Composed at Home is a transformative writing retreat for any scholar who wants a simple, effective process for overcoming emotional writing blocks. So you can make meaningful, measurable progress.

​Every single time you write.
The Composed Writing Retreat is now available online--so you can bust through your writing blocks from the safety and comfort of your own home.

During this week-long, virtual writing retreat you'll learn how to overcome your internal writing barriers--the thoughts and feelings that undermine your productivity, steal your peace of mind, and rob you of the pleasures of your work.

Whether pandemic life is wreaking havoc on your writing, or you've long been searching for a strategy for moving past writing blocks, Composed at Home will give you a systematic way through distraction and distress. So you can make real progress. And actually feel good about it.

​"I luxuriated in more coffee and comfort food, spent more time gardening, and took more walks around my neighborhood than I have in... I don't know how long. My feet were sore! And all the while, I submitted a manuscript that has now been accepted, and was able to rediscover the love and passion I have for my project. I got words on the page, had breakthroughs I didn't plan on, and feel excited to come back every time I sit down. As a binge writer, I can't even begin to describe how intellectually and emotionally world-changing this is for me."
​
Meghan Daniel, PhD Candidate
​Sociology 
​University of Illinois at Chicago

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Composed at Home is for You if:

  • You wish you could just sit down and write – without getting overwhelmed by the work or paralyzed by self-doubt
  • You're worried about how slow your writing seems to be and wish you had concrete strategies for making real progress more quickly
  • You feel frustrated by how hard it is to carve out time for writing—which has only gotten harder since the pandemic began.
  • You find it hard to stay focused and work through distractions and difficulties.
  • You get tired of feeling that you and your work aren’t good enough.
  • You yearn to reconnect with the pleasures of research and writing – that excitement you felt when you first started grad school.
  • You wish you could find a community of scholars who support your healthy writing practice – instead of shaming or competing with you.

Sound like you?  Then here's what you'll get from Composed at Home.
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By the end of the retreat, you'll be able to:
  • Get Clear: Finally understand what makes writing so damn hard (I promise, it ain't you).​
  • Get Unstuck: Uncover your unique writing process, which will bust through your blocks and make writing easier, faster, and way more fun.
  • Focus In: Resist the rabbit holes that steal your attention and zero in on your writing, no matter what else is going on in your life or the world.
  • Relax Without Guilt: Work hard. Make progress. And then let the work go. So you can enjoy the rest of your life.​​
  • Know. Your. Worth. Actually feel good about yourself and your writing. Like you used to before academia happened to you.
  • ​Finally feel supported. And seen. And in sync with the world's most generous, encouraging writing community.​
  • Make Progress. Oh yeah. While you're learning all that? You'll make some serious progress on your manuscript.​
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"I was struggling with binge writing and a lack of intrinsic motivation. I only responded to deadlines, and relied a lot on 'accountability'... Since completing Composed, I have been able to let go of what doesn't work. Trust myself and accept that some traditional rules (I think I am supposed to follow) are unnecessary."

Kelly Harris
Assistant Professor
​Washington University in St. Louis

How Does Composed Work?

InkWell's unique writing retreats weave together four key elements that do more than give you time to write: they teach you transferrable skills that make everyday writing more productive and pleasurable.
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  1. Protected Writing Time. We create an environment that's safe from distraction, disruption and external demand. We also teach you how to reproduce that protected space at home. 
  2. Evidence-Based Coaching. Writing workshops and group coaching sessions explain what really keeps you from writing and teach you best practices for overcoming your barriers. 
  3. Collective Reflection. Structured conversations with other retreaters--expertly facilitated so they are comfortable and generative--uncover what's holding you back and how to tailor best practices to move your writing forward.
  4. Deliberate Practice. When you're not in coaching sessions, you'll use the large blocks of writing time to implement new strategies, test insights, and clarify your process. All while making progress on your writing project.​​​

Composed at Home Daily Schedule*

Sunday
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. 
Welcome 
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. 
Orientation & Opening Workshop

​Monday - Friday
10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Morning Writing Workshop
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Write & Reflect
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch on Your Own
2:00 -4:15  p.m.
Write & Reflect
4:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Spotlight Coaching
5:00 p.m.
Recovery
*Schedule is approximate and may vary slightly.
​All times above are Central Time.

How Well Does Composed Work?

Among 2020 Composed at Home participants:

95%

Strongly agreed they'd learned strategies that increased their productivity.

91%

Felt more motivated to write than they had prior to the retreat.

95%

Reported feeling calmer and more satisfed by writing than they had before Composed.

Who's the perfect fit for Composed at Home?
​


You, lovely. If:
  • You've been dreaming of attending Composed but couldn't be away from home for so long.
  • You're ready to look honestly at your writing struggles and face your emotional writing blocks.​
  • You're ready to change your approach to writing, whether to stop avoiding it or stop working yourself to the bone.
  • You just can't figure out how to make writing work with all the stress, strain, and change brought by the pandemic.
  • You're longing to reconnect with the excitement that brought you to the academy.
  • You are reflective, introspective and want to be more intentional about your writing practice.
  • You want the support that comes from the presence and encouragement of an amazing group of sister scholars and are willing to offer the same to others.
  • You're able to attend all sessions of the retreat and are happy to do so with your camera on.

Who should just...skip Composed?
​

Anyone who feels like this:
  • You're pretty satisfied with your current approach to writing. You just need a place to write and aren't looking to learn with new techniques. 
  • You're in a serious crunch, need to push something out by the end of the week, and don't have the bandwidth to experiment with a sustainable approach to work. 
  • You just want to be left alone to write--you work best in near isolation or the anonymity that comes from a large, noninteractive group.
  • Feelings? Please. You can't stand that kind of talk, and have no desire to discuss your experience of work and writing with others.​

"I have attended other writing retreats where they...teach you how to write in the way they do. That was invariably not helpful and just contributed to my feeling that I was the problem (lacked discipline, not cut out for this, should leave academe, and so on). What I learned here are strategies that help me overcome writing anxieties, to recommit to and fall back in love with my work. I regained my sense of purpose, and re-found the joy of the work--these are things I hadn't been able to access for years."

Danika Medak-Saltzman
Assistant Professor
​Syracuse University

The Composed Curriculum

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Sunday - Better Together

Our program begins in the late afternoon with our Virtual Cocktail Hour. Settle in and relax with your favorite drink while you get to know your sister retreaters. Then Michelle will review what's in store for you for the remainder of the week and answer all your burning questions. After orientation, you'll learn InkWell's signature Pivot Point framework for overcoming writing blocks, then set your intentions for the week.

Monday - Jump Right In

On this first full day of our retreat, you'll learn a foolproof strategy for knowing what to do in each writing session, even when you feel exhausted by life, or overwhelmed by your project. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to get started with this simple, effective technique. 

Tuesday - Put Writing First

Now that you know how to start your writing sessions, let's make sure you can actually show up for them. Today you'll learn an easier way to bypass distractions and put your writing first, even when you'd rather not. All without force or fear-tactics.

Wednesday -  Progress & Persist

Today we get to the heart of what keeps you from showing up, sticking with, and coming back to writing. You'll examine what these demons look like specifically for you. Then learn to overcome them with strategies that are emotionally sophisticated yet surprisingly practical.

Thursday - Finish Up Fierce

No more working yourself into the ground because nothing you do feels like it's enough. This workshop shows you how to cultivate that elusive sense of pride and satisfaction in your work. Get ready for the wonder of finishing up your writing and moving on to the rest of your life. Guilt-free.

Friday - Build a Writing Life

Don't think for a minute that you'll be back to business as usual after the retreat is over. On our last day, you'll learn how to translate this week's insights and transformations into daily actions in your regular writing life. And we'll cover the three essential ingredients to a productive, sustainable writing practice you can always count on. Plus a send-off you'll carry in your heart forever. 

Details About Your 5-Day Retreat
June 19-24, 2022
​Tuition: $2,950
  • What's Included
  • FAQs
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Your Facilitator
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​Composed at Home includes:
  • Virtual Happy Hour. Don't feel awkward, loves. You'll have an easy, fun way to get to know each other and set yourself up for success during the opening session of the retreat.
  • Five days of intensive writing training. Each day of the retreat you'll attend a morning writing workshop and an evening group coaching session. They include evidence-based trainings, interactive exercises that help you apply what you learned, Q&A, and small group discussions.
  • Five days of dedicated writing time. In between training meetings, you'll have hours and hours of writing time, so you can sink into your work and master the tools you've learned.
  • Resource lists, scripts, and worksheets to help you quickly remember the tools and techniques you learned at the retreat and easily implement them at home. 
  • Get-Ready minicourse: a week of brief, actionable guidance to address your pre-retreat questions and get your home set up as your personal retreat center.
  • Go-Home minicourse: filled with practices and reminders to help you quickly and easily integrate what you learned into your regular writing life.

Frequently Asked Questions (+Lovingly Offered Answers)


​(How)
What is the structure of this retreat?
Each day of the retreat includes a morning workshop, 4 hours of writing time, a mid day check in, and a closing group coaching call. One hour per day is reserved for lunch off camera, and is designed to give you a break and help ease screen fatigue.

Is there a lot of...sharing?
Composed is neither therapy nor confession. So there is no requirement that you reveal yourself in any way that feels uncomfortable. However, reflecting on your writing process is a central activity of the workshops. Michelle deliberately designs all our group activities so that they build trust over time, and offer the opportunity for sharing without requiring it.

Do I have to attend each day?
Yes. The power of this retreat is rooted in the trust and connection we build as a group over the course of the 5+ days we're learning and writing together. We ask that you be available for the entire length of the retreat and able to attend all sessions on screen, so you can support your sister scholars. 

How will we meet?
We'll be connecting via Zoom.

Does the retreat come with handouts?
Yes. You'll receive electronic access to each day's worksheets ahead of the retreat, so you can print them out and be prepared for each day.

Can I share the handouts with colleagues or students? 
​No. All files included with the retreat may only be used by the person who registered for the retreat.

Can I listen in on the retreat links with colleagues or students so we can learn as a group?
No. If you would like to learn as a group, please ask your colleagues and students to register separately for the retreat.
(Who)
Is this retreat only for women? Or maybe just black women? You keep using the phrase "sister scholars." And there are a lot of black women in your pictures.
This retreat is for anyone who is interested in connecting with others to free themselves from their emotional and psychological writing blocks. If you want (and already know how) to do that as part of a community that actively loves and holds space for black women and every single, solitary woman, womxn, womyn on the planet, regardless of the body they were born into or what that looks like, then this retreat is for you. If that sounds scary or confusing, then you should not attend Composed.

What happens if my family is walking around in the background?
That's not a problem. We understand that very few people are working in ideal writing environments. We only request that you remain muted to prevent your family members from distracting others. Your pre-retreat materials will also include training on how to create a protected writing space.

​(Pay)
What form of payment does InkWell accept?
We accept all major credit cards at the online InkWell store.​

How does the payment plan work?
If you opt for the payment plan, the full cost of your retreat will be split into 4 even payments. The 1st payment will be taken to confirm the spot. The remaining payments will be taken from the same credit card monthly, in the three months following the month in which you first registered.

Payment must be complete by the time pre-retreat training for Composed begins (6 weeks before the retreat date), This means Payment Plans for Composed at Home will only be available for those who register by January 2022. 

By registering under the Payment Plan, you're occupying a spot we cannot give to anyone else. Therefore, all payments made under this arrangement are nonrefundable. 
​
Do you provide invoices for my university?
No. We provide receipts after purchase so you can be reimbursed.




I have more questions!
Well, we have more answers! Send an email to us hello@inkwellretreats.org and we'll do all we can to help.
The InkWell Cancellation Policy
​
Our policy is designed to let you change your mind without requiring Michelle to lose the opportunity to work with another scholar. Specifically: 

If InkWell cancels or postpones a retreat, you may do one of the following:
  • transfer your retreat payment to a future online or in-person retreat.
  • receive a full refund to the original form of payment.

If a participant cancels their registration for Composed Online: 
  • 90 days before the retreat begins: you receive a full tuition refund.
  • 89 to 45 days before the retreat begins: you receive 100% credit of the cost of the retreat toward another writing retreat within 12 months.
  • Fewer than 45 days before the retreat begin: you receive no refunds or credits.

If a participant registers using the payment plan and cancels at any time, they receive no refunds or credits. That's because by registering under the Payment Plan, you're occupying a spot we cannot give to anyone else. Therefore, all payments made under this arrangement are nonrefundable. 
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To cancel your registration, please email us at hello@inkwellretreats.org. Your cancellation is complete when you receive a confirmation email.

Michelle Boyd, PhD

Michelle Boyd, PhD is an award-winning writer and scholar, and the founder of InkWell Academic Writing Retreats. She spent the first part of her career studying the political significance of black racial identity, and won a Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association for her first book Jim Crow Nostalgia: Reconstructing Race in Bronzeville. Since leaving faculty life, she's helped hundreds of scholars move past their anxieties, reconnect with their writing, and develop a calmer, more confident, more productive writing practice. Michelle is hard at work on her second book, ​Becoming the Writer You Already Are.



​"Before attending Composed, I felt dread every time I sat down to write and like what I needed to complete was impossible. I struggled with being confident as a writer and tuning out all of my other responsibilities as a mother, wife, caretaker, teacher, etc...Since the retreat , I've been able to write more freely without so much self-doubt. Know exactly what I have do...And tune out the world and just write!" 
​
Cristina Ortiz
Assistant Professor
​University of the Pacific

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Learn more about Michelle's approach to coaching.
Learn how you can get funding for Composed.
Hear what former Composed participants have to say.