We offer retreats for both readers and writers.
For Readers: Unplug from the world and feed your mind and love of books in a beautiful, inspiring setting. Conversations with authors, readings, discussion groups, and plenty of time to relax and read.
For Writers: Unplug from the world and immerse yourself in your writing practice. Craft talks, readings, and plenty of creative time, led by professional authors and in the intimate company of fellow writers, will support, inspire, and rejuvenate your creative process.
We will hold our fourth in-person writing retreat with Mark Sarvas, in a beautiful and peaceful retreat setting on the Monterey Bay in California.
2026 FICTION WRITING RETREAT WITH MARK SARVAS
Join us for a weekend writing on the Monterey Bay in California. Craft lectures, one-on-one sessions with Mark, and plenty of distraction-free time to dive into your work. Spend your days in a private lodge, nestled in a grove of Monterey pines and California oaks, quiet except the sound of the surf in the distance. A short walk away, stroll windswept dunes and breath in ocean spray and cypress. Located along a protected marine reserve, in one of the most inspiring places on the West Coast.
About Mark
Mark Sarvas is the American Book Award-winning author of the novels Memento Park and Harry, Revised. He was a finalist for the prestigious Sami Rohr Prize, and won the 2019 Association of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award. His debut novel, Harry, Revised, was published in more than a dozen countries around the world. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle whose criticism has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Bookforum, and numerous other outlets. He teaches advanced novel writing in the UCLA Extension Writers Program and holds an MFA in Creative Writing & Literature from Bennington College.
Retreat Details
Date: Early 2026
Location and lodging: Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. All participants housed in a cozy, 12-room lodge, nestled in a grove of Monterey pines and California oaks at the perimeter of the conference grounds, for maximum privacy. Five-minute walk to the dunes and ocean, part of a protected marine sanctuary.
All rooms are single-occupancy and reserved exclusively for retreatants. We cannot accommodate any guests, including friends, partners, spouses, children, or pets.
Meals: Dine well so you can think well. We take care of all meals (except one dinner), so you can focus on your book. Dinners from the area’s finest restaurants. Lunches delivered to your door. Afternoon hors d’oeuvres in the common area. Tea and coffee always available.
Fee: Early bird price: $1600 all-inclusive. Regular price: $1900. $400 non-refundable deposit reserves your space.
Scholarships: We are excited to offer two half-scholarships, one for a writer who self-identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, and the other for a writer experiencing financial hardship. The price after receiving a scholarship is $950.
Terms and conditions: 1) No outside guests, please. 2) To support your fellow writers, please keep the lodge quiet and distraction-free, and plan to attend the entire retreat. 3) Registration is non-refundable, and all fees are due by March 1.
For more information: To get an idea of the way the weekend unfolds, download the 2024 retreat’s description and schedule. Still have questions? Contact Jennifer.
To be notified when registration opens, please join the mailing list below.
"Mark Sarvas is a rare and extrordinary editor/ writing teacher – thoughtful, meticulous, but demanding. He will not shy away from genuine critique, but always with the aim of helping you find your best voice, and always with the caveat that all literary choices belong not to the critic, but to the writer. Run, do not walk, if you have a chance to work with Sarvas. " – Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace
“This was one of the healthiest things I've done for myself in a long time. Taking time away from regular life to focus on yourself and your writing is absolutely essential, and this retreat was the perfect format for that. The pricing was reasonable, the room was huge! The food was also delicious. The scenery alone was worth it.”
“Separately and together [Mark and Jennifer] provide both the tools and inspiration to turn limp prose into propulsive literary narratives. Nobody does it better.”
“My writing retreat with To the Lighthouse was nothing short of magical.”
“Between Mark Sarvas’s astute craft lectures, retreat coordinator (and writer) Jennifer Carson’s attention to detail and the spectacular coastal setting, the Fiction Writing Retreat was balm for my writing soul. Write, think, daydream, explore, read – lots of support and space for creative flow!”
“An opportunity to be on the spectacular Monterey coastline with excellent writing guidance and hospitality. The muse surprised me in the best ways!”
“A fantastic, professionally-run program…. You’ll be well taken care of.”
“You can’t get a more lovely setting than Pacific Grove, nor more dedicated literary organizers and allies.”
“I would highly recommend To the Lighthouse retreats to anyone who is literarily minded at any stage of their writing process.”
-Retreat participants
