Thee Write Away is a Writer's Retreat experience in Rotorua, New Zealand

Learn fast, write slow.

Unleash your creativity in an unforgettable writer’s retreat experience.

Relax and recharge in New Zealand’s only ‘Hot Tub Valley’ - a thermal wonderland with natural hot springs, steaming fumaroles and splendor of colour.

This natural environment abounds with inspiration and a unique vibrational essence for inner transformation.

Rotorua is a sacred because of its deep connection between the land and people.

Create the space to view humanity through a story you’re proud to share.

Develop your intuition, clarify your purpose and reveal your authentic voice.

Discover your unique story with the support of our writer’s community, masterclasses with expert tutors and book coaches.

Free your voice.

Tell your story!

WHEN?

2024: Group retreats start 14th of every month. Choose 4, 3 or 7 days.
ANYTIME: personalise your own private or group writer's retreat, starting any day of the year.

WHAT?

Personalised Writer's Retreat or Self-Publishing Workshop
Options to join group workshops and social events (e.g. Mad Hatter Natter, Great Write Inn, Book Cover Avec Vino + Tea, Wee Write Inn, FrockIT!, Eat. Write. Heal.)
Options for private book coaching sessions

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WHERE?

Rotorua, Central North Island, New Zealand
Stay at Holiday houses, guest suites, lodges, bed and breakfasts, homestays or self-contained apartments all over Rotorua.
Vetted carefully for quality, style, value for money and suitability for writer's retreats.
Most have lake views - especially Lakes Okereka, Tarawera, Rotorua and Rotoiti.
You'll have complete freedom to stay in and write or join some/all of our daily literary or social functions at unique and interesting locations

WHO IS THIS FOR?

First-time writers wanting to kick-start a project
Writer's worried they don't have the skills, tools or know how to tell a memorable story
Established writers stuck on a project that isn't coming together
Authors wanting to spend time writing or have a deadline looming
Authors wanting to learn about self-publishing, editing, formating, production and marketing of books.
Individual writers or couples - particularly introverts who don't like large groups
Small groups of writers who already know each other, needing an easy "plug and play" retreat experience, that keeps everyone happy, learning and writing for up to seven days.
Age- gender- and genre-friendly.

WHY?

Leave distractions behind.
A rewarding, memorable, empowering experience.
Find focus and boost productivity.
Improve your writing skills.
Find inspiration and feed creativity.
Connect with our supportive writer’s community.
Receive personalised attention (lesson plans + book coaching).
Become centered yet connected: free your voice, tell your story!
Relax, recharge and recalibrate
Challenge and empower yourself
This is safe-space to heal, learn, write and grow
It’s time to ‘look after me’ - learn self-love and self-care practices from wellness experts

HOW?

This will be the fastest, easiest writer's retreat you'll ever organise!

We're writers too, so we've already done all of the research and have a smorgasbord of fabulous boutique accommodation options, pre-recorded masterclasses, local book coaches and "write-seeing' ideas at our fingertips.

We personalise every retreat!

Just a few quick and easy steps:

Register your interest for a no-obligation inquiry.
Answer a few questions: like length of stay, preferred accommodation style and your personal interests
Review our quote for your personalised writer's retreat.
If approved, pay the deposit, block out the dates in your calendar, and then prepare to stay and play, at Thee Write Away! (4, 3 or 7 days!)

THEE WRITE AWAY WRITER'S RETREAT PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Accommodation to suit your budget and style (saving hours of research)
Option to join group workshops like The Great Write Inn; Eat. Write. Heal and special guest speakers
Option to join social events like The Mad Hatter Natter, Book Cover Avec Vino + Tea and FrockIT!
Entry to our Wee Write Inns (every Wednesday)
Access to our Unique 7 Step learning programme, which covers all aspects of writing, publishing and selling books.
Personalised, daily lesson plan, matched to your preference to learn about writing or the publishing process
Full and forever access to our extensive library of Masterclasses, lessons and workshops, especially recorded by some of New Zealand's best authors and teachers (over 25 to choose from).
Our video guides, taking you step-by-step into your unique writer's journey, including comprehensive teaching resources, downloadable cheatsheets, templates, checklists, creative writer's prompts and workbooks.
Our guidebook and itinerary recommendations of paid and free "write-seeing" attractions and "write-being" activities all over Rotorua and The Hot Tub Valley, saving you weeks of research.
Options for private lessons with one of our Book Coaches or Publishing Experts, in-person or by zoom.
Option to book other wellness sessions that support healing and creativity (e.g. various hand and body massage treatments, forest bathe-ing, reiki, meditations, yoga, sound healing).
Our unique, Top 11 Hot Tub Secrets and Write-Seeing Spots: giving you exclusive access to an honest local opinion, on the best places to relax and be creative in and around Rotorua.
Forever access to New Zealand's "Wee Write Inn" Community. We meet on-line or in person with guest speakers and the opportunity to learn from each other.

SOME OF OUR TUTORS (OVER 20 LESSONS TO CHOOSE FROM):

Fiona Farrell is one of New Zealand’s leading writers, receiving critical acclaim and multiple awards across a variety of genres. Uniquely, she has been a finalist in all three categories at the NZ Book Awards for fiction, non-fiction or poetry. Authors will benefit from tips Fiona has used to create descriptions and imaginative locations, places and landscapes.
Catherine Chidgey is a multiple award-winning author whose novels have achieved international acclaim. An experienced tutor and master storyteller, Catherine will share her experience writing historical fiction and non-fiction and the power of the object. Recently Catherine has been named winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction (for the second time!) with her novel The Axeman's Carnival at The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. She also released Pet - an elegant and chilling psychological thriller ramping up the Best-Selling books.
Diane Brown is a novelist, memoirist and poet who runs her own creative writing school, Creative Writing Dunedin. In 2013, she was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to writing and education. An experienced tutor, Diane will inspire you to craft an engaging short story your readers will love.
Emma Neale is an award-winning novelist, poet and writing tutor with over 20 years of experience as an editor. She’ll share tips, tricks and short-cuts for the editing process.
Julia Anne: Thee Write Away Retreat Facilitator is an award-winning scientist, turned entrepreneur. Founder of the Look After Me Accommodation Network, co-creator of the Great Write Inn Literary workshops and Convenor for the Wee Write Inn community group, Julia has used the 7 step process to author her first book Secret Diary of an Entrepreneur as well as her second, Secret Diary of a Writer. A Rotorua local, Julia shares her write-seeing and write-being experiences and ideas for all writer's going on retreats in Rotorua.

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WRITE-SEEING OPTIONS

The Thee Write Away isn’t all work and no play, so we’ll also prepare a suggested itinerary of beautiful and relaxing sights for you to enjoy in your free time, such as:

Lake Tarawera is one of the largest lakes in New Zealand and features natural geothermal springs, lakeside hot pools and walking trails.
Hannah’s Bay is a reserve situated on the shores of Lake Rotorua, surrounded by the Kahikatea Forest. The beach here has easy access for swimming and watersports.
Buried Village is New Zealand’s most visited archaeological site, where stories of the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption come to life.
Hot tubs, thermal springs, therapy pools and spa treatments (Guide Julia's Top 11)

ABOUT NEW ZEALAND, ROTORUA AND 'THE HOT TUB VALLEY'

New Zealand is a group of three islands - the jewels of the South Pacific Ocean, easily accessible via Air New Zealand.

If you are looking for an idyllic location for a Writer's Retreat in New Zealand - let us introduce you to the “Hot Tub Valley.”

Boasting a really huge, geothermal cradle, (15 square kilometres!!), the Hot Tub Valley is the perfect place for exploring some of our 23 lakes, our world-class cycling and walking trails.

This gorgeous Valley takes in the steamy epi-centre of Rotorua, the meandering Waikato River, majestic Lake Taupo and the mountains just beyond.

Hot Tub Valley is a cruisy 3 hour drive, from Auckland International Airport, so it's quick and easy to get to.

Some say Rotorua is special because it nourishes and protects the beating heart, (he manawa nui), the very essence of New Zealand and her people.

Akin to the concept of the Earth Mother, or Papatuanuku, Rotorua is known for being a spiritual and sacred place because of its deep connection between the land and people and their commitment to look after each other.

Come feel the beat, the wai-rua (spirit) and have your own Writer's Retreat, your way.

With its pulsing surges of massive, natural hot springs, steaming fumaroles and splendor of colour, the natural environment abounds with magic, creativity and the peace and tranquility that being in nature brings.

From calmness and wonder, creativity springs and your writing will flourish.

However, like any place, the real pulse of Rotorua, is measured by the warm-heartedness of its people, the extent of our love and aroha.

We are also renowned for our hospitality, being kind, and looking after people, generously and well.

Fortunately, Rotorua, a town of about 77,000 people, was the original birthplace of hospitality and is a hub for New Zealand's Tourism. We have access to a network of a decent range of really gorgeous accommodation, a large and splendid community dining hall called "Eat Street", sumptuous night markets and a swag of classy, quirky (and everything in between) restaurants, cafes and bars.

Every week we have a Wee Write Inn Wednesday session as well as Friday and Saturday night social functions.... but you have complete freedom to run your retreat, however you want to run it!

You can go off the grid, writing by day, but drive 20 minutes to get back to the City-Life and hot tubs.

New Zealand is truly a paradise for writers retreats!

Rotorua is New Zealand's epi-centre for spa and wellness and is dotted with warm streams, foot spas, hot tubs nestled serenely amongst the ferns, salubrious lounging pools and any other kind of hot water, self-care or massaging experience you could hope for, wish for and dream about

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ABOUT LOOK AFTER ME

Created and co-hosted by Look After Me, a New Zealand's Accommodation and Experiences Company, Thee Write Away is a Writer's Retreat idea that was developed through Covid-19, as a way to support our network of Bed and Breakfasts, Holiday Houses, Self-Contained units and Lodges, to welcome the return of pandemic weary people.

Our philosophy is to look after people - so our retreats have been designed to nurture writers physically, emotionally and mentally. As writers ourselves, we realised that creating wellness of mind and body helps tend to whatever the heart or soul is yearning for.

It is this clarity, that makes really memorable stories.

Crafted, by writers, for writers - we help you seek and find answers to those burning questions about which story to tell, how to tell it well, and who would want to hear it, anyway. We have an amazing line up of talented, helpful creative writing teachers, that will bring out the best in you.

Because it's 2023, we deliver these lessons, right to wherever you chose to stay.

We use professional teaching software, plus You-Tube. This maximises writing time, reduces travelling time and means we can personalise the lesson plan, especially for you and where you are at, with your writing.

All of our places have internet, so we provide you access to stream any lesson you want, any checklist, template, or listen to the same lesson three times, if you want to.

It's learning about writing, at your pace, in your way, in the privacy of your own room. But with enough of the support of a community, if and when you are ready to reach out and join in one of our social functions or wellness breaks.

Thee Write Away Writers Retreats (and all of the live events) are facilitated by New Zealand owned events and accommodation network, Look After Me Ltd.

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Look After Me loves creating, hosting or being involved in memorable, enjoyable events in New Zealand communities.

Visit lookafterme.co.nz to learn more.