Murphy Writing of Stockton University

10th annual international writing retreat

Are you a writer who loves to travel? Join us this summer in the vibrant university city of Dundee, Scotland to immerse yourself in a supportive week-long writing experience that will energize and inspire you. Enjoy encouraging workshops, plentiful writing time, readings by local writers and excursions to Edinburgh, the coast and more.

Get away to write + be inspired

• Advance your craft and energize your writing in supportive workshops
• Explore Scotland and its spectacular culture and landscape
• Enjoy an encouraging community and socialize with local writers

You will take up residence on the University of Dundee’s campus in a comfortable single room with a private bath. Your accommodations are only a short walk from the city center which offers a thriving cultural scene and all the perks of city life. Formerly a seafaring community, Dundee offers a rich history dating back to the 12th century. This summer, experience living in a place where you can reconnect with yourself and your writing. Your writing will thank you.

This writing vacation is brought to you by Murphy Writing of Stockton University. Led by award-winning author Peter Murphy, the retreat will offer challenging and supportive workshops, readings by local writers and time to soak up the atmosphere. Peter has led hundreds of workshops and retreats for writers and teachers. His unique prompts and insightful feedback have helped thousands find voice and direction. Whether you plan to begin new material or continue an ongoing project, you will return home from this unique adventure energized, with a substantial body of fresh writing and ideas on how to develop it.

 

WORKSHOP

August 1-9, 2019
Dundee, Scotland

Taking inspiration from our location, the workshop will focus on discovery, invention and enlightenment. Each day you will join Peter and your fellow writers to discuss craft issues around a packet of stories, poems and essays chosen to stimulate your imagination. This anthology will form the backbone of the conversation and will include work by classic and contemporary Scottish, British and American authors. Peter will guide you through freewriting exercises relevant to the day’s discussion and then give you one of his unique writing prompts and send you off to work.

Peter’s assignments will challenge you to stretch your imagination and produce new work that will surprise and please you. They are designed to be effective whether you are starting a new poem or prose piece, or working on a long-term project such as a novel, chapbook, memoir or other nonfiction manuscript. In fact, last year, Diode Editions published More Challenges for the Delusional, which features Peter’s prompts with an anthology of the writing they inspired. It includes work by Kim Addonizio, Tony Hoagland, Dorianne Laux and Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Dunn.

While different genres have different demands, Peter has found that fiction writers, nonfiction writers and poets can learn much about their own craft by working together in a mixed-genre workshop. For example, playing with dialogue, setting and point of view can make a poem more surprising and meaningful. Paying attention to compression, rhythm and sound can make a work of prose stronger and more credible.

“The relaxed but well-structured workshop was the key to a superb experience. Peter makes you feel comfortable to write freely, to reflect and to acquaint yourself with your surroundings.”

~ Maria Luisa, Rose Valley, PA

Feedback sessions

Three times during the week, you will participate in supportive feedback sessions. You will have the opportunity to share your new writing, reflect on what you wrote, get responses on what worked well and receive suggestions for strengthening the next draft. You will have one feedback session with each of our faculty–Peter E. Murphy, Roberta Clipper and Christine E. Salvatore. (Bios below.)

Bonus session – Freelancing Feature Stories

Juliet Fletcher, a former journalist with more than a decade of experience, will lead a special session, “Freelancing Feature Stories,” focusing on travel writing that will help you turn your Get Away to Write – Scotland experience into a publishable article. (Bio below.)

One-on-one Tutorials (Optional)

If you are looking for more feedback on your writing, you can add on a tutorial, which will offer a constructive critique on a work in progress. These one-on-one sessions will last 40 minutes and you may request general feedback or seek assistance on a specific question or problem you are having. Led by: Roberta Clipper for prose (memoir, nonfiction and fiction) and Christine E. Salvatore for poetry. Limited quantity of one-on-one tutorials available.

• You and your tutor will select a mutually convenient time during the week.
• No need to send your writing ahead of time; the tutors are experienced at providing constructive and supportive feedback in the time allotted.
• You may choose to bring something you wrote before the retreat or something you write during the week.
• Prepare for your tutorial by bringing two copies of a printed sample of your writing that is representative of a larger problem you are facing. For example, your challenge might have to do with plotting, point of view, tone or writing dialogue. The piece of work (or excerpt) you bring should be no more than 1,000 words so your tutor can offer you constructive advice within the 40-minute time period. In lieu of a writing sample, you may bring questions and concerns about your work or broader questions about writing and publishing.
• See tutor bios below.

Schedule

Mornings will be devoted to the workshop, which includes guided discussions, freewriting and feedback sessions. Afternoons and evenings are free for you to use as you wish:

• • Write to your heart’s content.
  • Delve into Dundee’s rich legacy of kings and queens, adventurers and inventors by visiting its museums, historic buildings and monuments.
  • Get your shopping fix in Dundee’s shops, boutiques and markets.
  • Visit nearby St. Andrews, the seaside town famous for its Scottish links golf course, which also has the battered ruins of a medieval castle and a quaint city center with an aquarium.
  • Explore the unspoiled countryside—Highlands northward, borderlands southward—woven in history, tradition and culture.

SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE

9:00 a.m.	Workshop and feedback sessions (Refreshment break at 11:00 a.m.)
1:00 p.m.	Lunch
2:00	Free time for writing and other activities
6:30	Dinner (optional)

View the full schedule (PDF). 

“I thought the feedback would be the most valuable part of the workshop, but actually it was the prompts and the new material they led me to write. I accomplished everything I set out to do and devised a plan for finishing my manuscript. I feel freed—thank you!”

~ Terri, Philadelphia, PA

 

FACULTY

Workshop Leader

Peter E. Murphy was born in Wales and grew up in New York City where he operated heavy equipment, managed a nightclub and drove a cab. He is the author of ten books and chapbooks including two books of writing prompts and Stubborn Child, a finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize. More than a dozen excerpts of his memoir-in-progress, You Go To My Head, have been published as standalone pieces in literary magazines including “Looking for Thelma,” winner of the 2018 Wilt Nonfiction Chapbook Prize. The founder of Murphy Writing of Stockton University, Peter has received dozens of awards and fellowships and has led hundreds of workshops for writers and teachers. Enjoy an interview with Peter and read some of his work at peteremurphy.com.

Feedback Session + Tutorial Leader

Roberta Clipper has published two novels-in-stories under the name Robbie Clipper Sethi: The Bride Wore Red and Fifty-Fifty, as well as short stories in The Atlantic Monthly, Mademoiselle, The Philadelphia Inquirer and numerous literary magazines and anthologies. Her fiction has won a National Endowment for the Arts award and two fellowships from the NJ State Council on the Arts. Robbie teaches fiction, poetry, expository writing and literature at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ. On a Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship, she spent a “monsoon semester” teaching creative writing at the International Institute of Information Technology in Hyderabad, India. To read some of her work, visit robbieclippersethi.com.

FEEDBACK SESSION + TUTORIAL LEADER

Christine E. Salvatore received an MFA from The University of New Orleans where she taught in its undergraduate college as well as at Tulane University. She is a thesis advisor in the MFA Program at Rutgers University-Camden, and teaches literature and writing in the MFA Program at Rosemont College, Stockton University and at a public high school in South Jersey. Her poetry has appeared in many journals including The Cortland Review, Diode, The Literary Review, Mead Journal, The Southeast Review and elsewhere. Her work is also included in the craft book More Challenges for the Delusional and is featured in the upcoming art book, Mother Monument by Holly Trostle Brigham and Maryanne Miller. Learn more at www.christinesalvatore.com.

Cultural Liaison 

Juliet Fletcher has worked as a reporter on politics and American culture for 15 years. As a statehouse reporter for the Bergen Record, Juliet covered state and national politics, earning awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and NJPA. Her essays, humor writing and cultural commentary have appeared in numerous journals and publications including the Philadelphia City Paper (where she is proud to say she had her first writing job) and TueNight.com, where she now contributes regularly. A UK native with a Scottish mother, Juliet lived in Scotland while earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Aberdeen, and later served as a freelance US correspondent for The Glasgow Herald. She has years of experience helping Americans look past haggis and kilts to uncover the real Scotland. During our program, Juliet will lead a session on Freelancing Feature Stories, guide some of the tours and make herself available most mornings to answer your travel and sightseeing questions.

Special Guests 

Kirsty Gunn will be one of our Special Guests, joining us for a reading and lunch during the retreat. Kirsty is the author of ten books of fiction and nonfiction including the acclaimed Rain, which won a London Arts Board Literature Award and was made into a movie; The Boy and the Sea, winner of the Sundial Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year Award; The Keepsake; Featherstone; The Big Music and most recently, Caroline’s Bikini, published in January, 2019. Born in New Zealand, Kirsty lives in London and Scotland and is Professor of Writing Practice and Study at the University of Dundee where she directs the writing program. 

Eddie Small will be our second Special Guest joining us for a reading and lunch during the retreat. Eddie has twice won the Stephen Fry award for public engagement, and was voted the 2016 Inspirational Teaching Award winner by the University of Dundee’s student body. He is the author of Forgotten Visionary of Dundee about the life of Mary Lily Walker, a 19th Century scholar and social reformer who improved conditions for women and children in industrial Scotland. We enjoyed seeing Eddie’s one-man show, The Surprising History of the Scottish Funeral, at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

 

Setting

In the country popularized by the film Braveheart, medieval writers argued for independence and self-rule as far back as 1320. You will follow trails of scholars and the trains of thought that have inspired classic authors like Sir Walter Scott; modern storytellers like Alexander McCall-Smith, Ian Rankin and J.K. Rowling; and poets like Carol Ann Duffy, the U.K.’s poet laureate.

Scotland gave the world an Enlightenment, an international fringe festival of the avant-garde and some of the strongest voices in contemporary literature. From the modern to the ancient, the mountains to the sea, Scotland offers room for adventure, contemplation and awe.

Did you know?

• The Scots invented the bicycle, the telephone, the TV and radar.
• J.K. Rowling wrote much of the first Harry Potter book in the back room of an Edinburgh coffee shop overlooking the town’s castle.
• The first ship to sail to Antarctica was built in Dundee Harbor.

WEATHER

Dundee has been recognized as having more hours of sunshine, the purest air quality and more green spaces than any other Scottish city. You will enjoy long, bright days and can expect 15 hours of daylight, as the sun won’t set until 9:30 pm. The weather tends to be cooler and damper than the typical muggy Mid-Atlantic summer, and it’s always refreshing.

 

ACTIVITIES + EXCURSIONS

You will participate in a number of cultural activities and excursions which will help you develop a sense of the place where you will be writing for the week. Together, we will head beyond the well-worn tourist path and get to know the real Scotland. While none of our outings will be extreme, they will involve walking and moderate physical activity.

Cultural Liaison Juliet Fletcher will enrich your experience, acting as your local guide. She will guide some of the tours and will be available most mornings to answer your cultural and travel questions. See her bio.

Walking Tour of Campus + Dundee

We will show you around town and share some cultural and historical highlights that will help you develop a sense of place so you can navigate the university and its surroundings like a native. 

Excursion to Dundee Law, BROUGHTY CASTLE + the coastal town of Arbroath

Our private bus will take us to Dundee Law to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the North Sea. From there, we will head to Broughty Castle and Museum, where you will discover the rich history of the people, the environment and the wildlife of the Scottish coast. Then, we will take a scenic drive to the coastal town of Arbroath where you will have free time to shop, write and walk by the sea before heading to dinner. We recommend The Golden Haddock where you can indulge in a true Scottish delicacy, Arbroath Smokies, or enjoy traditional fish and chips.

Writing Workshop at the V+A Dundee

One morning workshop session will be held at the V+A (Victoria and Albert) Dundee, one of the world’s leading museums of art and design. Peter will offer short writing prompts as he leads a personal tour of several exhibits. Afterwards, you’ll have time to eat lunch, write, relax and continue exploring the museum.

Excursion to Edinburgh

After traveling to Edinburgh, we will embark on the Edinburgh Literary Pub Tour. Professional actors will bring the artistic history of Scotland to life as we visit the Old Town pubs once frequented by Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and other Scottish literary legends. Then you will have free time to explore the city on your own or with your fellow participants. Enjoy the free public exhibitions at the National Library of Scotland or sip a latte at The Elephant House coffee shop, where J.K. Rowling wrote her famous first novel. You can take the tour at Edinburgh Castle, shop on the famous Royal Mile or enjoy a play or performance as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

SPECIAL GUEST SESSION

We are pleased to announce that writers Kirsty Gunn and Eddie Small will be our special guests, joining us for lunch and a reading during the retreat. See their bios.

“Thank you. You did a great job in putting together a week well balanced in writing, workshopping and touring, but what made it really stand out was our involvement with the locals as we became part of the culture and experienced it from the inside.”

~ Pat, Allendale, NJ 

 

Accommodations

Lodging

You will be housed in comfortable student apartments located on the University of Dundee campus. A 10-minute walk from the city center, you will have the opportunity to sample nearby restaurants, coffee shops and pubs. You can also enjoy local culture and shopping when you visit one of the museums, galleries, art-house cinema, theaters, boutiques and markets. A 15-minute walk from your residence, the brand new V+A Dundee museum offers world-class exhibitions and a stunning view of the River Tay. 

Amenities

• Each apartment has 6 en-suite bedrooms and a shared eat-in kitchen with a sitting area.
• You will have your own bedroom with a twin bed, private bathroom and a writing desk.
• Bed linens and towels will be provided, but there will not be a daily housekeeping service.
• Your kitchen will be equipped with a stove, refrigerator, microwave and tea kettle. Crockery, cutlery, cooking pots and utensils will also be supplied.
• Wi-fi internet access is available throughout the campus, and you will be able to use the University’s coin operated laundry and computer labs.

If you would like to bring a spouse, significant other, friend or family member, these non-participating guests are welcome to join you in an adjacent single room in your apartment and attend all activities other than workshops.

Meals

While you can find traditional Scottish dishes like Haggis on menus, it is primarily ordered by tourists. During the trip you’ll be pleased with the variety and quality of Modern British cuisine which uses locally sourced, fresh ingredients.

In addition to celebrating the opening and closing of the program at a highly regarded local restaurant, we will dine together for morning coffee breaks and lunches. You will have a variety of choices, including vegetarian options, and will be able to indicate dietary restrictions on the registration form.

For other meals, you can sample some of the dozens of restaurants, coffee shops, markets and pubs within walking distance of campus. There are a number of inexpensive options on Nethergate and Westport streets where you can enjoy a meal for about $10. Throughout the program, we will provide the opportunity to connect with others and dine together. Should you wish to prepare food, you can use the fully equipped kitchen in your apartment.

“The program couldn’t have been better. I especially enjoyed the feedback sessions, with their warm atmosphere and an environment of trust which helped us listen to each other, to really hear what the reader was saying and venture a thought or two. Thank you for everything.”

~ Belinda, Barcelona, Spain

 

Get Away to Write – Scotland is featured in TheWriteLife.com’s “Incredible Writing Retreats to attend in 2019”

 

Pricing + Registration

Take Advantage + Save

• “re-PETER” Discount ($75 off) if you’ve attended any of our other programs

Program Fee Includes

• Writing workshop and feedback sessions
• Accommodations for 8 nights/9 days (single room with private bath) in shared apartment
• 10 meals: 1 breakfast, 7 lunches, 2 dinners
• Morning coffee breaks during the writing workshop
• Bus transportation to and from Edinburgh Airport in Scotland
• 2 excursions (Transportation, admissions and tours. A brown bag lunch will be provided on excursion days.)
• Cultural activities including a reading with a local writer
• Travel medical insurance*
• Use of University of Dundee library, internet and computers
• Trip blog and Google group providing travel recommendations, a packing list and opportunities to connect with fellow participants ahead of time
• Suggested itineraries for additional travel in Scotland

Room Package Options

• Program fee with SINGLE room package — $2,195 
• Program fee with GUEST room package — $3,290 — If you are bringing a non-participating guest, they will be housed in an adjacent room in your apartment and may join us for meals and all non-workshop activities.

Prices do not include airfare, college credit, one-on-one tutorials, travel insurance (non-medical), gratuities or additional accommodations, meals or personal expenses.

* Unfortunately, the University’s contract for travel medical insurance group coverage is only able to cover individuals through age 74. If you will be 75 or older at the time of travel, you must purchase individual coverage and provide a copy of the policy for us. Please call 609-626-3594 before you register to discuss the coverage requirements and to allow us to answer your questions.

One-on-one Tutorials (Optional)

To get even more out of your Scotland experience, you can add on the following tutorials.

• Tutorial in Prose — $100
• Tutorial in Poetry — $100

Detailed descriptions

 

Registration Options

Or, mail your check or purchase order with this registration form.

After you register

We will follow up with you within 3 business days to answer any questions you may have. If you have trouble registering online, or if you don’t receive an email confirming your online registration within 24 hours, call us at 609-626-3594 or email us at info@murphywriting.com. 

The Fine Print

• To receive the “Early Bard” Discount ($75 off), you must pay in full by April 15
• To receive the “re-PETER” Discount ($75 off), you must have attended at least one of our other programs
• A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your place
• Balance due in full by May 15. If you register after May 15, your full payment is due when you register.
• Change Fee ($25) will be charged to make changes to your registration after May 15
• Discounts are not available for guest fees

Cancellation Policy

• By March 30 — 100% refund minus non-refundable $500 deposit
• By May 15 — 50% credit toward one of our upcoming programs
• After May 15 — Sorry, no refund will be issued

 

Scholarships

We are offering a $1,000 scholarship to a first-time participant in one of Murphy Writing’s international programs. A panel of judges will review the submissions and make their selection based on a combination of merit and need. Update 3/21/19: It was a very tough choice, but the judges have chosen Chelsey Monroe of San Francisco, CA to receive the scholarship. We look forward to writing with her in Scotland.

 

 

TRAVEL

For maximum flexibility, airfare is not included. You will be responsible for making your own round-trip travel arrangements, which will allow you to choose your airports and make it easy to extend your trip. We will assist you in identifying budget-conscious flights. For the best fares, you should purchase your ticket in the spring.

It is very important that you follow these recommended times. University of Dundee, the retreat center, is approximately 1.5 hours from our meeting point at Edinburgh Airport. If you miss this pick-up you will have to make your way there on your own.

Arrival

Thursday, August 1. The program is designed so you can arrive in Scotland on the first day of the retreat. We recommend you fly to Edinburgh Airport. If you fly non-stop from the US, depart on the evening of July 31 and you will land early the next morning. You should book a flight that arrives at the airport no later than 9:30 am so you have time to clear customs, pick up your luggage and meet the group at 11:00 am. If you cannot arrive by 9:30 am, plan to arrive a day early and spend the night in a hotel.

If you wish to arrive in the country prior to August 1, plan to head to the airport in time to meet the group. We will send details on where to meet at the airport and emergency contact phone numbers approximately two weeks before the program.

Participants often connect with other members of the group to travel together before or after the program. It’s common for people to opt to arrive in London a few days early, book rooms at the same hotel, or sometimes even share a room, and then travel to Scotland together. On the registration form, you will be able to let us know if you are interested in this.

Departure

Friday, August 9. We will depart Dundee at 12:30 pm after the closing workshop and head to Edinburgh. We will offer two drop off options: 1:45 pm at Edinburgh Airport and approximately 2:15 pm at Waverley Train Station for those staying in Edinburgh or traveling on.

Most flights to the US depart in the morning. If you can’t book a flight after 4:45 pm, plan to fly out the next day, August 10. If you stay the night (or longer) in Edinburgh, consider the Old Town neighborhood which is close to Waverley Train Station and has many hotel options and easy access to public transportation.

Travel Notes

Registered participants will have access to our trip blog, which will provide travel tips and suggested itineraries for additional travel in Scotland. We will also provide the opportunity to connect with other participants. It’s common for our participants to make plans to travel together before or after the retreat. This can be especially helpful if you are not an experienced overseas traveler.

“Amanda’s talent for organizing, planning and maintaining a smooth-sailing schedule left me feeling assured that there was nothing to worry about other than focusing all my attention on productive writing in a relaxed and beautiful location. Peter’s writing prompts, discussions and group workshops were thought-provoking, encouraging and welcoming. This Getaway was truly a life-rewarding experience. I left not only with amazing new friends but also with a renewed excitement and confidence for my writing.”

~ Danielle, Barnegat, NJ

Special Preparations

• Passport: It is essential that your passport does not expire until after January 2020 or Border Control may not allow you to enter the UK. Please check and renew it today!
• Visas: US citizens do not need a visa to enter the UK. If you are a citizen of a different country, please check if you need a UK visa.
• Travel medical insurance: This is included in your program fee for most participants.*
• Additional travel insurance: We encourage you to buy traditional travel insurance to cover things like lost bags, delayed flights or trip cancellations, but it is not required. Check with a broker such as InsureMyTrip, which is recommended by Consumer Reports.

* Unfortunately, the University’s contract for travel medical insurance group coverage is only able to cover individuals through age 74. If you will be 75 or older at the time of travel, you must purchase individual coverage and provide a copy of the policy for us. Please call 609-626-3594 before you register to discuss the coverage requirements and to allow us to answer your questions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How big will the workshop be?
Our international writing retreats generally have about 25 participants in addition to faculty and staff. Plus, sometimes travelers bring non-participating guests.

I’m new to writing workshops. Will I fit in?
Absolutely! Peter’s unique prompts will allow this supportive program to benefit both beginning and experienced writers. We pride ourselves on building an encouraging community of writers where all feel welcome.

I’ve been to dozens of workshops. What will I get out of this one?
Peter challenges experienced writers to push beyond their usual limits. If you have been writing for decades, he will compel you to go deeper, take more risks and experiment with form and content. We know that experienced writers benefit from our programs based on the fact that hundreds of “re-PETERs” have attended 3 or more of our writing getaways. Try one of Peter’s prompts from Challenges for the Delusional.

I write both poetry and fiction. Do I need to have a project in mind to attend?
No. Many of our participants write both poetry and prose. It’s not uncommon for someone to decide what form their writing will take after Peter gives the prompt.

“Attending was a big deal for me since I’d never been to a writing retreat before. It turned out to be fabulous—the atmosphere was perfect for writing and Peter was an excellent teacher. His lessons were unique and helped uncork my writing, getting me to think and use my writing time wisely. I would recommend a Murphy Writing retreat to absolutely anybody, whether a novice or pro.”

~ Michelle, Huntsville, TX

Photo Gallery

Take a look at the photos from our most recent international writing retreat or view our full collection of Writing Getaway photos. 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS

Participants will receive a professional development certificate of participation. Stockton University is recognized by the New Jersey Department of Education to provide Professional Development credit hours, which many other states are willing to accept. You may check with your employer to see if it will work for you.

 

Questions?

Call 609-626-3594 or email info@murphywriting.com.

 

Book your slice of inspiration.