The 2012 Writers in the Round Retreat on Star Island is a multi-day creative retreat for songwriters and poets in a beautiful natural setting. The retreat is a time for creative growth in a safe environment, fostered by instructors who are experts in their art, be it songwriting, poetry, or spoken word, and who are whole-souled in their approach to life.

A Supportive Approach

The small group experience consists of classes for instruction, workshops for creative expression, and evening programs, which support a healthy group dynamic.

Participants are encouraged to take risks and push themselves to explore new aspects to the process of writing. Honesty, compassion, and humor are qualities valued by retreat organizers and participants.

Activities: New Beginnings and New Horizons

The development of a nurturing, yet challenging creative environment is a central goal. Formal activities are focused exclusively on this goal. There are also opportunities for informal networking, which are supported as a part of retreat activities. Through immersion in the formal and informal activities, participants often embark upon new creative directions never before touched upon, and form new creative associations with others outside of their daily walk in life. As such the retreat fosters diversity, and celebrates new beginnings and new horizons.

Star Island 2012 Retreat

Hello All!
We are happy to announce that Writers in the Round Creative Retreat On Star Island is now entering our eighth year! This is the advance notice of the conference, which we are sending just to past participants and instructors. We hope you will share with others and if possible let us know of your plans to attend this year's retreat. Registration opens on May 1st for the general public and on April 1st for past participants. You may contact the Conference Registrar/Co-Chair at ellent@maine.edu. (prior to April 4, contact Co-Chair Craig Werth at craig@craigwerth.com).

Financial aid is available again with Star Island. They are also offering their 10/10 Bring a Friend program again this year. Many WITR attendees took advantage of both programs last year. Full details are listed on the Star website: starisland.org/conferences/financial-aid

This year's Writers in the Round (WITR) Retreat on Star, hosted by Ellen Taylor and Craig Werth, will take place from September 6 to 9, 2012. Susan Crowe will be teaching the art of songwriting and John Perrault will be the poetry instructor for this eighth year for the island salon, which draws songwriters and poets to Star Island from all over New England.

About the Instructors

This season's instructors include Susan Crowe. Often described as a "writer's writer", Susan is one of Canada's most respected singer songwriters in the folk genre. At once complex, challenging and accessible, Susan's intelligent and moving songs have captivated audiences and reviewers from coast to coast, continent to continent. She possesses, in the words of Britain's Folk Roots magazine, "that rare ability of crafting a lyric that bears scrutiny on its own terms." That rare ability has earned her two Juno nominations, and nominations from both the West Coast and East Coast Music Awards.  Visit Susan's website to learn more about her: www.susancrowe.com.

Our poetry instructor is Jon Perrault; who is a lawyer, teacher, poet, and balladeer. John was co-recipient of the Rosalie Boyle/Norma Farber Award, 2008, from the New England Poetry Club; a finalist in the 2007 Comstock Review poetry contest, and a past recipient of the Virginia Prize from The Lyric magazine. His poems have appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Commonweal, The Cafe Review, Poet Lore, and elsewhere. He is the author of three books, and he was poet laureate of Portsmouth, NH, 2003-2005.

Visit his website to learn more about his unique approach to the teaching process, and his interest in the interplay of words and music at: www.johnperrault.com

Registration Information

Registration information, including costs for the retreat, will appear here no later than
April 15, 2012.  If you have questions in advance, feel free to write to our registrar/co-chair, Ellen Taylor at: ellent@maine.edu.  For non-registration questions, or for registration questions until April 4, you are also welcome to contact co-chair Craig Werth at: craig@craigwerth.com.