Two full days of creativity and connection
BIG IDEA WEEKEND
OCT 7-8, 2023 | LOS ANGELES
OCT 7-8 ~ LOS ANGELES ~
OCT 7-8 ~ LOS ANGELES ~
Where do you get your ideas? That’s a question that writers hear all the time. But the real question should be: How do you develop your ideas?
This October, join the Midwives of Invention in their hometown of Los Angeles for an intimate, two-day retreat. This isn’t like other writing workshops. At Big Idea Weekend our focus is on the concept at the heart of your project. We have a clear-cut, proven strategy for evolving your writing ideas so that they are more urgent, more actionable, more exciting.
Our retreats have an encouraging and propulsive dynamic that will get you excited to dig in and do the hard work. We are pro-ambition and pro-experimentation, and cultivate an inclusive environment. We welcome writers of all experience levels.
Enrollment is limited and the retreat will sell out.
All The Details
What’s this retreat about?
We believe good writing is born at the intersection of getting serious and letting go, of steady structure and joyful chaos. We’re not interested in just feeling creative. Instead, we have an actual, step-by-step process for idea generation and a time-tested set of straightforward strategies for idea development to share with you. These are methods we use in our own work and that we’ve taught in our popular workshops since 2018.
Day 1 is all about generating and developing. We’ll start the weekend by outlining the process that has been the genesis of all of our projects, and give you a portfolio of actionable techniques (with clear examples!) that will help you apply them to your own work.
Day 2 concentrates on the Why and the How — essential for any good project. We will break down our own work to explain the way we reached our Why and How, and outline the steps you can take to find yours. There will also be time for open discussion - you will have the opportunity to ask us anything!
Throughout the weekend we will be facilitating opportunities to get to know your fellow attendees and cultivate a writing community. There will also be directed solo writing moments with prompts to help you apply our materials to your own work.
We’ll close with a gorgeous feast made just for us by our favorite private chef, who also happens to be… a professional hand model! You’ll leave ready to dig in and do some serious writing this winter.
What does the fee include?
Our retreat includes two full days of carefully planned instruction and workshopping, 8:30am-6:00pm Saturday and 8:30am-8:00pm Sunday. We’ll provide: Coffee and breakfast pastries, snacks, and a delicious lunch on both days, a wine and cheese hour on Saturday, plus a closing feast on Sunday.
The fee does NOT include any lodging or transportation. Saturday dinner is not included, but you can opt to be paired with a fellow writer or two if you’re looking for a dinner companion!
Who are the Midwives of Invention?
We’re Jade Chang and Ann Friedman, two best-selling authors and national magazine writers who, between us, have put in our 10,000 hours (sorry for Gladwelling) in screenwriting, podcasting, feature writing, fiction, editing, and various entrepreneurial ventures. Why “Midwives of Invention”? Because we believe YOU, the writer, are the mother of all inventiveness in your work. We are simply here to help your process along. Click here to read more about us.
What’s the retreat space like?
It’s extremely cute and cozy! Our gathering place is a few blocks away from Miracle Mile, near LACMA and the Original Farmer’s Market. It was built in 1926 as a prop design studio, and then had a life as a violin factory that produced thousands of instruments. Most recently, it was the home of costume designer Rita Riggs, who worked with legends like Norman Lear and Alfred Hitchcock (she sewed the crows on Tippi Hedren’s dress in The Birds!). The space has excellent creative energy.
Is this weekend for me?
Are you a writer who wants to get unstuck, reinvigorate a project, or finally pick an idea and commit to it? Then yes, absolutely! Whether you’re working on a newsletter, a novel, a screenplay, an essay, a podcast, or an epic song cycle, our idea strategies can work for you. We promise: You will leave feeling energized, connected, and clear about what you need to do to bring your words into the world.
If you’ve attended one of our past workshops, either in person or online, please be aware that this retreat will cover much of the same material. If you’d like a refresher course, you’re still welcome to join us!
What’s your cancellation policy?
If you cancel on or before September 15, we can provide a full refund. If you cancel on or before October 1, we can provide a 50% refund. If you cancel after October 1, for any reason, we are unable to provide a refund.
What have past participants said?
“You loosened my grip and allowed me to fall in love with being an artist again.”
“The best professional workshop I've ever attended.”
“Honestly a transformative experience for me.”