BORROWED FROM LIFE:
Transforming Experience into Story
A Writing Retreat with Adrienne Brodeur and N. Jooyoun Kim
March 28 - April 3, 2027 • Arcachon, France
Whether we write fiction or memoir, lived experience inevitably finds its way onto the page. But life rarely arrives with a clear beginning, a satisfying ending, or a discernible narrative arc. In this generative workshop, we’ll explore how writers transform the raw material of experience into compelling stories. Through close readings, discussion, and writing exercises, we’ll consider what to preserve, compress, rearrange, invent, or leave out; how to create distance from autobiographical material; and how to locate the emotional truth beneath the literal facts. We’ll examine the porous boundary between memory and imagination and experiment with techniques for developing character, conflict, scene, and structure. This retreat welcomes writers of all levels and experiences. Participants will leave with new pages, a fresh perspective on art and creative living, and practical strategies for turning what they have witnessed, remembered, researched, or imagined into purposeful, resonant narrative.
Meet Adrienne
ADRIENNE BRODEUR is the bestselling author of the memoir Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover and Me and the novel Little Monsters, a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a Vogue Best Book of 2023. Both books are being adapted for the screen. Her new novel, Love This Day, will be published in 2027. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Bon Appétit, Glamour, and O Magazine. She began her literary career by co-founding Zoetrope: All-Story with Francis Ford Coppola and later worked as an acquiring editor at HMH Books. She is Executive Director of Aspen Words, a literary program at Aspen Institute.
Meet N. Jooyoun
N. JOOYOUN KIM is the New York Times bestselling author of What We Kept to Ourselves and The Last Story of Mina Lee, a Reese’s Book Club pick. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she now lives in the Bay Area and teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco and Saint Mary’s College of California.
On arrival, you'll be whisked away to these spectacular villas on the beautiful Bay of Arcachon
Delight in freshly prepared meals that capture the joie de vivre of the south-west region
To maximize your writing time, breakfasts and our chef-prepared lunches are grab and go. In the evening, our chef prepares exquisite sit-down dinners.
Throughout the day, you can always find a sweet place to write on your own
In your spare time, enjoy a dip in the jacuzzi, hone your writing with a view of the bay, or explore the village of Arcachon just minutes away on foot
Activities during your retreat
Optional activities include a boat tour of the Bay of Arcachon, a visit to the neighboring village, and lunch at a local restaurant.
Accommodations
Each villa features eight bedrooms, each with a private, full bathroom
Amenities include: toiletries, blow-dyer, washer/dryer and scent-free detergent, printer, and wifi.
YOUR RETREAT INCLUDES:
6 nights in an ensuite private room
freshly prepared French meals
15 hours of workshop instruction
one-hour private critique
scheduled dining out & activities
local transportation
on-site concierge services
Please note that alcohol is not included
$6350 each for a shared room
$4500 for a guest
“What a lovely experience from start to finish. Everything was so well done for us with such consideration for each of us.”
– Mercilee Jenkins