Join Wordcrafters for a spooky, fun-filled writing retreat along the beautiful McKenzie River where you’ll write and revise a short ghost story in the company of other writers.

Picture this: four days in the serene woods, crafting ghostly tales, and sharing them with fellow writers. You’ll enjoy good company, good chocolate, and good stories. From Thursday evening to Sunday morning, you’ll dive into the art of ghost story writing and emerge with a tale to tell of your own.

This fun, generative writing retreat is held along the beautiful McKenzie River at Harbick’s Country Inn in Blue River, Oregon, and welcomes writers of all levels.

What you’ll get at Ghost Story Weekend

Instruction on how to write short stories
Knowledge about ghost stories
Daily writing time
Opportunities to share your story-in-progress and receive feedback
Time to revise your short story
A bag of inspiration, filled with goodies like tarot cards, haunted places, strange recipes, and love letters
A Wordcrafters short-story guidebook filled with prompts and information
A 30-minute one-on-one story session with the instructor to help you with plot, structure, and character development
Delicious chocolate and snacks
Camaraderie with fellow writers

What you’ll take home with you

A finished short story that you’ll write and revise throughout the long weekend
Information on where you can submit your story for publication
An experience of community with like-hearted writers
The knowledge of how to craft short stories
A deeper understanding of the ghost story genre

This year’s Ghost Story spirit guide is Portland-based author Erick Mertz. He’ll inspire you with talks on ghost stories, story structure, and how to feed your monster. Throughout the weekend, Erick will be available for one-on-one guidance, sharing his story wisdom during meals and gatherings, while writing his own story alongside you.

What to expect

Thursday evening: optional dinner (not included), ghost story discussion and instruction, and the official start of writing
Friday: dedicated writing time, group meals, a craft talk, and small-group critique of your first draft.
Saturday: dedicated writing time to work on your draft, group meals, and, in the evening, gathering around the fire (or a spooky spot) to share your ghost story.
Sunday morning: light feedback session to help you further refine your tale.