Georgia Writers Museum is committed to continuing the legacy of great writers through its fourth annual writers retreat, Write on the Lake, which will take place Feb. 21-23 at the museum in downtown Eatonton.
The Write on the Lake event will feature 20 renowned authors from across the South. They will lead and conduct workshops and panels while networking in an atmosphere uniquely designed to aid aspiring and experienced writers alike.
For anyone eager to follow in the footsteps of Alice Walker, Philip Lee Williams, or poet Sidney Lanier, each of whom resided in the area, this will be the event to begin or advance their journey.
The Write on the Lake event will be held at GWM (109 S. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton), just a 15-minute drive from Lakes Sinclair and Oconee. Instructors will bring cutting-edge techniques and practical suggestions on how to craft and market a book. This can be your launching pad for any writer intent on becoming a published author.
If you are already a published author and eager to extend your reach, this weekend can provide excellent advice on joining the ranks of best sellers.
Registering for the whole weekend is $300, or writers can join their choice of six workshops (with 12 to select from), catered lunches, and two keynote speakers. Registration for Saturday alone is $185 and includes options of eight seminars, while Sunday registration is just $105 and includes the choice of four workshops. One-day registrations include the keynote lunch, or attendees can select 75-minute workshop sessions a la carte for $40 each.
For more information or to register, visit GWM at georgiawritersmuseum.org/2025-writers-retreat.
Schedule: 2025 GWM Write at the Lake Friday, Feb. 21, 4-6 p.m.
Happy Hour, with guests and speakers able to meet and mingle while learning about the latest GWM renovation updates and future exhibit plans. Unique for 2025 is a new partnership with the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art’s (STMA’s) temporary exhibit; this environmentally focused exhibition explores our relationship with the natural world and inspires Write at the Lake’s Holistic Writing track.
Saturday, Feb. 22
Holistic Writing track includes:
• Introduction to Touch Grass — Alyson Vuley, STMA executive director
• Poetry Workshop — Josina Guess
• Choreographing Writing: Using Dance to Create Story — Carla Walters, PhD, MBA
• Healing Writer’s Block — Stephanie Siegel Other Saturday sessions include:
• Do’s and Don’ts for Fiction Writers: How to Avoid Pitfalls of Beginning Writers — Ron Cooper, PhD
• Compelling Stories: The Intersection of Fact and Fiction — Kristine Anderson, PhD; T.M. Brown, Robert Gwaltney, Carolyn Curry, and Piper Huguley
• Better Writing in Every Genre: Research Resources and Techniques — Jill Evans
• Crossing the Line: The Role of Thresholds in Successful Stories — Susan Beckham Zurenda
Sunday, Feb. 23
• How to Finish That Draft, So You Can Finish That Book — Peter McDade
• Keeping it Cozy: The Essentials of a Cozy Mystery — Kathy Manos Penn, Cathy Tully, DL Mitchell
• Writing is the Easy Part: Tools for Success in Self-Publishing — Kathy Manos Penn, Cathy Tully, DL Mitchell
• Memoirists: The Smaller Your Audience, The More Books You’ll Sell — Lisa Weldon