Join us on a writerly escape to the mountains of West Virginia! Spend 4 days and 3 nights writing at Cacapon State Park, overlooking the Cacapon Mountains.

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• Each day, determine your own schedule of reading and writing in the historic Old Inn with couches, tables, and a fireplace, or walking the grounds of the beautiful Cacapon State Park.

• Daylight hours will be quiet time in the main cabin, and writers are free to roam the property. Evenings will be communal time with provided dinners and socializing.

• On the final night, we will have a celebration with alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, writerly games, and a chance for participants to share some of what they've been working on around the fire.

 

Come for the space to write, come for the community, but most of all, come for the inspiration that will last beyond the weekend and into the rest of the year!

 

We are requesting prospective retreaters to fill out a simple application form, so we can learn more about you and ensure this retreat is right for you. We reserve the right to refuse admission to our retreat for any reason. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.

 

Applications due November 1st, and we will notify participants by December 1st. 

 

Please note: 

• Both shared and private rooms available. Please indicate your preference in the application, and whether you will bring your own roommate or would like to be paired with someone.

• Please also indicate whether you need help with transportation, and we will try to help coordinate carpooling to and from the site.

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We will sponsor one writer from an underrepresented community who might not otherwise have the means to participate in the retreat without financial support. The sponsorship will cover the lodging costs of one private room. If you feel you are eligible to be considered for this opportunity, please indicate so in your application.

 

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About us and our partners

 

The Inner Loop cultivates and promotes the distinctive literary culture of Washington, DC. We create inclusive and accessible opportunities for our diverse network of both emerging and established writers to connect with each other, to connect to their community, and to transform the written word into a shared experience through the act of reading aloud.

 

Mason Jar Press has been publishing handmade, limited-run chapbooks and full-length books since 2014. The Press is dedicated to finding new and exciting work by writers that push the bounds of literary norms. While the work Mason Jar seeks to publish is meant to challenge status quos, both literary and culturally, it must also have significant merit in both those realms.

 

The Writer’s Center supports writers and everyone who wants to write! Every year we offer hundreds of creative writing workshops in all genres and for all experience levels, dozens of free events for writers, and countless opportunities to connect with the Washington DC and national literary communities.

 

About the site

 

Cacapon Resort State Park is a 6,000-acre park located on the eastern slopes of Cacapon Mountain in Morgan County, West Virginia. It is ~100 miles (2-hour drive) from DC and Baltimore, and ~10 miles from the town of Berkeley Springs, WV. It offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, and over 20 miles of hiking trails, where visitors can explore the park’s diverse habitats, take in stunning views of the surrounding mountains, and get up close and personal with the park’s waterfalls.

 

The Old Inn was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was the first lodge in the West Virginia State Park System. This impressive inn recaptures a Colonial atmosphere with hand-hewn log beams, and guest rooms have tongue and groove walls of wormy-chestnut and knotty pine. The Old Inn is a unique setting for groups and family reunions, featuring 12 individual bedrooms with 8 full baths and 1 half bath, The kitchen is fully equipped for large groups with a commercial stove, ice machine, two refrigerators, two dishwashers, commercial microwave, commercial coffee maker, toaster, pots and pans, and dishes. Cable television is provided in the two common rooms and Wi-Fi is available. There is also an outdoor fire ring.

 

Writing spaces are everywhere and anywhere. There are couches and tables inside the Old Inn and outside (but it will likely be quite cold) with plenty of space to accommodate everyone. If you want to get away from the Old Inn, the resort lodge is open to the public. It’s full of tables with a cute covered deck with a great view. We encourage you all to bring blankets and camp chairs for fireside outside gatherings (if it’s not frigid!).

 

What to Expect

 

• Meals: Dinners will be provided. They will be vegetarian with gluten free and vegan options. You are welcome to bring your own meat, and also indicate any dietary restrictions in the application. We will also provide continental breakfast items and snacks. Lunches will be on your own.

• Workshops: Each afternoon there will be an optional workshop you can attend, as well as optional one-on-one editorial meetings with an experienced editor for an additional fee. Please indicate your interest in the application.

• Vibe: Informal with lots of quiet time and opportunities to connect with other writers.