An Immersive Writing Retreat for
Writers at Any Stage of The Journey
February 8-13, 2027
Modern Elder Academy, Santa Fe
Make real progress on your book. Gather with like-minded writers for group experiences designed to provide peer support, spark ideas, and reconnect you to your purpose for writing.
Are you ready to drop into your writing, in an inspiring setting, surrounded by other authors as committed as you are? Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, Write Where You Are is designed to spark ideas, provide peer support, and reconnect you to your purpose for writing.
Hosted by Kelly Notaras, a 27-year book editor and author of The Book You Were Born to Write, this retreat is built around the idea that given the right setting and guidance, you’ll find the insight and creativity to take the next big leap in your writing journey.
Modern Elder Academy isn’t your average retreat center. Set on 2,600 acres of New Mexico high desert just south of Santa Fe, the ranch blends the wild beauty of the American Southwest with the kind of luxurious comfort that lets you fully exhale. Traditional Pueblo architecture, private rooms, organic chef-prepared meals, hiking trails, and endless skies – every detail is designed to let you focus on one thing: your book. Kelly is thrilled to welcome her writing community to this extraordinary place.
Over the course of five days, you will immerse yourself in your writing, making real progress on your book. You will also gather with like-minded writers for group experiences designed to provide peer support, spark ideas, and reconnect you to your purpose for writing the book.
In addition to daily teaching sessions and scheduled blocks of writing time, we’ll also come together for communal mealtimes, as well as a dedicated Q&A with Kelly and her support team — a valuable chance to ask anything you’ve ever wanted to know about editing, publishing, and the realities of the writer’s path.
This retreat is designed for writers at all stages, to carve time out of our hectic lives to do what our soul is asking us to do: Write. Whatever your goals may be, this writing retreat will provide a nurturing environment to support your growth and creativity.
Every participant receives a private 20-minute coaching session with Kelly Notaras. It’s a rare opportunity to sit one-on-one with a 25-year book editor and get her undivided attention on your work.
Submit up to 5,000 words of your writing before the retreat, and Kelly will read your pages in advance and bring personalized feedback to your session. Bring your manuscript questions, your structural puzzles, your stuck places. Whether you’re shaping an idea, deep into a draft, or trying to figure out what your book actually wants to be, this is the kind of focused editorial guidance that most writers never get.
Write Where You Are is designed for writers who have something they need to put on the page and are ready to give it the time and attention it deserves.
You’ll feel at home here if you’re:
This retreat welcomes writers at every stage: first-timers, working professionals between books, and writers who’ve been circling a project for years and are ready to land it.
This retreat is intentionally small and we want every person here to get what they came for.
This probably isn’t the right fit if you’re:
Not sure whether you’re a fit? That’s where our application comes in. Apply, and we’ll have a conversation to see if this experience is right for you.
Kelly Notaras is the founder of KN Literary Arts, an editorial book studio helping authors write, edit, publish and market their books. She started her career working in the editorial divisions at HarperCollins, Penguin, and Hyperion Books. She was later V.P., Associate Publisher at Sounds True, a multimedia spirituality publishing company in Boulder, Colorado. She has edited a wide variety of transformational nonfiction books including New York Times bestsellers Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield, The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner and Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer.
Along with Hay House CEO Reid Tracy, Kelly teaches the Hay House Writer’s Community and Authorpreneur memberships. The author of The Book You Were Born to Write: Everything You Need to (Finally) Get Your Wisdom onto the Page and into the World, Kelly is grateful to live in the beautiful state of Colorado.
“I feel humble to have had the opportunity to be surrounded by writers who listened, supported and encouraged one another. Kelly is such an authentic, grounded, committed leader. Amy and Jill fantastic team. Coming from Australia I felt such warmth, love, kindness, compassion and they allowed me to share our common love for Tibetan traditions. OM Shanti Much love, peace, appreciation and gratitude to each of you.”
Marcela Toro
“Go without expectations and one’s experiences will expand beyond measure. This retreat was about more than writing. It was about connection, reflection, personal exploration and how these facets work synergistically to unearth deep writing from where a person finds themselves.”
Marisa de Santo
“If the message you're called to share is important to you and you know you're meant to deliver it via a book, yet it's simply having the time and space that keep you stuck...THIS is what you need. Kelly and her team provide the environment, support and inspiration that unleashes the writer in you...gently, persuasively and powerfully. It is MORE than worth the time, money and effort invested...in you and your dream.”
Chris Makell
“I arrived with a backpack full of scattered pages and ‘research’—generational trauma, parentification, all of it. Kelly looked me in the eye and gave me the only assignment that mattered: tell the truth, the medicine is in the words. In one weekend, her genius—and the easy chemistry with Jill, Amy, and Jeff—turned craft, breathwork, and community into alchemy. I read a scene, the room went still, and my voice stepped forward. If you’re ready to stop performing resilience and write the book only you can, immerse yourself.”
Deborah Neilsen
“The Write Where You Are Retreat was transformative for me. The camaraderie with the other participants was unexpectedly deep and supportive, the writing experience was just what I needed, and the other activities rounded out the truly exceptional experience. The positive impacts continue to resonate in my writing and my life. It is a gift I highly recommend you give yourself!”
Dianna Anderson
“The retreat gave me an opportunity to find my writing voice. I was able to apply the discipline of producing work in a setting that supported me with people who care. The location is a place of natural divinity and opens the doors of creativity with ease.”
Vicky McCarthy
“If you’re looking to reach a wider audience in your business and a book or series of documented materials is part of that plan, then KN Literary is an accelerator to success! Their retreats strike the right balance of hearts & minds.”
Melanie McLagan
This retreat is open to writers of all levels. Whether you’re just starting or have published multiple works, the program is tailored to meet your needs.
This retreat is designed to give you deep time to drop into a project and make meaningful progress. For this reason, we ask you to arrive at the retreat ready to drop in and write. For most, this will mean arriving with a project outline at minimum. And if it’s something you’ve been working on for a while, you may be surprised at how much progress you can make on it in just five dedicated days of writing time.
Kelly’s expertise is in writing and editing non-fiction, and most of the people who attend her retreats are working on some sort of non-fiction work. That said, she has also had participants who have been working on other projects, such as a novel or a series of articles they’re thinking about shaping into a book. If you’re wondering if Kelly can help you bring your writing project forward, apply today and let’s have a conversation about it.
Yes! Please bring your laptop, notebooks, and any other materials you need in order to write comfortably over the course of the retreat.
Yes! You will have the option of submitting up to 5,000 words prior to the retreat for Kelly to review, in order to provide reflection during your private coaching session. We will also be providing opportunities to read your work and receive uplifting and useful feedback from your peers.
Everything is included: five days of immersive workshop sessions, all materials, luxury accommodations at MEA’s Santa Fe retreat, chef-prepared gourmet meals, and unforgettable group experiences – all within an intimate learning environment of just 20 participants.
The only additional costs are your travel to Santa Fe and any personal expenses.
Kelly and MEA understand that life events can pop up, making traveling to your planned workshop not possible. Should you need to cancel your attendance to your planned workshop our policy is as follows:
If you apply now, you'll get priority registration. We keep attendance low to ensure every writer receives personal attention.
APPLY NOWOur Advisors are all MEA alumni who can offer genuine insights into our programs. They’re passionate about helping you find the right fit to make your next chapter the best one.
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