Step by step to your own novel (individual retreat): From the idea to the scene plan

Celles-en-Bassigny, France
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Summary

Finally, time for your novel: During this week-long break (individual retreat) in the inspiring tranquility of southern Champagne, you will not only create a concept, but also your own personal roadmap—scene by scene—so that you can turn your book project into reality back in your busy everyday life.

We focus on developing a captivating and coherent plot that carries you and the reader from beginning to end. ________________________________________ We structure your project in two phases. The goal is clear: at the end, you will have a detailed scene plan and a strong foundation that will make your writing routine easy.
Phase I: The heart of your story – your characters Exciting plots are created by strong characters. We dive deep to understand your characters and charge them with potential for conflict. This intensive character work forms the indispensable foundation for your novel: First, you define the external and internal dimensions of your main character, understand their deepest desires and conflicts, and then develop all the other key players—from the protagonist to the antagonist and the (very important!) supporting characters—whose interactions drive the story forward. Phase II: Your novel's framework—the master plan
Now we transfer your character work into a viable structure. This framework begins with defining the theme, genre, and central premise of your story. Building on this, you create your detailed scene plan in three intensive modules—a practical, comprehensive roadmap that shows you which scene is next at any given moment in your daily writing routine.

My role as a coach: As your personal coach, I see myself not as a teacher, but as a sparring partner and structure provider. • Your focus: I make sure that you concentrate on only ONE task at a time. This allows us to keep the focus on your story and prevent you from getting lost in details.
• Your compass: I offer you a proven structure and tools to systematically develop your ideas, from character depth to scene planning. • Your sparring partner: I give you feedback on each task you complete and help you identify the blind spots in your concept.
• Your success companion: My goal is to provide you not only with a concept, but also with a practical roadmap that can be realistically integrated into your everyday life, so that you can start writing in a motivated and structured way after your break. • Online editing: If you are interested, our collaboration can be continued online later.

In short: You bring your story, I give you the structure. Together, we will put your book idea on a solid foundation. Feel free to write to me here under "Contact provider" for a non-binding introductory meeting. I look forward to hearing from you!

The retreat at a glance

The most important facts in a nutshell:

Categories
Consciousness, soul, senses & spirit, Work Life Balance, Creative Writing, Communication, Creative Retreats, Detox Retreats
Date
Available all year round
Language(s)
German
Level
Advanced, Beginner
Group Size
1
Place
Celles-en-Bassigny, France
Accommodation
Overnight stay included
Catering
No meals
Services

An entire house with a garden just for you!

You can bring your pet with you.

Daily coaching time with structure and feedback

French country life in a peaceful setting

You are free to choose the length of your stay.

Contact me for a free introductory chat via WhatsApp or Zoom!

Develop the complete basic structure of your novel.

A scene plan will guide you to writing success in everyday life.

Accommodation

You will be accommodated in one of two spacious houses, where we will also use the kitchen and living room for our shared activities. If you would like to bring additional people with you, please let me know. The price depends on the length of your stay and the number of people. Pets are welcome on request and for a small fee.

Catering

Meals are not included; you are self-catering. Therefore, you decide for yourself what is good and right for you.

You have a fully equipped kitchen at your disposal and there are smaller and larger shopping facilities within a radius of 10 to 20 km. There is also the option of eating at a restaurant 10 km away or picking up meals from there (from 15 euros for a 3-course meal).

sequence

My name is Susanne Hoffmann and my project is called Chrysalide. I live and work in 52360 Celles-en-Bassigny, a small village in the Haute-Marne department. Here, I offer people traveling alone in mid-life the opportunity to enjoy an inspiring and relaxing vacation in the French countryside.
The main language during the week is German, but depending on the topic and activity, there will of course also be French moments, with translation always provided. On fixed dates throughout the year, I offer oasis days and women's retreats on specific topics, where 2-3 women share a house and organize their vacation together.
In addition, all of the general themes can also be booked as individual stays. Simply write to me with your desired dates and interests. To discover all other themes and dates, go to the home page and select "France >>> Grand Est." The arrival and departure day is always Sunday.

Please also take advantage of the opportunity for a free introductory meeting via video chat (WhatsApp, Teams, or Zoom). I can answer any questions you may have and we can see together whether my offer is right for you. Feel free to write to me here under "Contact provider" with a suggested date. The price of 1200 euros stated here includes a commission for the operator of this website. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to look for something else. If two participants register who are traveling together (girlfriend, sister, daughter...) and sharing a room, there is a discount. Since I can only accommodate two people per day, it is advisable to register early. So, now I look forward to meeting you soon!

Arrival

The easiest way to get there is by car, just 3.5 hours from Saarbrücken and Freiburg, 5 hours from Cologne and Frankfurt, and 7 hours from Dortmund and Munich. Just look it up on Google Maps: 52360 Celles en Bassigny

Traveling by train is theoretically possible, but in practice it is likely to be rather complicated. The nearest train station is Culmont/Chalindrey. However, there is a well-functioning carpooling service (blablacar) within France, which works really well! As we are a family business, we ask for your understanding that we do not offer any transportation services.

Rue du Pont de Jacquotte 1, 52360 Celles-en-Bassigny, Grand-Est, France

Cancellation policy

If you cancel up to 60 days before arrival, you will receive a 95% refund of the booking price.
If you cancel up to 30 days before arrival, you will receive a 50% refund of the booking price.
After this, the booking is non-refundable.

In the event of a last-minute cancellation less than 30 days prior to arrival, the full price will be charged. However, in this case, I am happy to offer you the opportunity to participate on another date. Perhaps you also have travel cancellation insurance.

from $1,407 / 8 Days

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from $1,407 / 8 Days

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