The Writing Gym ONLINE Retreat
Could This Be a Movie?
A Live Writing Retreat for
Page-Turner Stories
March 27–29, 2026 · Live on Zoom (ET)
Friday evening · Saturday full day · Sunday morning
Most writers aren’t stuck because they lack talent.
They’re stuck because they’re trying to build momentum with the wrong inputs:
- Inspiration that feels good… then disappears by Monday
- Information that’s outdated, abstract, or disconnected from the industry
- “Free time” that turns into circling, second-guessing, or polishing the same pages
This retreat isn’t about collecting more writing advice.
It’s about walking away seeing your story differently—
with clarity about what moves, what stalls, and what actually lands.
By the end of these three days, writers don’t just feel inspired.
They feel oriented.
They can:
- See the engine of their story
- Identify the moments that carry visual weight
- Articulate what their book is really about—without rambling
Sit down to write and know exactly what to work on next
If you want to be a writer, this where you need to be.
Who This Retreat Is Designed For
This retreat is for writers who are no longer dabbling.
You may be drafting or revising.
You may be published or pre-publication.
You may feel confident one day and uncertain the next.
What you share is this:
- You’re writing a book that matters to you
- You want your work to hold up in professional rooms
- You’re tired of guessing what’s working and what isn’t
- You’re ready for focused time, expert guidance, and meaningful progress
All genres of fiction are welcome, including memoir.
You do not need:
- A finished manuscript
- A polished pitch
- A public identity as a “writer”
You do need:
- Willingness to show up
- Curiosity about your work
- Readiness to take your writing seriously
Access You Don’t Normally Get
Most writers spend years trying to get a single conversation with someone inside the film industry.
Inside this retreat, you get three.
We’ve brought together an exclusive panel of working film professionals:
C Neil Davenport — Screenwriter & Producer
Sae-Jong Jordan — Independent Film Producer
Mark Crump — Producer at MarVista / FoxThese are not speakers delivering generic advice.
They are decision-makers. Builders. People actively working inside the industry—
developing, producing, and evaluating stories for screen.And for three days, you have direct access to them.
You can ask:
What actually makes a story adaptable for film
What gets attention—and what gets passed over
How projects move from page to screen
Where writers misunderstand the industry
No gatekeepers. No guessing. No abstraction.
This is the level of proximity most writers never experience—
and it changes how you see your work.
OUR “How does a book get turned into a movie?” FIRESIDE CHAT
What is it like to write with Annalisa?
In Three Days, You’ll Get Three Things Writers Rarely Get in the Same Room
1) Neuroscience-Based Momentum (So You Can Actually Write)
You’ll get craft guidance designed to work with your brain—not against it.
That means:
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You’ll know what to focus on when you sit down
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You’ll stop “warming up” for an hour and calling it writing
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You’ll generate real pages without waiting to feel ready
This isn’t motivation. It’s a container that reliably produces momentum.
The Online Writing Retreat Experience
What will the group writing time look like?
“I haven’t written this much in 21 years. The prompt, the feedback. It tapped into something new for me.” Rick, recent salon participant
We will meet through Zoom. We will be able to see and hear each other, share documents, write on a white board together: this is the closest approximation we can have to being in the same physical room.
You will break out into smaller groups for discussion, sharing, feedback, and more–then come together for large groups sessions.
Sample Schedule
Highlights
- Craft and Writing Sessions, with feedback based on neuroscience
- curated publication opportunities
- KEYNOTE:
- meet literary agents, publishers, and other publishing professionals to hear more about what the publishing industry looks for in a quality manuscript
Enjoy the camaraderie of positive writers, doing what you’re doing, with the same goals.
Come away refreshed, revived–and with the pages DONE.
Friday
Highlights: WRITING COMMUNITY
Meet your fellow participants.
Laugh in fun icebreaker activities
GET WRITING FEEDBACK BASED ON NEUROSCIENCE
Saturday Morning
Ease into creativity by creating flow in your brain with our morning WRITING EXERCISE
Writing Salon. Unleash your full creative potential in a guided writing session.
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Building Credibility
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Audience Engagement
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Increasing Visibility
Saturday Afternoon
TIME TO WRITE Work on pages, with the accountability of a group writing session.
Heads down, fingers on keyboard, chapters written 
Join Annalisa for a 1-1 session to discuss pages, your publishing career–anything you’ve wanted to talk to your writing coach about.
Professional Roundtable: Every year we invite a publishing professional to join us and talk about what’s happening in the publishing industry NOW, and how that impacts your author career. Past guests include Editor at large of Writers Digest; literary agents, and New York Times bestselling authors.
This is a golden opportunity to get top-notch writing advice and personalized feedback from publishing professionals, published authors, and expert writing coaches, all from the comfort of your home.
Pitch Fest: Past pitches to LMPBN, Sibylline Press, Talcott Notch Literary Agency, Writer’s Digest, and more.
Saturday Evening
Fireside Chat with prolific & successful authors who will share their journey to publication. This will be a laid-back discussion where you can chat and ask questions. Writers may struggle with developing a content calendar or ideas for regular posts, blogs, or articles. We will explore important questions on how to build an author platform such as:
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What is an author platform, and why is it important?
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How do I determine my target audience?
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What social media platforms should I use?
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How do I create consistent content for my platform?
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What are the best ways to build an email list?
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How can I promote my books without feeling pushy?
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What type of content should I share on my platform?
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How do I measure the success of my author platform?
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How can I network with other authors and industry professionals?
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What mistakes should I avoid when building my author platform?
Sunday
Salon and Neuroscience-based feedback.
How to Build an Author Platform: Part 2
Writers may find self-promotion uncomfortable or even awkward, as it requires them to engage in activities that feel contrary to their nature of crafting stories.We will dig deep into the skills needed to overcome some of these fears.
Sharing and Celebrations