About the 2026 Virtual Summer Retreat
Starting June 7th, 2026, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever! We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, novel, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat).
Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000. At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will have an asking price of $325 (sliding scale) with higher tiers. There are partial scholarships and limited options available to writers in need, but because of the low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.
Applications will open via Submittable from January 1st to March 7th. It is FREE to apply for the first application (though we do appreciate donations!). Applicants may apply for additional cohorts but must select a reading fee of $10 or more for each additional application for it to be accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance in late-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and Retreat admins.
Nonfiction Faculty Leader: Camille U. Adams
CAMILLE U. ADAMS, Ph.D. was born and raised in beautiful Trinidad and Tobago. She is the author of the explosive memoir How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian memoir, finalist in the Restless Books Prize in New Immigrant Writing 2023. Camille’s memoir writing is featured in Passages North,Citron Review, XRAY Literary Magazine,Variant Literature,The ForgeLiterary Magazine,Kweli Magazine, and was awarded Best of the Net 2024 (creative nonfiction). Her other honours include an awarded fellowship as an inaugural Tin House Reading Fellow, an inaugural Granta nature writing workshop fellowship, an inaugural Anaphora Arts Italy Writing Retreat Fellowship, a McKnight Doctoral Fellowship, a Community of Writers Fellowship, A VONA scholarship, and a Roots Wounds Words Fellowship.
Application Guidelines
Nonfiction and Short Fiction: One story / piece, up to 4,000 words. Double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman/Garamond. *Memoir excerpts are allowed for nonfiction. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submissions.*
Poetry: 3-5 poems, no longer than 10 pages. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond.
Novel: 15 pages max, double spaced. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submission.
Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.
In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.
International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.
Scholarships
One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.
Writers in Need
There is limited sliding scale pricing for writers in need, lowering the cost to $250 total. However, due to its limited availability, we cannot guarantee this price to every writer who requests it. We ask that writers apply understanding the $325 asking price.
Dates
Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST
Sunday, June 7th
Sunday, June 14th
Sunday, June 21st
Sunday, June 28th
Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com
About the 2026 Virtual Summer Retreat
Starting June 7th, 2026, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever! We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, novel, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat).
Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000. At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will have an asking price of $325 (sliding scale) with higher tiers. There are partial scholarships and limited options available to writers in need, but because of the low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.
Applications will open via Submittable from January 1st to March 7th. It is FREE to apply for the first application (though we do appreciate donations!). Applicants may apply for additional cohorts but must select a reading fee of $10 or more for each additional application for it to be accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance in late-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and Retreat admins.
Novel Faculty Leader: Benedict Nguyễn
Benedict Nguyễn (she/her) is a #freelanceflailing dancer, writer, and creative producer who's taught workshops for AAWW, Tin House, and at Louis Place. She’s danced in recent projects by Sally Silvers, Kris Seto, Monstah Black, among other choreographers, appeared in the short film “Don’t F*ck with Bà” (2024, dir. Sally Tran), and began developing the dance theater work “DEFENSE” with Sugar Vendil in 2025. Her writing on labor and culture has appeared in The Baffler, BOMB Magazine, Vanity Fair, Los Angeles Review of Books, and AAWW’sThe Margins. A Publishers Weekly 2025 Writer to Watch, Benedict is the author of the [redacted] freelance laborzine nasty notes (2022). Her debut novelHot Girls with Balls (Catapult 2025) was an ABA Indie Next Pick, an Aardvark Book Club Pick, and a USA Today National Bestseller.
Application Guidelines
Nonfiction and Short Fiction: One story / piece, up to 4,000 words. Double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman/Garamond. *Memoir excerpts are allowed for nonfiction. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submissions.*
Poetry: 3-5 poems, no longer than 10 pages. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond.
Novel: 15 pages max, double spaced. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submission.
Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.
In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.
International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.
Scholarships
One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.
Writers in Need
There is limited sliding scale pricing for writers in need, lowering the cost to $250 total. However, due to its limited availability, we cannot guarantee this price to every writer who requests it. We ask that writers apply understanding the $325 asking price.
Dates
Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST
Sunday, June 7th
Sunday, June 14th
Sunday, June 21st
Sunday, June 28th
Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com
About the 2026 Virtual Summer Retreat
Starting June 7th, 2026, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever! We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, novel, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat).
Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000. At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will have an asking price of $325 (sliding scale) with higher tiers. There are partial scholarships and limited options available to writers in need, but because of the low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.
Applications will open via Submittable from January 1st to March 7th. It is FREE to apply for the first application (though we do appreciate donations!). Applicants may apply for additional cohorts but must select a reading fee of $10 or more for each additional application for it to be accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance in late-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and Retreat admins.
Short Fiction Faculty Leader: Annell López
Annell López is the winner of the Louise Meriwether First Book Prize and the author of the short story collection I’ll Give You a Reason, a finalist for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for best debut short story collection. Named a best short story collection of 2024 by Electric Literature, I’ll Give You a Reason has been longlisted for the Maya Angelou Book Award, the Reforma Latinx Book Award, and shortlisted for the Clark Fiction Prize. Most recently, López was recognized as a Gambit’s 40 under 40. Her work has appeared inGuernica, American Short Fiction,The Common, Brooklyn Rail, Refinery29, andTIME. López received her MFA from the University of New Orleans, where she was awarded the Joanna Leake Fiction Prize. She is working on a novel.
Application Guidelines
Nonfiction and Short Fiction: One story / piece, up to 4,000 words. Double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman/Garamond. *Memoir excerpts are allowed for nonfiction. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submissions.*
Poetry: 3-5 poems, no longer than 10 pages. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond.
Novel: 15 pages max, double spaced. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submission.
Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.
In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.
International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.
Scholarships
One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.
Writers in Need
There is limited sliding scale pricing for writers in need, lowering the cost to $250 total. However, due to its limited availability, we cannot guarantee this price to every writer who requests it. We ask that writers apply understanding the $325 asking price.
Dates
Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST
Sunday, June 7th
Sunday, June 14th
Sunday, June 21st
Sunday, June 28th
Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com
About the 2026 Virtual Summer Retreat
Starting June 7th, 2026, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever! We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, novel, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat).
Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000. At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will have an asking price of $325 (sliding scale) with higher tiers. There are partial scholarships and limited options available to writers in need, but because of the low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.
Applications will open via Submittable from January 1st to March 7th. It is FREE to apply for the first application (though we do appreciate donations!). Applicants may apply for additional cohorts but must select a reading fee of $10 or more for each additional application for it to be accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance in late-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and Retreat admins.
Poetry Faculty Leader: Saúl Hernández
Saúl Hernández is a queer writer, who was raised by former undocumented parents. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Texas at El Paso. Saúl is a 2025 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow. His debut poetry collection, How to Kill a Goat & Other Monsters, is a 2025 Lambda Literary Award Winner in Gay Poetry, a Texas League of Writers’ Discovery Award Winner, was longlisted for a PEN Open Book Award, and received the Institute of Letters’ honor-winner for First Book of Poetry. He's the winner of both the 2022 Pleiades Prufer Poetry Prize judged by Joy Priest & the 2021 Two Sylvias Press Chapbook Prize judged by Victoria Chang. His poems have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize & Best of The Net. Saúl’s work is featured in American Poetry Review, Poetry Daily, The Slowdown, Literary Hub, & elsewhere.
Application Guidelines
Nonfiction and Short Fiction: One story / piece, up to 4,000 words. Double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman/Garamond. *Memoir excerpts are allowed for nonfiction. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submissions.*
Poetry: 3-5 poems, no longer than 10 pages. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond.
Novel: 15 pages max, double spaced. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submission.
Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.
In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.
International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.
Scholarships
One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.
Writers in Need
There is limited sliding scale pricing for writers in need, lowering the cost to $250 total. However, due to its limited availability, we cannot guarantee this price to every writer who requests it. We ask that writers apply understanding the $325 asking price.
Dates
Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST
Sunday, June 7th
Sunday, June 14th
Sunday, June 21st
Sunday, June 28th
Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com
About the 2026 Virtual Summer Retreat
Starting June 7th, 2026, Abode Press is returning with our virtual retreat experience! With the success of our first retreat, we are coming back bigger and better than ever! We will also have workshops available in poetry, fiction, novel, and nonfiction, and attendees will also be able to attend 2-3 craft talks and lectures throughout the week (x2 as much than our first retreat). Most retreat experiences are costly, tending to be upwards to $2000.
At Abode, we are working tirelessly to increase accessibility for writers to attend much needed spaces to work on their craft and build connections without compromising their livelihood. This is why the retreat will have an asking price of $325 (sliding scale) with higher tiers. There are partial scholarships and limited options available to writers in need, but because of the low price, applicants will be selected based off the strength of their application and alignment with our press.
Applications will open via Submittable from January 1st to March 7th. It is FREE to apply for the first application (though we do appreciate donations!). Applicants may apply for additional cohorts but must select a reading fee of $10 or more for each additional application for it to be accepted. Applicants will be notified of acceptance in late-March. All funds will go towards paying our presenters, press operations, and Retreat admins.
Poetry Faculty Leader: Ariana Brown
Ariana Brown is a queer Black Mexican American writer and the author of We Are Owed. (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020). A national collegiate poetry slam champion, Ariana holds a B.A. in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies, an M.F.A. in Poetry, and M.S. in Library Science. She lives and works in Houston, TX, where she teaches creative writing to teens. She has been writing, performing, and teaching poetry for over a decade.
Ariana Brown's Workshop Description
Unlike traditional MFA style workshops, Ariana Brown’s Poetry Workshop is an anti-elitist, community building space that discourages writers from feeding into self-doubt and outsourcing validation. In this workshop, we will prioritize self-trust, clarity of vision, and support toward helping each writer make their creative vision a reality.
To achieve this goal, we will use the Critical Response Process to workshop poems. The CRP model, developed by choreographer Liz Lerman to give and receive feedback on creative works-in-progress, encourages the artist to take an active role in the feedback process. The focus of CRP is not to “fix” the work in question, it is to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the artist so they can better understand the goals of their work and how best to achieve them.
The Critical Response Process, when done correctly, takes more time than the traditional MFA workshop model. Ariana encourages you to bring 2-3 poems-in-progress that you find frustrating, confusing, and complicated. We will workshop your 2-3 poems-in-progress in great depth during your dedicated hour. Please bring detailed questions you have about your poems-in-progress and a written goal for each poem (ex: What do I want this poem to do? How do I want the reader to feel? What message do I want to communicate?)
Want to further understand The Critical Response workshop model? Watch the video below to where Ariana Brown breaks down the process.
In Ariana Brown's workshop, participants can expect to receive the following:
- Detailed instructions from Ariana Brown about engaging in the Critical Response Process
- An expertly facilitated workshop with emphasis on thoughtful, compassionate feedback
- One full hour devoted to workshopping 2-3 of your poems-in-progress
- Verbal feedback provided in an organic, generative setting that you are allowed to discuss, disagree with, and contribute to, plus a page of personalized writing prompts from Ariana to help you further explore your work
- Intimate workshop setting with a maximum of 12 students, with 3 students workshopped per week
Brown's Workshop Requirements
- Attendance is mandatory at all workshop sessions. The Critical Response Process requires the presence of all participant voices to function as organically as possible. If you are absent from a workshop session, you forfeit the chance to receive feedback on your work.
- No asking for general feedback. You are already a worthy and talented writer! Ariana encourages you to ask for specific feedback and get clear on the goals of your poems so we can help you figure out how to achieve those goals.
- Participants must be willing to unlearn the traditional, elitist ways we have been trained to give and receive feedback. Critique is a skill we will work together to build.
- Due to the intimate nature of the workshop, participants are required to keep their cameras on during all sessions to promote transparency and reciprocity.
- Reciprocity is a core value of this workshop; thus, enthusiastic participation is required for all participants.
Application Guidelines
Nonfiction and Short Fiction: One story / piece, up to 4,000 words. Double-spaced, 12pt font, Times New Roman/Garamond. *Memoir excerpts are allowed for nonfiction. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submissions.*
Poetry: 3-5 poems, no longer than 10 pages. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond.
Novel: 15 pages max, double spaced. 12pt, Times New Roman/Garamond. Feel free to include a synopsis of the project on the front page of the submission.
Once admitted, you can workshop a manuscript different from the one you applied with.
In addition to the writing sample, the application asks for an author bio and artist statement.
Applicants must be 21 years of age by March 1st, 2025 to apply.
International writers are welcome to apply as long as the dates/times for the workshops work for your schedule.
Scholarships
One person from each cohort will be granted a partial scholarship. In order to apply for this, all you must do is click "Yes" to the scholarship question on the Submittable application.
Writers in Need
There is limited sliding scale pricing for writers in need, lowering the cost to $250 total. However, due to its limited availability, we cannot guarantee this price to every writer who requests it. We ask that writers apply understanding the $325 asking price.
Dates
Mandatory Workshop Dates from 11am-2pm CST
Sunday, June 7th
Sunday, June 14th
Sunday, June 21st
Sunday, June 28th
Please note, throughout the week attendees will have access to 2-3 weekly lectures, craft talks, and more from workshop leaders and renowned writers. There will also be multiple open mic opportunities for attendees to read their works, and friends and family are encouraged to attend! A comprehensive guide of Retreat Programming will be provided to accepted attendees.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@abodepress.com