and bring you closer to becoming the writer you want to be. Write Now is a brilliantly accessible book that demystifies the process and will help you see new ways to put pen to paper and discover your own unique writing style. Divided into 12 sections that range across voice, narrative, plot, structure, point of view, characterisation, dialogue, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, prose and memoir, this book helps you develop your writing skills, overcome writer’s block and expand your writing potential. Featuring creative writing tasks to develop ideas and skills, quick and simple word play tasks, as well as practical exercises, Write Now is an exciting way to access your inner wordsmith, kick-start your imagination and get you writing.

Publication October 2024

And what is this writing, anyway, as a human activity or as a vocation, or as a profession, or as a hack job, or perhaps even as an art, and why do so many people feel compelled to do it?
Margaret Atwood.

We tell ourselves stories in order to live.
Joan Didion