Writing in a Palace 2017
WHEN: 16-23rd September, 2017
WHERE: Palazzo Donati, Mercatello sul Metuaro, Le Marche region, Italy
COST: **Early bird: AUD $2650 plus 200 Euro on arrival Book Now
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Details
Writing in a Palace offers more than a writer’s retreat.
Imagine * Doing what most of us only dream... & spending a blissful week on a writing retreat * Visiting the region that inspired Dante’s Divine Comedy * Enjoying Renaissance architecture, gourmet feasts & summer aperitivos
Experience * Living in a medieval Italian palace * 6 days writing tuition with Claire Scobie * Inspired personal writing time * A rich cultural community in the Apennine foothills * Meeting other writers & literary soirees
Discover * How to find your creative voice * How to have fun with your writing * Ways to beat writers’ block * Techniques to craft compelling characters, evoke place & write with all the senses
Singabout’s Luisa Donati will open the doors to the palace for us and our highly talented course director Claire Scobie will expertly guide participants through their own writing adventure.
"Claire is such a warm and knowledgeable writer who is so passionate about what she does. Thank you for turning the light on in my writing world." - Julie Woodhouse
The place itself
With its rich history and enduring connection with Dante, Mercatello sul Metauro in the Marche region is an inspiring place to write. Our morning writing classes will take place in the elegant high-ceilinged reception room of the palace, overlooking the town square. Afternoons are free for you to you wander the cobbled laneways, meet the locals and find a quiet place work on your story.
About the week
Whether you’re working on a novel, have just started a blog or want to write your own memoir, this course is designed to accommodate all levels of experience. It is open to fiction and non-fiction writers. You will have the opportunity to discuss your personal writing issues in an individual session with your course leader and workshop ideas in the group. Whatever stage you are at, Writing in a Palace will expand your writer’s toolkit.
During the week we’ll focus on how our own lives give us stories. These might be turned into memoir or reshaped into fiction. We’ll explore different craft elements — from developing characters out of real people, to creating a sense of place and how to use all the senses. Claire uses lots of techniques to help writers discover their story – and have fun doing it.
Live like a local. Learn to write like a professional.
The food
A special treat will be a once in a lifetime banquet prepared by the Academia del Padlot, nine men who are passionate about their local food. Those brown nuggets are local truffles!
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Getting there
We meet at 2pm at Santa Maria Novella, Florence - (outside the Train Station - Detailed Trip Notes available soon)
If coming from Australia or New Zealand we recommend arriving in Europe at least 3 days prior to this event to recover from jetlag. Staying in Rome or in Florence is a suggestion. Florence has an international and domestic airport, train station and bus station.
Please let us know if you would like help with suggestions or travel plans. - Cost
Pre arrival payment.
** Updated Early Bird rate till the 30th April 2017.AUD GBP* (correct at time of publishing) Early Bird $2650 Early Bird £1,337 From 1st July $2850 From the 1st July £1438 Single supplement $ 450.00 Single supplement £ 249.00 Singabout does not require single travellers to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you would like a guarantee of a single room a single supplement is payable.
Post arrival
Our host requires an additional payment of €200 to be paid on arrival.
Payments can be made through the Singabout site after filling in your booking form. Singabout uses a secure credit card payment gateway accepting Mastercard and Visa credit cards in *AUSTRALIAN dollars.
Please go to a currency converter to check the current exchange conversion rate if paying outside of Australia.
PayPal is another payment option, please contact us if you would prefer to use this method to pay your event.
Minimum Deposit to secure your place: $AUD300
Balance must be paid in full by the July 30, 2017
Contact
Please contact us if you have any questions about this writing course.
Would you like to stay in the loop with our writers? Sign up to our writers' list and we can send you tips and updates. E-NEWSFor more information about Claire Scobie go to clairescobie.com
Do you 
want to learn some Italian before you travel? If you cannot get to a class to learn the language, why not try out a free app called Duolingo. We think it is great. Click on the logo to read about it.