A Feast for the Senses: Perugia, Italy
September 21-28, 2024
Let’s Go Write is heading to Italy for the first time! Join us on our maiden voyage to a fabulous villa situated next to the city of Perugia in Umbria. Perugia is known for chocolate and truffles. Need we say more? Well, we can: there’s also the pasta, pizza and wine that Italy is famous for. Our theme this time will be A Feast for the Senses—fitting, no?
We’ve found an amazing location for our inaugural Italian creative writing workshop. Located on the edge of the city of Perugia, this property features a private villa on 100 acres, with fields of sunflowers, ample outdoor and indoor meeting areas, and wait for it—a private suite for every guest. Each suite features its own bedroom, bathroom, sitting room, individual dining room and kitchen. There will be ample opportunity for enjoying the estate’s pleasures as well as those of the nearby town.
The town of Perugia is known as the City of Chocolate (there’s a chocolate factory and museum located there), and it is also famous for its truffles and its Medieval and Renaissance architecture and art. Also featured is a cathedral, a music museum, a weaving workshop in an old monastery, and, we suspect, excellent pasta restaurants.
And of course there’s the writing. As with all of our workshops, everything we do centers around your creative writing. For this workshop, we’ll be focusing on the senses, and how make sure each of them are well represnted in your work. All of our teaching is done through the lens of your chosen project. You’ll make good progress on your WIP (work-in-progress) while learning tips and techniques to keep that progress going once you’re back in the real world. Workshops offer mini-lectures from your instructors, class conversation on homework assignments, lively discussions about the assigned reading, and deeper insight into your craft.
The Plan
We’ll stay seven nights, and six days in our private villa in Perugia. Every morning we’ll meet from 9:30 to 12:30 for the class portion of the experience. We’ll have a group cocktail hour around 5:30, so from 12:30 till then you can eat, sleep, read, write and explore as you wish. We do give writing assignments every day but they are brief and there will be plenty of time for enjoying the pleasures of the region. As we near the time of the workshop, we’ll schedule a zoom to answer all of your travel questions, and we are always available via email for queries.
Here’s the daily plan:
Day One: Saturday, September 21, Arrival
Arrival day! We’ll settle into our villa suites, start exploring the property and prepare ourselves for a rousing week of writing. In the evening, we’ll have a wine and cheese welcome party and start getting to know each other. There will be time after to stroll the grounds if you like, or retire to your room to read or get an early start on a good night’s sleep.
Day Two: Sunday, September 22, Sounds
On our first workshop day we’ll investigate sound. It’ll be Sunday, and the ringing of church bells seems likely. And birdsong all around the lush property. There may be water dripping down the walls of an Etruscan well, the muted roar of a Vespa zipping through the town, and of course, the musical Italian language. Maybe there will be a storm and we’ll hear wind and rain. But always, there will be the bells and birdsong.
Day Three, Monday, September 23, Sight
Today we’ll delve into sight. Because here in the green heart of Italy, inspiring sights are all around you: the glorious landscape, historic structures, medieval and Renaissance art. Maybe one of these sights or even a tiny aspect of it will inspire your writing.
Day Four, Tuesday, September 24, Taste
So much to explore here! Perugia is known for its chocolate, and truffles, too. And of course, this is italy, so pasta, wine and cheese abound. We’ll discuss how to incorporate taste into our writing. We’re pretty sure you’re going to like this one.
Day Five, Wednesday, September 25, Smell
On Wednesday we discuss smell, one of the least-added senses to writing. Just as with taste, there will be the intoxicating aromas of chocolate, wine, and truffles. And also green grass, flowers, and city smells like exhaust and concrete. What does the air here smell like? We’ll investigate.
Day Six, Thursday, September 26, Touch
Ah, touch. The rough surface of an ancient Etruscan wall, the smooth feel of worn cobblestones and grass beneath our feet. In town, there’s an historic museum dedicated to ancient weaving techniques. Talk about a sensory experience! And there’s more: the rich loam of the sunflower fields, the feel of sun on our skin. So much to experience!
Day Seven, Friday September 27, Putting it All Together
On our last workshop day we’ll talk about putting it all together. What have we learned about studying the senses and how to add them to our writing in an engaging manner? We’ll also discuss how to carry the writing inspiration and enthusiasm with us as we travel back home.
Day Eight, Saturday, September 28, Departure
Although we will hate to say goodbye, all wonderful things must come to an end—even Italian adventures!
The Details
The price for your Italian adventure and creative writing workshop is $2850. A $500 deposit holds your spot and payment in full is due by May 31, 2024.)
Interested? Email Debbie at dguyol@aol.com or Charlotte at chardixon@comcast.net. Or fill out the form on our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you!
