Winter Retreat

The Winter Creativity Summit with Allen Arnold is back!

This winter, take a magical journey through the wardrobe door of creativity with noted author and speaker Allen Arnold. In this interactive retreat, we’ll take a fresh look at the world of story and storytellers through the eyes of C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, and Jesus.
 
The goal is to restore a sense of wonder, curiosity, freedom, and imagination to the stories we’re writing—and living—by exploring some of the key practices, insights, and stories of C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, and Jesus. 
 
Allen will lead three all-new morning sessions filled with teaching, exercises, and Q&A. The afternoons will provide times for writing, rest, and smaller break-out sessions with Allen. This transformative, interactive retreat offers mythic and practical ways to get unstuck, ignite your heart and your art, and illuminate your creativity through a kindred fellowship of modern-day inklings.

The 2025 retreat takes us back to The Hideway, tucked in the beautiful forests outside Colorado Springs, CO. Experience cozy accommodations, lovely meals, and a view of Pikes Peak!

Lodging costs for in-person attendees are all-inclusive (4 night stay and 11 meals.) You can opt for a shared room or private accommodations—whatever suits your needs and budget. Details on pricing can be found on the registration form.   (Coming soon)

 

Our Instructor

Allen Arnold is a creativity coach, author, and speaker. As the founding publisher of one of the largest Christian Fiction imprints of the past several decades, he led the launch of more than 500 novels. Throughout his career, he has worked with numerous New York Times best-selling authors (both fiction and non-fiction) and offered his proven, counterintuitive insights to creatives of every stripe at events around the globe. He is the acclaimed author of three books on creativity and God: The Story of With, Chaos Can’t, and Waves of Creativity.

Registration Opens July 18

Sample Retreat Day

7:30 – 8:30 am 

Enjoy a buffet breakfast with other retreat attendees 

8:30 am 

Start your day off with a group devotional to encourage the spiritual aspects of your creativity.

9:00 am

Take a deep dive with Allen and discover how his wisdom fits your writing journey

12:00 noon

Enjoy a hot lunch and some great conversation in the dining hall

After lunch, use the next few hours as you please–to write, rest, walk The Hideaway’s quiet grounds, or gather informally with other attendees.

4:00 pm

Reconvene with the group for guided discussion.

6:00 pm

Dinner time

7:30 pm

Evening writing activities facilitated by our retreat committee, such as group brainstorming, reading pages for critique, or career discussions.

9:00 pm

Bonfire and sharing time, maybe even some guitar and singing together

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New for 2025 - Post-Retreat Intensive

The Realm Maker Post-Retreat Intensive: Allen’s 11 Steps To Manuscript Mastery
 
In this bonus session, Allen reveals how to maximize your manuscript through an 11-step process he’s crafted to uncover your concept’s hidden potential, illuminate blind spots that sabotage a story, and pursue your creativity more actively with God. Allen combines his proven insights gleaned from publishing more than 500 novels as well as 30+ years helping writers for this 3-hour intensive designed to empower you with new ways to see your story (the one you’re writing and living), hands-on exercises, and a robust Q&A that will leave you refreshed, expectant, and ready for the next chapter!