Online Writing Retreats
July 11 & 12, 2026
Sat & Sun · 10am–4pm PT / 1pm–7pm ET
October 10 & 11, 2026
Sat & Sun · 9am–3pm PT / 12pm–6pm ET
Why Write in the Junkyard?
- Because life is jumbled. Life is chaotic. And hard. And complicated. All the time.
- Sometimes it feels like we’re sitting in a heap of rusted metal and spare parts. We’re covered with grease and we’ve lost our tool belt.
- But you can learn how to sit in the mess and write some words, anyway.
Writers write through the mess
We write on top of the mess. Under it. We close our eyes and ignore the detritus and we open our eyes and write odes to the dusty piles. We write. We keep writing. (But sometimes we need help doing it.)
What if you could play in the mess?
Maybe you’ve always struggled to get your thoughts on the page. Or perhaps it’s been a long time since you looked down at your pen and thought, Wow. I wrote that? Maybe you’re brand new to all of this! Get ready to be repeatedly surprised, friend. Get ready to PLAY!
One weekend, twelve hours
Over two days we’ll work together. We’ll talk about your best process and how to find it if it’s gone missing. We’ll spend time with hands on the keyboard — not only doing our work, but figuring out how to make the work feel a bit easier during the tough times. Most importantly, we will PLAY with words, pouring on a heaping side of joy.
A community
Community is one of the most important things a writer can have. Here, we’ll be together, taking this journey in fun, all at the same time, sharing our hearts as we go. Everyone will be doing the exact same thing: claiming joy and ease in their gorgeous writing journey.
Two days of guidance and play
You know that person who told you that you weren’t as good a writer as you thought you were? We’re locking them out of this class. Period. The only people in this class will be rooting for you and your happiness. There will be NO CRITIQUE. (Early drafts are much too tender for this!) There will be optional chances to share snippets, but only if you want to. You can’t get anything wrong during this retreat. I promise.
The Junkyard is for you if…
✓ You’re stalled in your writing. (I can help.)
✓ You just don’t feel like you’ve got it all figured out. (None of us do!)
✓ You want to have fun. (Oh, yes!)
✓ You want to learn. (I can’t wait to share and learn next to you.)
✓ You want community. (One of the best parts of this!)
What you’ll write
You’ll be working on your OWN project, the one you bring with you. This is a PERFECT time to dive back into an old project or start a new one. Prompts are nice, and I’ll have a few lined up if you get stuck, but this retreat is more aligned for the writer who wants to get a good chunk of focused words done in one weekend!
Topics covered
- How to write when writing isn’t working.
- How to keep going, no matter what.
- How to find joy and ease in writing, even when it’s rough.
Rachael Herron is the USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thrillers (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, and she’s taught writing extension workshops at both UC Berkeley and Stanford. A New Zealand citizen as well as an American, she lives in Wellington, New Zealand with her banjo-playing wife and brick-eating dog.
I know firsthand about the difficulty of writing through the muck. I know how to get the joy back, and I’m going to show you how to find a creative flow that will sustain you, long after the retreat is over.
2026 Sessions
July 11 & 12, 2026
Saturday & Sunday · 10am–4pm PT / 1pm–7pm ET
6 hours (with meal break)
October 10 & 11, 2026
Saturday & Sunday · 9am–3pm PT / 12pm–6pm ET
6 hours (with meal break)
Pricing options
- $199 Early Bird Special for one session (goes up to $249 two weeks before each session) — paid via PayPal or any major credit card
- $350 for both 2026 sessions (July and October — or use it to prepay for a session in 2027, tentatively scheduled for Jan and April)
- Free with Ink Village membership! The Writing in the Junkyard retreats are always included with your membership — click here to join Ink Village now
The fine print
Full refunds available until the day before each Junkyard opens. Sorry, no refunds after the session starts.
Gift opportunity! This class makes a great gift for the writer in your life who might be feeling frustrated in any aspect of their writing journey. Just join and respond to the email you’ll get with the name and contact info for your loved one, and we’ll take care of the rest!
Scholarships! I am pleased to be able to offer several scholarships, and we actively encourage BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ writers to apply by filling out this form.
You’re about to find your joy again alongside new friends.
(You’re going to love them, by the way.) Let’s play together!