General registration for the 2025 retreat opens March 5th!
Don't want to wait that long to grab your spot? Join our First Dibs list to get the chance to grab a spot two weeks before general registration opens!
Just fill out the form below, then watch for an email on February 19th with information on how to access First Dibs registration.
The CBB Writers' Retreat
July 18-22, 2025
Picture five days of reading, writing, and recharging... here:
Front Door
Main Sitting Area
Dining Area
Kitchen
Upper Deck
Lower Sitting Area
Hot Tub & Propane Firepit
Backyard
"Imagine being transported to a beautiful location in the Cascade mountains with peaceful surroundings, no distractions, and the ability to just focus on your writing... then add in a layer of fun and relevant workshops and dedicated coaching time to talk about your work. As if that weren't enough, add in delicious food and comradery! Despite being a beginner and not having previously worked with Katie and Andrew, I was welcomed with open arms and it was well worth the trip. I can't wait for next year!"
— MC Silver, Contemporary Romance Writer; alumna of the 2024 retreat —
Join us in the mountains of Washington State for an amazing long weekend of writing, comradery, and growth.
Only eleven writers can attend—don't wait to register!
The 2025 Craft Better Books Retreat Includes...
Room & Board
Once you arrive at our retreat location from the airport, you don’t have to worry about anything but writing. Oh, other than choosing which snack you want to eat while you write on one of the decks, taking in that gorgeous mountain view.
Opportunities to Grow Your Craft
Part of being a writer is continuing to learn more about the craft of writing and how to handle the challenges that come your way in the writing journey. To that end, we'll have 1-2 amazing virtual speaker(s) (TBD), Katie will run a live edit session, and we'll have our selection of world-building and writing craft books available for your perusal!
Community
Writing can be lonely, but it doesn't have to be. Meet other writers—some for the first time, others for the first time in person—and grow your network/community.
Support For Your Writing Journey
We couldn't leave out coaching time! Each writer will have the opportunity to take part in 1-to-1 coaching sessions with either Katie or Andrew. In these sessions we'll discuss anything about the writing life, brainstorm how to get past particular blocks or places you're stuck, and field any other questions you have!
Dedicated Writing Time
Been craving an uninterrupted block of time to work on your book? We've set aside dedicated time each day for you to have just that.
Pictured: A novel outline being actively reworked via scene notecards taped to the wall during our 2024 retreat.
Opportunities to Fill Your Creative Cup
As creatives ourselves, we understand how crucial it is to recharge. After all, it's hard (impossible!) to be creative when our cups are empty. That's why we'll have a variety of optional activities available. These include solo AND communal options so that extroverts and introverts alike can feel refreshed!
Additional Surprise Goodies...
To learn more about these, you'll just have to come to the retreat! ;)
"The CBB retreat was an amazing long weekend of rest, recharging, connection, and growth. I was able to learn more about my craft surrounded by beautiful scenery, delicious food, and new author friends. With access to coaching daily and writing time, I was able to make incredible progress on my manuscript and came home ready to take my next big steps in writing. I would highly recommend this retreat to any author at any stage of writing."
— Lindsey Brooksbank, Fantasy Writer; alumna of the 2024 retreat —
Sample Retreat Schedule
Click each date to see the schedule for that day; all times are in PDT. The sample schedule given here may change slightly once we have finished selecting and booking our virtual presenter, but the changes won't be a complete overhaul.
Friday, July 18, 2025
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Monday, July 21, 2025
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
"I'm constantly amazed by the inspiring insights I receive at these retreats and how beneficial they are for me. It's always the perfect setting and experience to clear my creative blocks, fill my cup, recenter myself, and help set me up for a better mindset and success with my writing for when I go home. It's been one of the best investments I've made and I can't wait for the next fantastic retreat experience."
— Annette M. Webber, Speculative Fiction Writer; alumna of the 2023 & 2024 retreats —
Opportunities to Fill Your Creative Cup
A retreat is an amazing opportunities for you to get away from all the day-to-day responsibilities and demands on your time. Our schedule sets aside intentional time to fill your cup—in whatever way that happens best for you. The following mix of activities will be available.
Time in Nature
We selected Cle Elum as our destination because of its location in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Our venue is on a secluded 5-acre lot surrounded by forest with beautiful views of the mountains!
This can be a communal or solo activity.
Reading
As always, reading is a great way to fill your creative cup! We'll bring a selection of books from our personal library that you're welcome to enjoy during the retreat. And you're encouraged to bring a book or two from your own TBR pile!
This is a solo activity.
Soak in the Hot Tub
That's right, there's a private 6-person hot tub for our use! Take a break from writing to clear your head with the view while letting that hot water melt your tension away.
This can be a communal or solo activity.
Board Games
We'll bring some favorites from our collection of board games! Some are classics (e.g., Scrabble, Rummikub) and some are... less universal (*cough*more nerdy*cough*), such as The Big Book of Madness (pictured) and Call to Adventure.
This is a communal activity.
Role-Playing Game One-Shot
Did you know Andrew is an experienced GM? He'll be prepared to run at least one one-shot campaign of any easy-to-play table top role-playing game (genre TBD).
This is a communal activity, and will be suitable for those experienced with TTRPGs as well as those who are new to the experience.
Engage with Your Fellow Writers
Whether nerding out about story at the dining table or chatting about the publishing industry around the propane firepit, our retreat is a perfect opportunity to be refueled by enjoying shared passion for writing.
This is a communal activity.
"The CBB Retreat was exactly what I needed. Everyone was incredibly dedicated to storytelling and the atmosphere was inspiring. I came to the retreat to re-establish my relationship with writing and not only I accomplish that, I also gained a better understanding of writing craft, worldbuilding, and logistical strategies for writers. More than anything else, I was accepted into a warm and amazing community of inspiring fellow writers that I could connect with during and after the retreat. "
— Rose Marry, Fantasy Writer; alumna of the 2024 retreat —
Opportunities to Grow Your Craft
We are SO excited to bring you these amazing opportunities for learning about and growing in your craft as a writer during the retreat!
1-on-1 Coaching with Katie or Andrew
Each writer will have the opportunity to sign up for a 1.5-hour 1-on-1 coaching slot. In these sessions we'll discuss anything about the writing life, brainstorm how to get past particular blocks or places you're stuck, and field any other questions you have! Our goal with these sessions is to help your make progress on your current WIP or get started on your next one.
Writing Craft Presentation
We will have a guest virtual presenter walk us through a crucial aspect of crafting a compelling novel. This year's presenter is still being selected, but at previous retreats we've enjoyed presentations taught by Jennie Nash (CEO of Author Accelerator) and Tiffany Yates Martin (author of Intuitive Editing and career editor).
Live Edit Session with Katie
Volunteer some of your pages for Katie to offer live feedback! Katie will guide us as a group in thinking through various ways to strengthen the volunteered pages. Other writers stand to get just as much out of this session as Katie's feedback will be easily applicable to their own writing.
"The CBB retreat is perhaps the best investment I could have made in my journey as a novelist. It was learning on steroids, plus personalized coaching right by the coffee machine—I couldn't have asked for more. I left with renewed motivation, a multitude of insights, writing materials, inspiration, book recommendation, and the sense of belonging to a wonderful community. Thank you Katie and Andrew!"
— Serena Emet, Women's Fiction Writer; alumna of the 2024 retreat —
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need to sign up by?
How do I get there?
What time should I arrive?
Will I have to share a room?
I have dietary restrictions, will that be a problem?
Is smoking permitted at the retreat location?
I'm pretty introverted, will I be able to get enough space?
I'm pretty new to writing, should I come?
Will I be able to do laundry if I need to?
I have mobility challenges. Is the retreat accessible?
I'm Deaf/deaf/HoH. Will there be accommodations available so that I can participate fully?
"Craft Better Books has done it again. For the second year in a row, their writing retreat was more than a way for authors to isolate themselves with a keyboard. It was a way to build community, decompress from the noisy world, and fill our emotional and creative cups. Just like last year, I benefited from the one-on-one coaching. Working together in person is what makes the retreat worthwhile."
— P. E. Robinson, Speculative Fiction Writer; alumnus of the 2023 & 2024 retreats —
Meet Our Coaches
Well, hello there! We're Andrew and Katie Wall, the husband-and-wife team behind Craft Better Books.
Katie is a writer, book coach, and lover of stories, words, and grammar (yes, really!). She has over a decade of experience working with writers and is certified through the Author Accelerator Book Coaching Program. She is known for her meticulous eye for revision and undying enthusiasm for brilliant plot twists.
Andrew is a book coach and World-Building Consultant. He loves reading, watching anime, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and nerding out with writers over their books. If you like developing complex fictional worlds that transport readers to another dimension or stories with deep and relatable characters, you are going to get along just fine.
