Black writers come together—to walk, to write, and to listen for what stillness reveals.
October 11–13, 2025
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend
A Cabin in the Woods, Massachusetts
A cabin, a forest, a circle of writers. For three days, we gather in quiet to write, walk, and reawaken our senses. This retreat is about rhythm—of the breath, of the body, of the page—and about remembering what it means to move through the world with care.
Hosted by Valley Society, this weekend retreat is a chance to step away from the noise and toward your voice.
What to Expect
Two Guided Writing Sessions Daily
- Rooted in the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method, each session invites generative writing and deep listening. No pressure. No critique. Just presence, words, and the honesty of the page.
Nature Walks
- We’ll walk together from our cabin in the woods each day—not to get somewhere, but to arrive more fully where we are. Optional guidance in Field Notes will be available for anyone interested in sharpening their attention and cultivating a deeper observational practice.
Daily Yoga
- Gentle, grounding movement to open the day and reset the body between sessions.
Shared Meals
- Some meals will be made together. Our table continues the circle—open, nourishing, and slow.
Sample Daily Schedule
- 8:00 AM – Morning Yoga
- 9:00 AM – Breakfast
- 10:00 AM – Morning Writing Session (AWA Style)
- 12:00 PM – Break & Personal Time
- 1:00 PM – Lunch
- 2:30 PM – Nature Walk
- 4:00 PM – Free Time
- 6:00 PM – Dinner (Group Cooking)
- 7:30 PM – Evening Writing Session (AWA Style)
- 9:00 PM – Firelight / Open Conversation
A Note on the Season
Autumn begins to whisper in early October. The air changes. The light softens. We hold this retreat in that hinge of the year, where everything turns inward. For writers, it’s a decisive moment to listen—to the land, to each other, and to the stories ready to be told.
Invitation Only
- This retreat is limited to five writers.
- Participation is by invitation only.
- This ensures that the circle remains intimate and that each writer has space to listen deeply—to the land, to each other, and to their own voice.
Facilitator
Christopher J. Sparks is a writer, historian, and facilitator based in Western Massachusetts. He leads the oral history project at NorthamptonStateHospital.org, preserving stories from one of the state’s most complex mental health institutions. A longtime advocate for public memory and place-based storytelling, Christopher brings a background in community writing, urban exploration, and digital strategy to his work. He is a certified Amherst Writers & Artists facilitator and a former web strategist at UMass Amherst. His retreats emphasize presence, sensory awareness, and the quiet power of writing as a way to witness the world—and oneself—with care.