Have you ever dreamed of receiving both inspiration and relaxation by a dazzling, aquamarine ocean? Step into a space where creativity flows as freely as the ocean breeze, and inspiration grows from the roots of the jungle itself. Nestled between the Caribbean turquoise waters of the Caribbean and the natural beauty of Yucatan, Tulum Writing Retreat is more than just a getaway—it’s a return to your creative essence. Here each day begins with the sun rising over ancient lands, awakening your senses and your stories. Tulum invites you to slow down, breathe in, and reconnect—with nature, your words, and yourself.
Your story awaits you in paradise!
March 9-13, 2026
Hosts: Author & Editor Britta Jensen; Actor & Writer Kellie McCants
Limited to 8 participants!
Register Interest Here
Who? Beginner-Advanced Writers of All Genres who have an idea or project to work on for the duration of the retreat, or are seeking further guidance on.
Our focus is on providing space and support for your work(s) in progress. The most important aspect of participation is that you have a project, or several in mind, you want to come to Tulum to work on. Our morning practices will be focused on harnessing energy to pour into those works in progress. Of course, participants might get a new idea and go in a new direction, which we welcome and encourage. However, we find that writers coming without a project might not find the retreat as fruitful or the One-on-Ones with Britta and Kellie as beneficial.
Language of the Retreat: English
Local language: Spanish
Our goals:
- Give space for you to unwind and recharge with dedicated writing time and daily breathwork to release tension (our local travel concierge Fernando + team will give recommendations for massages, meditations & other amenities for an extra cost to participants.)
- Re-envision your work through our daily short writing flows and exercises before your dedicated morning writing time in our retreat meeting rooms.
- Revise what you already have and receive one-on-ones with either Britta (editing & writing feedback) or Kellie (Artist Mindset & Process) to explore your work further.
- Get inspired to stay on track with your writing and leave with an action plan to keep the creative juices flowing when you’re back at home.
- Find new ideas and pathways in a beautiful, sub-tropical area. Enjoy cenotes, a crystal-clear turquoise ocean on the Mexican Riviera, small local excursions and fresh local flavours and foods.
- We keep our groups small so that you get individualized attention (8 participants max).
- Quality apartments that allow you easy access to amenities and the opportunity to form bonds with other writers while also having alone time to work on your writing in a safe, clean space.
In this intimate setting, thoughtfully planned with you, the writer, in mind—relax, unwind, recharge your artistry in the beautiful landscape of Tulum. We will be waiting to receive you with a retreat where the only thing you have to think about is your writing and staying open to the inspiration that comes. Feel free to check-out our video below!
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE WEEK
The welcome dinner (included in the price of the retreat) is on Sunday, March 8 at 7:00pm at Mezzanine in Jaguar Park. This will be our first official gathering together. You have the chance to meet fellow participants, take in the ocean at sunset and start your journey with your work in a relaxed, refreshed state.
The Retreat’s officially programming runs from Monday mornings to Friday lunchtimes, concluding with a final group dinner and optional short readings. In the afternoon, we have optional excursions which you can choose from and receive additional inspiration while swimming in cenotes, eating and writing by the beach, or touring the local ruins.
Friday night we’ll have a final dinner together and have a chance to do a short reading from our works in progress, if desired.
Writers arrive from their flights on Saturday or Sunday (at least two hours prior to the orientation dinner, on Sunday, if possible). The writers take their return flights from the following Saturday morning onwards, the room changeover day being Saturday. We have dates and times below where we’ll pick you up from Tulum airport. Writers flying in outside those times or into Cancun will need to arrange their own transportation through our local guide, Fernando + team. See more on ground transportation below. Download our retreat flyer here to get all the essential information in one glance.
Early Bird Registration Here
THE EXPERIENCE
Professional Guidance
On location, you’ll have craft seminars, writing time and one-on-one coaching. Our morning writing explorations feature mini-craft workshops to sharpen your writing, open your work to new inspiration and ideas, dive deeper into character, narrative, dialogue, point-of-view, story structure and providing a framework for continuing to explore the work outside of the retreat structure. Our afternoon excursions are intended to further explore the work in a new setting and gain inspiration that often happens when communing with nature.
You will receive one, 60 minute session with either Britta or Kellie (you’ll indicate this on the registration form) to talk about your work in progress, get editorial feedback (additional fee for 20-50 pages), have frank conversations about publishing and the best path for getting your story concept out into the world and into the hands of readers.
Retreat written feedback will include an evaluation of your story plans, margin notes on your pages with direct, constructive feedback, in addition to our conversation in the coaching session, + a customized Work Plan going forward with the work, if desired. Participants can also opt into a follow-up coaching session to help you sustain momentum at home, after the retreat. We enjoy keeping in touch with participants and hearing how their writing journey is going after the retreat has concluded.
Writing in Company
After our interactive morning writing explorations, writers work individually in our shared spaces exploring their work, revising their new writing, incorporating inspiration into existing work, or focusing on inspiration with the current or new project. We will have snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, and plenty of inspirational material on hand. Post-writing check-ins may include sharing short sections, but this is not a “workshop.” Retreat leaders provide individualized guidance specific to your work only during one-on-ones. It’s like writing at your favorite cafe—with peer and editorial support. Of course, during excursions and writing time writers are welcome to ask us short questions about our writing, editorial and creative process, but it’s important to remember that we want to give you our undivided attention for answers that require a more lengthy and personalized answer. For this reason, we’ve ensured each participant gets undivided time to address their specific questions without interruption in our One-on-Ones. We cannot guarantee this same focus during excursions when we are driving participants or trying to get logistics in place for you to enjoy your stay.
Structure for Your Writing Time
Dedicated time writing helps you focus and to meet your project’s goals. We also believe that incisive, detailed and specific feedback helps you write better. However, we also believe each writer has to choose the path that works best for their work in its current state.
Tulum Writers Retreat combines a retreat environment with mini explorations of the local sites to enhance our editorial insights. Our structure is intended to provide structure and play for your writing practice while sharing supportive feedback and frameworks for continuing your work’s progression and encouraging literary community.
How are the coaching sessions set-up?
You’ll schedule in your included 60-minute session with us via a sign-up form that’s provided once the retreat fees are paid in full. Prior to this session, you’ll receive editorial feedback on up to your first 50 pages. You’ll need to submit your pages in MS Word by January 31, 2026 to info at thewritingconsultancy dot com.
Retreat Detailed Itinerary
(Subject to change due to local availability and weather)
Sunday, March 8, 2026 group Meet & Greet dinner (included in retreat fees, does not include alcohol) at Mezzanine restaurant.
Monday, March 9, 2026
- 9-12 noon Morning writing flow-Deep Character Immersion Session # 1 with Britta for 30 minutes, followed by individual writing time and coaching sessions.
- 12-12:45noon Break for Lunch
- 1pm leave for optional excursion Cenotes Trip # 1 or individual writing time continued in the space.
- 4pm (estimated) Excursion participants dropped off at their lodging and dinner on our own. Participants are welcome to join us, if desired.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
- 9-12 noon Morning writing flow -Exploring Voicing within Your Work with Britta for 30 minutes, followed by individual writing time and coaching sessions.
- 12-12:45noon Break for Lunch
- 1pm leave for optional excursion (trip included in retreat fees, but food and drink is on your own, Ikal Beach Club for swimming and individual writing time
- 5pm (estimated) Excursion participants dropped off back at their lodging and dinner on our own.
Wednesday, March 11
- 9am group walk and write to Tulum Ruins for a guided tour and writing time.
- Lunch nearby on beach with possible boat ride (weather permitting).
- Free afternoon for writing and exploring at nearby beach club!
- 4pm participants dropped off back at their lodging.
- 7pm optional group dinner & discussion on the balance between craft & submission/publication at local restaurant.
Thursday, March 12
- 9-12 noon Morning writing flow-Emotional Release Writing with Kellie for 30 minutes, followed by individual writing time and coaching sessions.
- 12-12:45noon Lunch
- 1pm leave for optional excursion (Cenote Trip # 2, additional fee, but not expensive)
- 4pm Excursion participants dropped off back at their lodging and dinner on our own. Possible post-dinner excursion to Cara Feliz’s karaoke night, for those who are interested.
Friday, March 13
- 9-12 noon Morning writing flow -Balancing Your Story’s Main Elements with Britta for 30 minutes, followed by individual writing time and coaching sessions.
- 12:30-Lunch at Panamera Beach Club with final excursion to the beach
- 4pm Participants dropped off back at their lodging to prepare for our final celebration dinner together.
- 6:30pm pick-up to go to dinner, 7pm dinner starts with appetizers and readings.
Saturday-Britta and Kellie take participants to the airport in Tulum between 7am-5pm.
PRICING
Early Bird Registration (Save up to $450 on Standard Registration, up to $950 on Late Registration)
(must be registered and pay 1st deposit by midnight CST August 30, 2025, remaining balance paid in full by Nov. 30, 2025)
- Single accommodation in a quality room/apartment of your choice, first come, first served. (See pricing breakdown below). All apartments include linens, kitchen, refrigerator and mini-stove.
- Transportation by your hosts to: all retreat excursions, welcome dinner & Friday night dinner.
- Airport Transport to and from Tulum Airport Only
- All morning writing session Snacks: fruit, pastries, nuts, tea, bottled water, juices, etc.
- Five days of Morning Writing Explorations to go deeper with your work and its story structure (see itinerary above)
- a 60 minute coaching session with Britta or Kellie.
- Written feedback on up to 50 pages of work (includes a 3-5 page typed report + light margin notes) to be discussed at your 60 minute coaching session.
- 24/7 care from our local concierge Fernando + team for anything you may need outside of the retreat’s normal operating hours.
Retreat pricing breakdown (includes all of the above + these housing options below):
- 2-bedroom penthouse shared apartment (only sharing common spaces), single room, single bath, rooftop private pool— $2,400 USD per person
- studio apartment—$2,600 per person
- one-bedroom apartment—$2,700 per person
See more details on these accomodations and photos here.
Must be paid in full by November 30, 2025 to guarantee place, as required by the company we rent apartments from.
Participants are responsible for their airfares, meals + optional excursions, or excursions outside our itinerary. You are welcome to book your own rental car at your own expense. However, we’ll drive two rental cars that can accommodate up to 5 people at one time, 10 total, including participants and hosts.
Standard Registration (August 31st-October 1, 2025)
Includes all of the above in Early Bird registration, but at a higher pricing tier.
- 2-bedroom penthouse shared apartment (only sharing common spaces), single room, single bath, rooftop private pool— $2,850 USD per person
- studio apartment—$3,050 per person
- one-bedroom apartment—$3,150 per person
Must be paid in full by November 30, 2025
Late Registration (October 2, 2025-November 30, 2025)
- 2-bedroom penthouse shared apartment (only sharing common spaces), single room, single bath, rooftop private pool— $3,350 USD per person
- studio apartment—$3,550 per person
- one-bedroom apartment—$3,650 per person
Must be paid in full by November 30, 2025
All pages must be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to the retreat’s start (by December 29, 2025)
What does feedback involve?
- Britta will have a copy of your work printed out with margin comments. We’ll first talk through what’s working well, then trouble-shoot areas that need more work or clarification. She’ll have a summary report for you to help with focusing on first what’s working well with the story concept and what needs further exploration.
- Often topics that are covered in this discussion are: Story Concept, POV, Characterization, Plot, Voice, Story Structure, Prose, etc.
- We strategize together a plan for how to work through the story in the days and weeks ahead and explorations that will help during the retreat.
Register Interest Here
Payment Arrangements & Installments
Our invoicing system allows you to pay in full (with a small discount), or in installments payable via bank card, debit card, etc. We do not accept cheques. We have more details on sample pricing breakdowns on our registration form that is sent to everyone who registers interest via the button links on this page.
Your deposit is non-refundable, but can be exchanged with another writer wishing to take your place (see payment page and contract terms for more details on this).
Travel & Accommodations
Flights & Ground Transportation
Each participant must book in their own flight. If you need help with deciding, we suggest using Google Flights to compare your options and booking directly with airlines, making certain to carry your own travel insurance. You can also get help with local bookings and excursions from our local travel partner, Fernando + team info here.
We’ll provide ground transportation pick-ups from the airport in our rental cars during the following times:
Saturday, March 7, 2026 flights arriving between 8am-6pm
Sunday, March 8, 2026 flights arriving between 8am-5pm (we cannot pick up passengers later than 5:30pm from the airport because we have to transport participants to the welcome dinner).
If you fly into a different airport than Tulum, or at a time that we cannot pick you up, you have the following options for ground transportation:
- Taxi (this tends to be fairly expensive-definitely consult with Fernando + team about this)
- Bus (this takes you into the Tulum central area—you’ll still have to take a taxi to the accomodations, as walking there takes about 20-30 minutes.)
- Car rental (This is what Britta always does when traveling to Tulum)
Because taxis are so expensive for tourists to use, we highly recommend booking in your alternative transportation with Fernando + team , if you’re coming in at a different time/airport. We do not want any of our participants receiving exorbitant inflation charged to tourists in Tulum and the surrounding areas.
Accommodation
We’ve arranged for beautiful, luxury accommodation in Aldea Zama-a wonderful area in Tulum that we love staying in that has a lot of options for dining, gorgeous scenery and is a close drive to the beach, but doesn’t suffer from the extreme noise of construction and power/water outages that accommodations on the beach tend to have in Tulum. It’s important to note that we’ve chosen accommodation that allows for writing, a tranquil environment and close proximity to amenities. If you’re used to super luxury accommodation, it’s important to note that there will be an extra charge for extra cleaning, changing of sheets daily, etc., as these are all lovely apartments we are staying in, but they are not hotels with daily room service. See our Accomodation Page for more on your housing options while at the retreat.
Food
Monday-Friday plentiful snacks and nibbles are included in the retreat fees for our morning sessions. Britta is allergic to gluten and is mindful of avoiding cross-contamination. Kellie is also vegetarian. If you have dietary restrictions, please let us know in the registration form, but also be aware that we cannot guarantee that local providers can honor certain diets. It’s important to travel with a Spanish-language diet restriction card so that you can let the chef know at the restaurants you’ll eat at. We’ll also take a trip to Chedraui on Monday afternoon, after our excursion, for folks wanting to get some groceries and snacks to put in their apartment refrigerators. Tulum has a lot of delicious and fresh food options. We will create a recommendations for food and excursions page for registered participants for more on where to eat and options for inspirational afternoon activities to spur further writing ideas!
Excursions
We’ve thoughtfully planned excursions to enhance your writing experience, while providing peaceful, restorative time. For this reason, excursions are optional and only the travel to the beach excursions (not the club entrance fees) and parking fees are included in the retreat fees. Each rental car can only hold 5 people at one time, so please note that if you want to go on an excursion with the whole group, we’ll go in two transports, depending on how many people are coming.
You must indicate and pay by November 30, 2025 which excursions you’re coming on (in the excursion form we’ll send to all registered participants) and pay the associated excursion fee so that our local tour operators can have everything set up for us.
Register Interest Here
Meet Your Hosts
Britta Jensen—award-winning author, editor and writing coach
Britta’s debut YA novel Eloia Born won the 2019 Writer’s League of Texas YA Discovery Prize and was long-listed for the 2016 Exeter Novel Prize. Reviewers called the book “both a dystopian narrative and a quest story; consider it a spiritual successor to Lois Lowry’s The Giver and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village.” Subsequent publications include a sequel Hirana’s War, Ghosts of Yokosuka, Orphan Pods as well as numerous short stories. Her work explores themes of persevering through disability, parental separation, and the intersection of love and cultures on new worlds. Britta earned a BA in Acting Performance from Fordham University and an MA in Teaching of English Literature from Columbia University. For the past twenty-two years she has taught creative writing and edited books for both traditional and indie authors. She has received numerous awards, including the General Sharp Award from the US Army, for her innovative teaching of creative writing in New York City, South Korea and Germany. Friends often refer to her as a polyglot—which is a product of living twenty-two years overseas in Japan, South Korea, and Germany before settling in Austin, Texas. She enjoys mentoring writers and editing books with The Writing Consultancy and Yellowbird Editors. In her spare time, she dances with her awesome tailor husband, and volunteers with the Relief Society, SCBWI and the Writer’s League of Texas. Britta looks forward to helping writers go deeper with their work, providing insights into story trajectories and trouble-shooting manuscript and story problems to help authors find a path forward with their works in progress.
Kellie McCants—actor, writer and creatives coach
Kellie has performed at The Kennedy Center (The Millennium Stage), Cherry Lane Theatre (studio), CenterStage (PlayLab), 59E59 (East to Edinburgh), The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and The Classical Theatre of Harlem. She has also performed in several independent short films. Kellie earned a B.A. in Acting Performance from Fordham University and a minor in Psychology. She has also been a part the LAByrinth Theater Company’s Master Class Series; and a theatre residency at The Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski & Thomas Richards in Pontedera, Italy with Thomas Richards & Mario Baigini.
Kellie believes artists are needed now more than ever in our world to reflect the human condition. She enjoys researching and thrives in putting into practice her knowledge in psychology, holistic health, and recently urban agriculture to better understand our food systems. She is a vegetarian and avid animal-lover who has volunteered with many animal organizations. Kellie is a member of SAG-AFTRA and writes poetry, personal essays and short stories. She looks forward to co-hosting the retreat and listening to the goals and needs of participants in addition to providing a safe and supportive environment for their work to flourish.
Early Bird Registration Here
REGISTRATION CONFIRMATIONS
When you fill out this interest form you receive replay access to our informational seminar. The e-mail you use on this form is where we’ll send the official registration form. In order to secure your place in the retreat you must pay the first deposit, for Early Bird Registration, by August 30 at midnight CST via our invoicing system. You’ll receive confirmation that payment was received and further instructions for the remaining invoices. If you decide to pay in full, you receive a small discount.
We’ll have two live, over Zoom, orientation sessions a month before the retreat starts where you can ask questions, meet the whole group, and learn more about the beautiful place we’ll be writing in!
Room selections are also included in the registration form, and are available first-come, first-served based upon the deposit and subsequent payments being made. You can indicate on the form if another writer is attending and you wish to share one of the two bedroom apartments with them. All of the spaces we are renting for the retreat include solo bedrooms with either full or larger beds.
Frequently Asked Questions Page
REFUND POLICY
Because fees are paid to local providers for accommodation rentals, deposits, etc…we do not offer refunds, unless we have to cancel the retreat. The refund will always be after card processing fees. By registering for this event, you agree that you have read and understand the refund policy for this event. If you wish to exchange places with another author wanting to come, you’ll need to receive approval in writing and we will need to see proof that the other writer has reimbursed you for the retreat fees before we can provide the exchange to them. Exchanges are not allowed after January 20, 2026.
