How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True

26th September – 2nd October 2027 | Naxos, Greece
With Sophie Hannah, Emily Winslow, Jon Appleton & Jenny Savill

Reserve your place

The Overview

Five Days. Four Tutors. One Sea.

When is a writing retreat not a writing retreat? When it’s a confidence-boosting, life-changing, craft-enhancing week that leaves you with new friends and a toolkit of writerly tips and tricks. You’ll get some of that too. It isn’t why you’re here.

This week is about the dream: why you want it, who told you that you couldn’t have it, and what you’re going to do about it. Then we go and get it.

Your Sanctuary

The Destination: Naxos, Greece

Naxos wraps writers in a rare blend of beauty, calm, and breathing space, with the island’s slow, generous rhythm woven into every day of the retreat. Afternoons stay deliberately unprogrammed, so you can swim in clear water, walk the coastline, write in the shade, or simply rest and let ideas settle. All meals are shared around the table, with a welcome reception and a closing gala dinner that bring the group together in easy, unhurried conversation.

The Accommodation

We stay at Lianos Village in Agios Prokopios, one of Naxos’s most beautiful coastal areas. The hotel is set in peaceful gardens, close to the long golden beach and the small selection of relaxed tavernas, cafés and shops nearby. Guests can enjoy the generous outdoor pool, sun loungers and shaded spaces for reading or writing, while the sea is only a short walk away. The rooms are comfortable, air-conditioned and thoughtfully equipped, many with private balconies or terraces looking out towards the gardens, pool or sea. It is an easy, welcoming base for the week: close enough to enjoy beach life and village evenings, while peaceful enough to properly switch off, write and rest.

The Experience

What Happens Here

Sunday — Arrival. Welcome, essential information, and introductions from tutors, staff and participants. Then a book swap or a game, depending on how intrepid the group is feeling.

Early supper.

Monday — Defining and Shaping the Dream. Sophie Hannah. Where your dream came from, what it is really for, and what you want from writing.

Then Jon Appleton on Know Your Audience, Know Your Reader.

Tuesday — Managing Your Brilliant Mind. Sophie Hannah on the thoughts that run the show, and how to stop treating them as facts.

Then Jenny Savill on The Role of an Agent.

Wednesday — The Past Is Present. Emily Winslow on bringing backstory into a scene without stopping it.

Then Jon Appleton on How To Make Your Book Irresistible to Publishers.

Thursday — How to Edit Yourself. Jenny Savill on reading your own work like an editor.

Then Emily Winslow on What Do You Want, and What’s in Your Way?

Friday — Optimism and Investors. Sophie Hannah on Optimism for Beginners and The Investor Mindset for Writers.

Afternoon free for town, shopping, coffee, or nothing at all.

Saturday — Departures. Breakfast and goodbyes.

The Good Life: Long, unhurried meals together, and a closing dinner on the last evening.

 Free afternoons to read, write, swim, wander, or sit with your notebook and let a story take shape.

 One-to-one sessions with your tutor. Send your pages two weeks before the retreat.

 Bring your favourite book, ideally a physical copy, to share with the group.

Meet The Storytellers

Sophie Hannah

Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times, New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Kindle No. 1 bestselling crime writer whose books have sold more than five million copies and are published in more than 50 countries. She is the author of the new series of Hercule Poirot mystery novels, and won the Dagger in the Library Award for her body of work in 2023, and the UK National Book Awards Crime Novel of the Year prize in 2013. Sophie is the founder, CEO and coach of Dream Author Coaching Ltd where, since 2019, she has helped thousands of writers to achieve greater success and happiness in their professional and personal lives. She helped to create the Masters Degree in Crime and Thriller Writing at the University of Cambridge in 2019, and is a Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College in Cambridge. Sophie’s murder mystery musical movie, The Mystery of Mr E, is available on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and many US PBS TV channels including WETA.

Jon Appleton

For 20 years, Jon Appleton commissioned award-winning children’s books – from picture books to non-fiction and YA – for a number of leading trade publishers, and as Editorial Director at Hodder and Orion. Now freelance, he works across the board for publishers and independent authors on everything from major structural edits through to line-edits, at various stages of the publishing process. He has been an Arvon tutor, an All Stories and Rainbow Project mentor, and a lecturer and tutor on Cambridge University’s MSt in Crime Writing programme. He writes widely on aspects of children’s literature. His favourite thing is helping an author – whatever they are writing – to develop and convey their ideas uniquely and in a way that reaches as many readers as possible.

Jenny Savill

With a background in devised theatre, Jenny found her way into publishing 24 years ago. She is an editorial agent who likes to work with her authors to develop and refine their projects. Her approach is tailored, collaborative, holistic and writer-led. She represents a number of internationally bestselling and award-winning authors of both children’s and adult books.

Emily Winslow

Emily Winslow lives in Cambridge, England and is the author of a Cambridge-set series of crime novels (The Whole World, The Start of Everything, The Red House, Look For Her), the memoir Jane Doe January, and a writing book called Time to Write. Her books have been published by Random House, HarperCollins, Allison & Busby, and Shanghai Translation Publishing House, and have been called “brilliant” (The Washington Post), “vivid” (Parade magazine) and “dazzling” (Shelf Awareness).

Secure Your Spot

Solo Occupancy
£2,950 PP

Reserve your place with a non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due 30 days before your retreat.

Pay by card at checkout, or use Klarna to spread the cost interest-free.

Full terms and conditions

How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy
How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy
from £300.00 
26th September - 2nd October  2027 | Naxos, Greece 

With Sophie Hannah, Emily Winslow, Jon Appleton, Jenny Savill - details coming soon.

Shared Occupancy
£2950

Reserve your place with a non-refundable deposit.
Final payment due 30 days before your retreat Pay by card at checkout, or use Klarna to spread the cost interest-free.

Full terms and conditions

How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy
How To Make Your Writing Dreams Come True - shared occupancy
from £300.00 
26th September - 2nd October  2027 | Naxos, Greece 

With Sophie Hannah, Emily Winslow, Jon Appleton, Jenny Savill - details coming soon.
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Support & A Note On Expectations

Individual Support & Discussion Alongside the taught sessions, the retreat includes:

  • Small-group manuscript discussions

  • Individual consultations with Sophie Hannah for each participant

  • Informal conversations with faculty across the week

The small group size allows for thoughtful exchanges and for questions to emerge naturally over time.

A Note on Expectations We want you to dream big!! We certainly do. And one of the things we’re going to cover on the retreat is why ‘not aiming too high’ and ‘being realistic’ are working against you, however sensible you might think you’re being.

During our week together, we will aim to convince you that believing great things can happen, even in the face of uncertainty and no guarantees, is not only a much more effective approach to creating success and your best work, but also feels much jollier too! There’s no downside to expecting good things to happen. Don’t believe us? Come along and we’ll prove it to you!

Practical Details and Frequent asked questions

  • Naxos, Greece

    Naxos wraps writers in a rare blend of beauty, calm, and breathing space, with the island’s slow, generous rhythm woven into every day of the retreat. Afternoons stay deliberately unprogrammed, so you can swim in clear water, walk the coastline, write in the shade, or simply rest and let ideas settle. All meals are shared around the table, with a welcome reception and a closing gala dinner that bring the group together in easy, unhurried conversation.

    The Accommodation

    We stay at Lianos Village , a cluster of individually styled studios and apartments scattered through lush gardens, just a 6 minute walk to Prokopius beach. Guests gather around the large, inviting outdoor pool—complete with sun loungers—for morning swims or quiet reading, while fabulous tavernas line the nearby shore for relaxed dinners. The welcoming owners ensure everything feels effortless, with air-conditioned rooms featuring balconies or patios, and thoughtful touches like refrigerators and soundproofing for undisturbed focus.

  • Daily Rhythm Some mornings there will be Yoga before breakfast!

    • 08:00–09:30: Breakfast

    • 10:00–12:30: Morning workshop (selected days)

    • 13:00: Lunch

    • 14:00–16:00: Free time / writing / consultations / pitch sessions

    • 17:00–19:00: Evening sessions (selected days)

    • 19:15: Drinks and dinner

  • Sunday: Welcome Reception & Dinner

    Monday: "Fulfilling Your Book’s Promise" (Sophie Hannah) + "The Role of Literary Agent" Panel (Elly James and Jamie Hodder-Williams).

    Tuesday: "Capacity, Character and Confidence" (Sophie Hannah) + "Different Kinds of Publishing" Panel (Sophie Hannah, Elly James and Jamie Hodder-Williams).

    Wednesday: "Going the Distance" (Sophie Hannah) + Agent Pitch Sessions

    Thursday: "A Publisher’s Perspective" (Jamie Hodder-Williams) + 1-2-1s

    Friday: "Decision-Making in Writing Success" (Sophie Hannah) + Gala Dinner

  • Dates: 20–27 September 2026

    Location: Naxos, Greece

    Participants: 18 writers

    Eligibility: Open to writers at any stage of their writing journey—from those with just the seed of an idea to those with a full manuscript.

    Genres: Adult fiction across genres (including literary, commercial, crime, thriller, historical, fantasy, romance) and narrative non-fiction (memoir).

    • A pre-retreat online meeting for all participants — last-minute questions welcome!

    • Goody bag full of Naxos treats.

    • Accommodation (6 nights).

    • All meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with drinks.

    • Workshops and taught sessions with Sophie Hannah, Elly James, and Jamie Hodder-Williams.

    • Individual consultations with Sophie Hannah.

    • One-to-one pitch session with Elly James and Jamie Hodder-Williams.

    • Private Group WhatsApp to share news, ask questions, and keep the writing community alive long after the retreat ends.

    • Welcome reception and Gala Dinner.

    • Visas, flights and ferry tickets (we can help you plan this).

    • Travel insurance (essential).

    • Extra drinks and snacks outside of scheduled meals

  • Fly to Athens, Mykonos, or Santorini, then take a ferry to Naxos. Or fly directly from Athens to Naxos. We’ll be waiting to pick you up when you arrive.

  • No. You do not need to have been published.

    You do need to be serious and enthusiastic about writing, however, and have a strong desire to pursue it even if you do not yet have a lot of writing experience.

  • We welcome writers at all levels of experience. Whether you have a complete first draft, a few chapters, or just an idea you love and want to turn into a book, you are very welcome here.

  • Yes. The retreat includes small-group manuscript discussion sessions, individual consultations with Sophie Hannah, and a guaranteed one-to-one pitch session with Elly James or Jamie Hodder-Williams.

  • No. Representation is never promised.

    The retreat offers professional insight, clarity, and informed guidance — and will massively increase your ability to attract representation when the time is right, by giving you all the practical and mindset tools you need.

  • Yes! It’s useful to know about markets, in order to be able to decide how and if we want to work with them or create new ones!

  • The mornings are focused and demanding. Afternoons are intentionally left free to allow ideas to settle and writing to continue.

    This balance is central to the retreat’s design.

  • Yes! Writers at all levels of experience will find the retreat equally useful and inspiring.

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Ready To Write Your Happy Ending?

This is more than just a writing retreat; it’s a commitment to your creative future.
Whether you’re stuck in the soggy middle of a draft or standing at the brink of a new idea,
this week will give you the tools, the confidence, and the clarity to succeed on your own terms.

We want you to dream big—and we want to help you get there.
Spaces are limited to just 18 writers.

Apply for your place now

Arrive curious. Leave inspired.