The Motherlode Retreat:
Mastering the Art of Writing About Mothers
A Facilitated Writing Retreat
April 28-May 2, 2027 at The Barns at Boyd’s Mill
Milanville, Pennsylvania
What is the Motherlode? Is it the gift of love, creativity, compassion and strength we receive from our mothers that we carry through our lives? Or is the Motherlode more of a Motherload; a weight or sadness passed down to us through the motherline from our mothers who could not, for whatever reason, properly mother us?
At Writing the Motherlode, a mother-focused writing retreat, we’ll explore these questions as we gather in community to unpack our understanding of the Motherlode/Motherload so that we can better write about our complex relationships with mothers. No matter where you are in your writing journey, and whether you are writing non-fiction, fiction, poetry, plays, screenplays, or songs, please join us for this five-day writing retreat where via safe facilitated sessions we’ll learn to strengthen the writing skills we need to bring our Motherlode material to the page.
What We Explore at The Motherlode Retreat
The Mother wound–what is it, how does it manifest, and how do we write about it in either memoir or fiction?
What are the treasures and pains we’ve received from our mothers?
How do unhelpful and unbalanced narratives from our mothers haunt us and how do we move past them in our writing?
How has our specific Motherload/Motherlode story shaped our own relationships with parenting?
How can we bring our mothers to life on the page, when we remain emotionally connected to and activated by them?
How can we move from the Motherload to the Motherlode?
Reviews from the Motherlode Retreat
Writing Retreat of a Lifetime
This was the writing retreat of a lifetime: deep dive into craft and specialized instruction on deepening mother-daughter relationships in memoir writing. Diana and Amy did a great job bringing us through the material. The location was lovely, food delicious, hiking trail just what I needed after a day of writing. I highly recommend
Experienced facilitator, fun and thought provoking exercises
As with all Diana’s retreats, I enjoyed her presentations and her ability to make the learning activities fun and thought provoking. The guidance she provided on the publishing industry and resources available was extremely valuable, especially for a new writer like me. She was also proficient in using methods that kept us on track without being overbearing. Her leadership techniques during the retreat were impressive. This topic is not an easy subject to present and it takes an experienced presenter to allow discussion and know when to move on to another topic. This is my second retreat led by her and I will absolutely attend more of her sessions. As you can tell, I am a big fan.
Kind, committed, focused instructors
All the women who attended this retreat, and especially the women leading it, were committed, present, kind, accepting, and focused on making each other better writers. I cannot say enough about how Diana and Amy conceptualized, organized, and facilitated this special time spent writing about “The Motherlode.” It was a heavy topic, but it never felt overwhelming or unsafe, thanks to the carefully crafted flow of instruction, easy socialization, and dedicated processing/writing time. Diana and Amy were phenomenal, and the retreat was wonderful!
Transformative Retreat
Transformative. In the hands of two skilled authors, we learned about our mothers, ourselves, and the craft of writing. I left feeling like I had returned to my roots, but with more perspective.
Well-Planned and Executed Retreat
Very well-planned and executed writing retreat. The instructors were enthusiastic and supportive. The topic was a loaded one, but they contained it with great skill. The location was beautiful and very conducive to the creative process. I would happily do another writing workshop with these instructors.
What we Offer at the Motherlode Retreat
Generative writing time designed to push us deeper into writing honestly about our own Motherlode/Motherload.
Craft instruction to help us to see and create our mothers as three-dimensional people.
Techniques for creating enough space between our child wounds and our adult self to write about the motherlode “from the ceiling.”
Time for you to work on your own writing-in-progress as well as opportunities to create new work.
Informal discussions after dinner on publishing, research, and other topics that arise during the week.
Location
The Motherlode Retreat is held at the Barn At Boyds Mills, located in the Upper Delaware River Valley, in the Pocono Mountain foothills. Surrounded by a 1,300-acre forest, Boyds Mills is a couple of hours from both New York City and Philadelphia. At Boyds, you’ll find cabins nestled among the trees, a lodge at the top of a small hill, and a beautifully restored modern barn at the center of it all. Please click here to see more information about the rooms and venue. All rooms--both cabin and lodge--have private bathrooms. There is a small kitchen in the lodge to store snacks. Please reach out to Boyds Mill with questions or to inquire about room shares, transportation or food accommodations.
Food
Food is farm-style and sourced from local ingredients: everything from herbs snipped fresh from the garden, to eggs from nearby farms, to bread and pastries from local bakeries. Meals are prepared fresh on-site and served buffet style in the barn. We will eat together in the barn, or, outside, (weather permitting), or, if you are in a writing groove, you can take your meal to your room or another private place. The barn is open around the clock for snacks, beverages, and ice cream. Beer and wine are available during appetizers and dinner, and you are welcome to bring your own too. Boyds can accommodate most food requests.
Price: $1900. Includes all food, lodging and writing instruction. Discounts available for shared rooms.
Contact Diana for More Information about the Motherlode Retreat
The Motherlode Retreat
A Facilitated Writing Retreat
April 26- 30, 2026