Credit: Jolene Dombrowski
Elva Crist
From January 31 to February 1, talented and driven writers from the Chippewa Valley literary community will gather for two days of craft, connection, and creativity at the Oxbow Hotel in downtown Eau Claire for the annual Oxbow Writer’s Retreat.
“One of the joys of this retreat is creating a space that allows various writers in residence from across the region to take turns hosting the experience for our guests,” says BJ Hollars, the director of the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild. “It provides a new experience year after year.”
Each writer participating in the retreat will have the opportunity for a 15-minute mentoring session with the Writer-in-Residence, Maggie Ginberg. Ginsberg is a renowned Wisconsin writer of both fiction and nonfiction, who has been practicing her craft professionally for twenty years. Like many of the writers in the Chippewa Valley, Ginsberg has a propensity to writings of place, making her the perfect artist to lead this retreat.
Looking ahead, Ginsberg foresees a diverse range of experiences at the event, thanks to its customizable mentorship format, which sets the workshop apart from many others.
“Everyone needs something different,” Ginsberg remarked. “Everyone is at a different spot in their career or their practice. So, I plan to engage in writing prompts or exercises that are customizable, that meet everyone where they are.”
In keeping with this philosophy, Ginsberg emphasizes the importance of reflecting on one’s own experience, goals, practice, and reasons for investment in this time, rather than being concerned about meeting external expectations.
“The best thing you can do for yourself is learn your own brain,” Ginsberg says. “Learn your own process instead of trying to fit into someone else’s box.”
While the CVWG hosts a variety of writers' retreat experiences, the Oxbow Writers’ Retreat is unique in that it has an overnight component, which allows for a little more sustained fellowship and creative activity.”
Ginsberg does not underestimate the importance of mentorship and literary community in such an inherently solitary pursuit as writing. She remarked that community relationships with other writers, via mentorship, reading, collaborations, and workshops, have been pivotal in her development as a writer, in terms of craft and emotion.
“It’s not just about trying to hone my skills as best I can, but also feeling less alone in it can be a really important part of the job.”
“It’s not just about trying to hone my skills as best I can, but also feeling less alone in it can be a really important part of the job,” Ginsberg reflected.
Ginsberg says that to forge a vibrant and strong literary community, the most important action that can be taken is reciprocal support and inspiration, the kind that will flourish at an intensive and collective pursuit like the retreat.
Ultimately, it is the love of art and of stories that brings all of us together as writers and readers, at the Guild and well beyond.
Ginsberg recognizes this, believing that art can serve as a balm for the soul and for society.
“There has never been a more important time to make space for art, whatever that looks like in your life,” she says.
Through the retreat is full, join Maggie Ginsberg and the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild at the Oxbow Writer’s Retreat celebratory reading on January 31 at 7PM in The Gallery.