#6 On the Convo Couch 🛋️

Why I LOVE writing retreats...

Hello Writers 👋

I’m just back from a three-day writing retreat at beautiful Curraweena House in Kurrajong at the foothills of the Blue Mountains just west of Sydney.

I have to admit, heading into this retreat I was a little bit down-hearted — I’d only had 5 people register whereas last year I had 11. And my spirits dropped even further when a late registering writer had to drop out (completely understandably). I comforted myself with the knowledge that I was well prepared, had done this all before so the work wouldn’t be too onerous, I’d get to meet lovely people AND have delicious meals cooked by a professional chef.

At The Next Chapter Writing Retreat 2025 that was all so true, but it was also so much more: the passion and enthusiasm my four attendees had for their writing was completely, mind-blowingly inspiring. As someone who writes professionally (ie, gets paid for it – not enough to live on but to supplement my income) completing and revising manuscripts can sometimes be a chore. Deadlines require discipline, edits can sometimes require challenging and even compromising your beliefs about the hallmarks of strong writing. Prepping workshops and teaching can be time-consuming and draining. But when you see four sets of eyes brighten when a slide about deepening emotion comes on the screen, or a light-bulb moment flashes right there in front of you, all of the above becomes so worthwhile. And there’s so much more ...

• Witnessing a writer talk themselves into understanding about a major plot point

• Almost being able to hear the cogs turning in the brain of a writer who is coming to a greater understanding about their character

• Sitting back and watching as personal connections are made between the examples provided in the notes and the manuscript a writer is working on

• Watching writers further their understanding of themselves and their characters as they deepen their knowledge of how to get it across on the page

• Seeing friendships form and strengthen as a shared passion is explored

• Knowing I’ve made at least a small difference to the lives of these writers, inspired them to keep going, helped them come to grips with important aspects of this often difficult craft

And for someone like me who has been writing for over 20 years, published for over 12, and can sometimes feel jaded, seeing the absolute passion these writers have for their work and the joy writing brings into their lives reminded me of why I started doing this in the first place. Because I love creating worlds with words, love coming up with vague ideas for characters and seeing how they grow and evolve and start taking control of their lives, love exploring relationships and ideas and deepening my own understanding of why people do what they do. Love challenging myself to write a better manuscript than the one before. Love connecting with readers through the words and images I put on the page. Love the simple joy of creating, which is the spine of everything we do as writers.

I’m deeply grateful to the writers who attended my retreat, and to all those who have come along in the past which is why I’ll be doing it all again next year.

If you’d like to join the wait list for the 2026 Next Chapter Writing Retreat email me at pamela@pamelacook.com.au

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What I’m Reading…

I‘m deeply immersed in The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester. I’m a huge fan of Natasha’s work and always devour her new releases. This one is a little different as it’s written in first person and as bio-fiction it closely follows the real life story of Marie Madelaine Foucard, a pivotal leader in the French resistance during WW2, and one of the most courageous and selfless women I’ve ever encountered. Natasha’s writing in this book is lyrical and evocative and the way she has captured the protagonist’s voice is next level. I can’t wait to chat to her about the writing of this book for Writes4Women in the coming weeks.

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What I’m Listening To…

I’m doing a binge listen to Tracey Spicer’s fascinating and disturbing book on AI, Manmade. In this exposé on artificial intelligence Tracey examines the link between this tech ‘innovation’ and feminism and asks hard questions about what it means for the future of humanity. With the blatant rip-off of authors’ works being undertaken by Meta, and the call to action coming writing organisations around the world, it’s so important that we understand the implications of AI and what we can do to preserve our work.

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What I’m Watching…

Youtube videos on how to crochet! I have a new grandbaby due next week (a girl!) and after my failed attempt to crochet a rug for my first grandchild I’m determined to master the art of crocheting daisy squares. But I’m not being overly ambitious, just sticking to a pram blanket rather than a cot-sized throw. Like learning any new skill it’s a little frustrating but as it’s replacing my mindless scrolling in television ad breaks of a nighttime, it’s a much better use of my time. I’m four squares in and since she’s arriving on April 24 there will need to be some serious commitment over the next week to get the job done!

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Coming Up On Writes4Women

• Tracey Spicer

• Natasha Lester

• Mary-Lou Stephens chatting to Emily Maguire

• Jo Riccioni chatting to

• Camille Booker

• Holly Brunbauer

• Penelope Janu on Editing

• Branding Webinar with Annie Bucknall (date TBC)

We’d love to hear your suggestions for future episodes and topics ...

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