Who will be there?

• 18 fiction writers

• 1 author-in-residence

• 2 guest agents

• 1 independent editor

• 1 editorial intern

By keeping the retreat small, we ensure that each writer gets the attention they deserve, and in the five days we are together, everyone gets an opportunity to know each other.

Welcome to a place where emerging voices in fiction have the space and time to write, surrounded by oak trees and similarly motivated artists.

We designed this retreat to show aspiring authors (and those who’ve published) the inside of the industry. By bringing together an Author-in-Residence who has published at least one novel, two well-established Guest Agents, and an Editor with experience at several big publishing houses, writers get the trifecta of perspectives and can better understand how the industry works—and how to set themselves and their work apart.

What will we be doing?

Mornings: Our first two mornings together we’ll workshop so you’ll have fresh perspectives for diving back into your pages. Then, grab a cup of coffee or tea and head to a table in dining hall with you laptop, or go back to your room and snuggle under the covers and dive in to writing your next pages. On our third morning you’re free until lunch time!

Afternoons: Our delicious lunch will be eaten all together while listening to a talk about the publishing industry from editor Heather Lazare or the Guest Agents. After lunch, you’re free to keep writing, or join us in the theater for live piano music to write to! Next, our favorite local yoga instructor provides an hour of practice, or you can book a massage from our massage therapist on site. Of course piano music, yoga, and massage are all optional—you can do as you like and join when you want.

Late afternoons: On our first afternoon together, you’ll get to hear from our Author-in-Residence about their publishing journey and be able to ask any questions you may have. On the other two afternoons piano, yoga, and massage are all available, though you can also go for a peaceful walk around the grounds or through Carmel Valley Village, or take a nap…choose your own adventure!

Evening: Dinner involves plenty of local ingredients and wine, sparkling water, or whatever you prefer! Conversations over dinner lead to discussions deep into the night, or you can always opt for a book in bed, back in your cozy room.

Our History

The Northern California Writers’ Retreat was born in 2015 over club sandwiches at the Big Four restaurant in the historic Huntington Hotel in San Francisco. Literary Agent Chelsea Lindman and Editor Heather Lazare, both California natives, had each recently returned to their home state after spending nearly a decade living in New York and working in the publishing industry. As they were talking, both admitted that she had dreamed of establishing a space out west for writers to build community and work on their books. Sandwiches led to drinks, which led to phone calls, which led to a game plan. In 2019, Heather took over running the retreat as Chelsea’s focus shifted to a new career path, yet our goal remains: to build a community of writers who will help lift each other up and take the retreat with them beyond our five days together. Come along on this adventure!

Heather Lazare is an independent editorial and publishing consultant with more than fifteen years of professional experience, who specializes in editing adult fiction, with particular emphasis on historical fiction, women’s fiction, literary fiction, contemporary romance, and thrillers. She began her career at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, then moved to the editorial side at Crown (Random House), and was a senior editor at Touchstone (Simon & Schuster) before creating her own business in 2013. She works with individual authors, helping them get their manuscripts ready for submission to agents, she strategizes with agents whose clients need an extra push before submission, and she’s hired by publishing houses to further perfect manuscripts for publication. She also teaches courses for Stanford University on the publishing business. She lives in California with her husband and two children. Learn more at heatherlazare.com.