2026 Boxing Day Cozy Writing Retreat

Please join us as we gather for the Boxing Day Writing Retreat.

Please join us as we gather for some seasonal inspiration and comfort at our annual Boxing Day Cozy Writing Retreat on Google Meet. This time together will be full of prompts, poetry delights, and the bolstering warmth of being with kindred spirits.

We’ll play with 4-5 pre-writes and experiments, and write together to five brand new prompts. After our time together, you’ll receive these prompts and fun resources, as well as crowdsourced poem bits and bobs, all designed to energize your writing practice with a sense of playfulness and all the warmth that being with a welcoming poetry community can bring.

You are welcome to come and go, to drop in for a single session, or to stay for the whole time, and to participate in all or none of the brief social breaks. I’ll be letting people in from the waiting room on the hour, while you chat in smaller groups connecting with other kindred spirits poets, grab a coffee, let the dog out, etc.!

Some sessions we’ll write to music, and/or will use sound as part of the prompt, and others will be silent. “Please turn off your sound if you prefer. I’ll give a visual 5 minute warning before we return, and the prompt will remain on screen as you write.

We’ll end the evening with an optional readaround, where we’ll call back lines which inspire and delight us after each share.

With every part of this, you’ll be encouraged to do what works best for you and your muse! You’ll be encouraged to take what you like and leave the rest.

Schedule:

9:45 – 10:00 Doors open/Quick hellos
10:00 – 10:40 Session 1
10:45 – 10:55 Break
11:00 – 11:30 Session 2
11:30 – 11:50 Longer Break & Gather for Crowdsource
11:55 – 12:40 Session 3
12:45 – 1:00 Break & Gather for Crowdsource 2
1:05 – 1:45 Session 4
1:50 – 2 Break & Gather for Sharing
2:05 – 3:00 Sharing, Wrap/Gentle Goodbyes for now