AGA Lesiewicz – a writer

Creative Writing + Pilates Retreat

May 12th – 18th 2024
September 29th – October 5th 2024

book here -> https://retreats.shineholistic.co.uk/creative-writing-retreat/

The Writing Course:

Everyone has a book in them – the old cliché is true – but the trick is how to turn that everyone into a writer.

There is no universal recipe for becoming a writer, every author has their own, unique way of working, but the process always starts with finding a headspace – as well as a physical space – to develop and nurture your idea. And what better place to kick-start your writing project than a beautiful 19th century farmhouse in Umbria, Italy?

Here is a unique opportunity to give your full attention to the writing project you’ve always wanted to develop – be it a short story, a novel or a film script – but never had the time to do so.

Obviously, you won’t be able to write a whole book or script during the course – but we’ll give you the tools, the space, and the motivation to continue. You can start each day with a beautiful walk around the idylic countryside or have a Pilates sessions to get your body enlivened, so that your imagination can follow.

The course is structured in a way that will benefit both beginners who want to learn basic technical skills, as well as writers who might need feedback and help with their existing projects.

In an informal blend of practical morning workshops, discussions with fellow participants, and one-to-one afternoon sessions, we will concentrate on the process of writing, as well as its key aspects: the plot, the characters, the dialogue, and the style. And, last but not least, we will explore ways of finding an agent and getting published.

Reviews

“Aga is a well articulated and caring teacher. The workshops were well laid out and covered so much valuable information without feeling overwhelming. The 1:1 with Aga was so helpful and motivating. Aga herself is a kind and caring soul. It felt as though we all had special little project secrets with Aga, making her the expression of a great teacher, allowing everyone to feel as though we are all uniquely the teachers pet.”

–Sue Fisher-Shetler – Florida

“I found Aga’s workshop to be incredibly helpful. The tips and tricks she shared were insightful and practical, and I feel much more confident in my own writing abilities now. It was also great to connect with other writers and share ideas and feedback. She got us to write coming from angles we’re not used to and made us surprise ourselves. Overall, her training and encouragement formed a very positive experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to improve their craft.”

–Shelley Alex Pellegrin – UX Writer – Berlin

Aga is a sharp, kind, engaging person, who sets the tone in her workshop immediately with calm and focused energy.  She easily navigates the range of personalities in the room, encouraging us to discuss our differing opinions and styles in a constructive manner.  Aga is widely read and well-versed in many films and television shows that she easily integrates into the conversation to serve as examples for topics we covered, such as conflict, character development and point of view.  Her instructional style does not feel like lectures, but open discussions of the building blocks of storytelling. After learning about a certain topic, we were invited to practice with a writing prompt and then share aloud with the group. In my own prior fifteen years as a writing educator, I’ve never seen a more inventive or effective set of writing exercises.  They gave us freedom to use different voices while also slyly requiring us to look inside and tap into our core selves.  I’ve attended many workshops, seminars and conferences and have taken graduate courses in creative writing, and oftentimes the instructor’s ego has steered the focus on him/herself.  However, Aga was more than willing to talk about her own writing and teaching journey with humility and heart. She made us feel that we were the most important people in the room.

In the one-on-one sessions, she asked the bigger questions about concepts in my novel. Working through the questions has allowed me to get over some stumbling blocks in my manuscript. She took the time to get to know me as a person as well as a writer, really digging into what I was trying to say in my work as a whole. I came away from the experience energized and ready to keep writing.

–Anne-Wyman Black – Writing Educator – University of Alabama

My time with Aga and Shine Retreats was simply fantastic. I expanded my abilities as an artist and writer. I discovered things within myself. I established new friendships.

The balance of relevant lectures and creative writing exercises led by Aga helped to provide a foundation for discussions. The exercises were carefully curated and built on the previous day’s work, establishing a codified writing approach which was then adapted for each of us. Aga created a trusting and comfortable environment within the group meetings, so we were able to share with one another freely. 

Aga provided amazing mentorship during our time together, particularly in the one on one sessions. She inherently knew what types of questions to ask and when to ask them. She was generous with her time. I went away from my work with Aga with fresh ideas, new direction and a plan for next steps in my writing. I cannot stress enough the enormous, positive impact that Aga made on not only my specific projects and screenplay but also on my approach to writing. She’s such a gift!

–Susan Reid – Professor of Practice in Acting/Directing – Georgia State University

This creative writing retreat was absolutely wonderful. The small group of fellow writers was so supportive and just generally fun to be around. We had a lot of space to be creative and as much expert support from Aga as we needed. The daily pilates practice and morning writing workshops really helped me focus and get in the right mindset to write. I ran a few plot points by Aga in our 1:1 sessions, and she gave me two wonderful ideas for my story. I‘m hoping I‘ll be able to join another one of Aga’s writing retreats in the future!

–Christiane Bark – Translator, Head of Localisation @ Busuu – London