Everything you want to know

  • A lodge sits nestled in the trees

    The Location

    TALUS ROCK RETREAT

    Talus Rock is one of the most creative, thoughtful, and surprising places you’ll ever stay. It is the artistic dream of Heather Pederson, who spent years cultivating something between a home, a museum, and an art exhibition. Now, it serves as a boutique venue, perfect for our purposes. There are cozy corners to write in, a tiny cabin with a porch, grassy slopes, trickling creeks, ponds full of waterfowl. And in October, the trees will begin their shift to brilliant autumnal colors.

  • A pot filled with uncooked soup ingredients

    The Food

    NOURISHMENT by CHEF ELIZABETH

    Our food will be made from mostly local, whole ingredients, with fresh vegetables and fruits, and an ample seasoning of love. Our mostly vegetarian faire will include a cameo or two from local, pasture-raised meat or wild-caught salmon, and plenty of Elizabeth’s famous shortbread cookies to accompany our coffee and writing. Most dietary needs can be accommodated. Daily snack delights will be readily available to satisfy your belly and soul!

  • A view of a lake with bridges and mountains in the background

    The Town

    SANDPOINT, IDAHO

    The small mountain town of Sandpoint is known for its charming downtown, the unique Cedar Street Bridge shops and cafés, a variety of delightful dining opportunities, a historic theatre, award winning breweries and coffee roasters, and the soft sand of the City Beach. You’ll have time between sessions to explore all it has to offer, and perhaps even find the bookstore.

  • A trail winds through moss and hemlock trees

    The Area

    LAKES, TREES, & TRAILS

    North Idaho is known for its vast wilderness areas, expansive lakes, granite peaks, and varied recreational opportunities. Whether you want to stroll on the nearby trails, or hike to an alpine lake, or mountain bike some wicked flow, or paddle board across the Pend Oreille, or simply stroll the sprawling Talus Rock property, every opportunity to immerse yourself in nature is available!

  • Image by Mark Wagner - A river flowing through a city park in summer

    The Traveling

    SPOKANE AIRPORT

    There are regular flights into Spokane International Airport (GEG) from major cities and hubs across the US. From Spokane, it’s about a 90 minute drive to Sandpoint. There are no shuttles, but one can rent a car and/or carpool with other participants. For those arriving early, Spokane is a thriving city built around the marvelous Spokane falls, with incredible history and our favorite bookstore, Auntie’s!

The writing courses

There are two morning courses and two afternoon courses, each led by our lead faculty. Upon registration, you’ll choose which morning course and afternoon course you’ll participate in. Each day, you’ll meet at the same time with the same faculty and group of that course.

Descriptions of our courses can be found here, and if you’re curious about the background of the teachers, visit our Faculty page to find out more.

All retreat participants are automatically registered for the Saturday Workshop Series and have early-bird signup to their workshops of choice.

A woman writes on a desk facing the wilderness. A brown dog sits beside her.

  • The key to a successful microfiction story is a well-defined character married with plot development, all compressed into a brief but potent narrative. These pieces foster creativity and expand writing skills, refining the ability to convey complex ideas concisely without sacrificing the story’s punch or meaning. Microfiction is a genre that both challenges and sharpens your writing. In this workshop, you will write and revise a story of 300 words or less. During this class you will:

    • read and parse multiple microfiction examples

    • workshop your story with your peers

    • receive instructor feedback on your drafts

    • explore places to publish your piece.

  • This generative course focuses on the parts of story, from start to finish, with discussion, prompts, and plenty of write time to fuel your creative muse. Whether you’re working on a memoir, diving into a novel, or just learning about the ingredients of story, our exploration of components will make your writing more powerful. We’ll look at themes like:

    • Setting and scene and how they inform our characters

    • What speeds or slows momentum in a story and why you might want one or the other

    • The load-bearing walls of a story that sometime need to be torn down anyway

    • Perspective and the narrator, and how to use them intentionally

    • Plot twists, pivots, and what I like to call “the plivot” (which usually surprises the writer as much as the reader

    • And more!

  • If you've been submitting your work to literary journals and haven't been having success, (or maybe you’re new to submitting altogether!) it could be that amateur missteps and lack of professional conventions are torpedoing your chances--possibly before your work even reaches the editors. Learn practical tips on how to format submissions that look professional, use professional submission trackers, and navigate the literary journal hierarchy. We'll visit several databases where you can find legitimate publishing and contest markets. 

    This three-class course builds upon concepts each day to get you, and your work, ready for successful submission.

  • In these generative workshops, we’ll get intimate with the craft of writing through exercises that explore concepts of brevity, perspective, narrator voice, word choice, what the hell a modifier is and how many we need, telling details that inform an entire story, how dialogue drives momentum, and more. This is a great place to play with different techniques that can be applied widely to your unique voice as you master the craft of writing.

Accommodations & Cost

One of the things we love about this location is the option for us to offer a variety of accommodations. The lodge has six suites or rooms, three of them are shared spaces, with another suite on the property. All rooms have an ensuite bathroom. All options come with meals included, with the exception of Self-hosting participants, who will receive Breakfast and Lunch.

What we’re particularly excited about is that the location also has space for camper vans or tent camping (for the rustics who don’t need a shower!).

Participants can also find alternative accommodations and join us during the day from breakfast through the afternoon session. With these options, we’re able to also offer a variety of rates.

Because the Selkirk Mountain Writing Retreat is a program of the Sandpoint Alliance for Equality (a 501c3), all profits are contributed to scholarship opportunities for future participants.

  • Talus Rock’s Signature Suite, this heavenly, romantic, open-air style space features a jetted tub for two, king bed, an octagonal 30-foot copper ceiling, and a one-of-a-kind double-headed tree shower. Open the French doors to a private deck, step outside and be surrounded by the gorgeous backdrop of the majestic Cabinet Mountains.

    ~ Price: $3400

  • This private suite has a small kitchenette, a private entrance and porch, and is tucked into the wooded slopes. It is in a different building from the main lodge, and a perfect place for someone who likes quiet privacy and solitude.

    ~Price: $3200

  • Enjoy the east-facing Kipling Room featuring a wildly colorful bathroom inlaid with over 200 Talavera Mexican tiles and deep jetted tub! Open the sliding glass doors to a Parisian balcony and take in the awe-inspiring views of the waterfall, pond and Cabinet Mountains.

    ~Price: $2900

  • The Nooma Room is located on the estate grounds level and is wheelchair accessible. It is pleasantly tucked in and serves as a nice and secluded haven. It has a king bed, custom stained concrete shower, and a kitchenette in the room. There is direct access to the gardens and grounds.

    ~Price: $2900

  • These charming rooms with lofts are for sharing! With one queen bed in the main room and a cozy lofted sleeping area, accessible by ladder, it’s a perfect space for you and your writing bestie, or to make a new friend!

    ~Price, Main bed: $2600
    ~Price, Loft bed*: $2400

    *The loft bed is only accessible by a ladder. Please be sure to only choose this space if you are comfortable ascending and descending a ladder at all times.

  • This is a shared room is cozy and luxurious. It’s a plush mini-apartment with a separate ramped entrance, wraparound private deck, full kitchen, relaxing living room (with a queen futon) and an adjoining queen bedroom. Enjoy the intricate details such as the inlaid colorful sunflower mosaic-tiled shower and matching sink, striking copper ceilings, and eclectic artwork!

    ~Price, Queen bed: $2600
    ~Price, Queen futon: $2400

  • For those who love the full-immersion experience of nature, the property has space for vans to park and for tents to be pitched. Indoor facilities are available; however, there are no additional showers (though nothing bars a generous participant from sharing theirs). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included!

    ~ Price: $2100

  • Do you live in town? Do you know someone who lives in town? Did you find other accommodations? No problem! We’re thrilled to have you. This fee includes Breakfast and Lunch, but excludes dinner.

    ~Price: $1800

Register for the Retreat!

We endeavor to make writing accessible to all. If the cost of participation is prohibitive, please visit our scholarship opportunities page to learn about how we might support you in joining us!