Behind the Scenes
- Nic Brownlie
- Aug 19
- 3 min read
This month, with my doctoral thesis finally out of the way, there has been time to move things forward behind the scenes at A Place to Write. Not only have we belatedly added a Tripadvisor page for reviews of our retreats but we have been talking to various specialists about hosting future retreats at Bron Y Graig. In addition, in the last month our new signs have gone up: not only with a splash of bright colour to catch the eye, but also with recognition of our developing role as a retreat centre. For more information about these and other behind the scenes developments, read on!
Over the month of August, for the first time, we have been running a coordinated campaign to promote our writing and Shakespeare retreats. This campaign has featured a series of reels starring yours truly (if starring is the right word!) seeking to answer the questions we are most commonly asked and illustrate our friendly, productive and inspiring retreats. Early results are very promising, with a huge uptick in bookings this month. Our September tutored retreat, for example, has been sold out four times: on an unprecedented four occasions there have been changes to a guest's personal circumstances that have caused them to drop out, and four times a replacement has signed up within a few days! Our other autumn retreats are all also on course to be very well attended too.
Last week we were approached by The Roaming Writer who we hope to collaborate with on a carbon zero writing retreat with a difference in the near future. We have also been talking to a fantastic script writing tutor who currently works with creatives in London and who we hope will be offering another unique writing retreat at A Place to Write in 2026. We are also currently speaking to photographers and local ramblers about the possibility of creating some in-nature retreats to add to our programme - all with the trademark Bron Y Graig hospitality, warm welcome and magical inspiring atmosphere. Watch out for details coming soon.
As another part of our marketing work behind the scenes, we have started a Tripadvisor page for A Place to Write which will provide further reassurance of our credentials for those who need it. We already have a page for Google reviews which is being visited regularly and hopefully Tripadvisor will prove as useful for potential guests. At the same time our new signs are catching the eye on the A5 and developing local awareness of our unique retreat offer. On that note, we are delighted to be welcoming a very local guest on our Shakespeare's Tragedies retreat in November: our furthest travelling guest to date joined us from the Galapagos Islands, and now our most local guest will be joining us from the Rhug Estate - just two miles away.
Finally, as part of our developing programme of retreats we have developed an exciting 'Create a Story from Scratch' retreat - with support at every stage. Mixing inspiration with perspiration (and overcoming writers' block along the way!) the week will begin with a gentle exploration of Corwen and the local area designed to provide ideas, materials and research opportunities for a short story which will be completed in just four days. In that period the work will be drafted, refined, revised, edited, reviewed and read in a candlelight reading. We will also be offering a prize for the best short story and, behind the scenes, helping the writers move them toward publication. If you know anyone who would be interested in this unique opportunity, let them know about it: the week is especially suited to new writers without a current project who are looking for a focus to get them writing - with as much or as little support as they require. See 'Create a Short Story from Scratch' for more details.
More news next month!
Nic
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