Kevin Anderson & Associates: Tuscany Writing Retreat
7 Days and nights luxury experience designed to support your writing with access to leading industry experts.
April 26 – May 3rd, 2025
Writer Retreat Run By Publishing Industry Leaders
Work one-on-one with industry experts to develop your book, whether you’re just starting or have a fully developed manuscript draft. This is a very intimate setting with experts to guide you through a hands-on writing experience that will transform your writing experience.
Inclusions at a Glance
Writing Retreat in Tuscany: Personalized Guidance and Unforgettable Experiences
- Personalized sessions and manuscript feedback by NYT-bestselling authors, agents, and acquisitions editors from the Big-5 group of international publishers
- Intensive collaborative workshops with a small group of fellow writers (max 6 participants)
- Full critical review and analysis (Executive Level) of your manuscript within 6 months worth approximately $7,500-$10,000
- Seven nights stay in a historic and luxuriously updated villa in the heart of the iconic Chianti Classico region of Tuscany, Italy
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, and three-course authentic Italian dinners prepared by our in-house chef)
- Full access to the estate’s private pool, tennis court, gardens, vineyards, olive grove, gym, and other facilities
- Free time to explore the region
Workshops
- Learning the Key Elements of Story and Structure
- Finding the Story/Chronicling Real Lives (the ethics of writing about the living and how to research and begin stories)
- Prose and Narrative Strategy
- Kill Your Darlings (how to cut at least 25% of your book to bring it to life)
- Perfecting Your Pitch (Query Letters, Proposals, and Publishing Industry Tips)
- Understanding the Publishing Industry from the Perspective of an Agent and an Acquisitions Editor
*Note: We’re happy to adjust the focus of our workshops to the desires of individual attendees or the group as a whole.
Your Private Tuscan Paradise
The Villa: Poggio alle Corti
Villa Poggio Alle Corti is a stunning 1,000-year-old luxurious villa with extensive gardens, pool, tennis court, vineyards, and olive grove. The historic setting and panoramic views of the Tuscan countryside make the villa the perfect place to relax, be inspired, and allow your mind and body to focus on your writing.
The stonewall property, which has been the home to powerful nobles and clergy over the centuries, boasts rare 15-feet high ceilings, chestnut beams that are hundreds of years old, original enormous working fireplaces, and classic Tuscan terracotta floors–along with a fully updated kitchen and marbled bathrooms.
Guests will enjoy a large private room that will be cleaned daily.
Villa Inclusions and Amenities
Amenities
Outdoor
- Private pool (2.5 meters deep)
- Pool bar
- Outdoor shower
- Pool towels
- 12 lounge chairs
- Sun shades and cabana
- Full-size tennis court with balls and rackets
- Full-size bocce (lawn bowling) court
- Trampoline with safety netting
- Direct access to extensive trekking/hiking trails
- Direct access to extensive cycling and mountain biking trails
- Short walk to beautiful clear river suitable for swimming
- Multiple terraces
- Vineyard, olive grove, and fruit orchard (cherry, fig, apples, and more)
- BBQ
- Ornamental gardens (flowers, herbs, shrubs)
- Portable Bluetooth speakers
- Shaded al-fresco dining for 12-16 people
Indoor
- Full-size billiard table
- Dart board
- Ping-pong/table tennis table
- High-definition smart TV with movies and video game system
- Three wood-burning fireplaces (staff will light upon request)
- Starlink Wi-Fi throughout
- Board games and playing cards
- Air conditioning in the bedrooms
Gym
- Bench and free weights
- Home gym resistance machine
- Treadmill
- Exercise bike
Views
- 360 hilltop views of vineyards, olive groves, churches, and medieval villas
- Sunset and sunrise views
- Clear view of the medieval town of San Donato and its bell tower
Parking for 6+ vehicles (uncovered)
Bathroom Amenities
- Luxury soaps and toiletries
- Towels and linens refreshed midweek
Food and Drink
- Welcome drink
- Welcome basket with wine from the estate, local honey, cheese, prosciutto, and other products
- Three multi-course dinners (choose from our menu)
- Wine, oil, and balsamic vinegar from the estate (limited)
Maid Service
- Daily bathroom and bedroom cleaning
- Grocery service
- General care and maintenance onsite
Laundry room (washer, dryer, detergent)
Heating available (extra charge)
Inclusions
- Daily maid service (bathrooms, beds, dinner dishes, general tidying)
- Three multi-course homecooked Italian dinners
- Welcome dinner Saturday, and two additional dinners
- Al fresco option available (weather permitting)
- Choose primi, secondi, and sides from our menu of Tuscan classics
- Dinners are available 5-8pm: Saturday, Monday-Thursday
- One additional meal is available at extra cost
- Full access to all villa amenities and features
- On-site staff (chef and groundskeeper)
- Daily/nightly fires in the villa’s three fireplaces (per request)
- Pre-stocked fridge (cost of items not included)
- Water
- Luxury toiletries
- Olive oil, balsamic, and basic seasoning
- Wine (limited)
Note: Staff have the day off on Sunday and will not be available for service
Meet Your Writing Coaches
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Wendy Holden WENDY HOLDEN was a respected journalist and war correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph, covering news stories around the world. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, she is the author of more than forty non-fiction books featuring inspirational men and women. They include the bestselling ghosted memoirs of Cher, Goldie Hawn, and Barbara Sinatra.
Her bestselling WWII books include The Teacher of Auschwitz, based on the true story of a young, gay German prisoner who created a children’s school in Auschwitz. She also wrote Born Survivors, published in twenty-four countries, about three young mothers who hid their pregnancies from the Nazis, and the UK No.1 bestseller Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day, the memoir of British centenarian Captain Sir Tom Moore, which won a Neilsen award for more than 350,000 hardback sales.
One Hundred Miracles, the memoir of musical prodigy Zuzana Ruzickova who survived three concentration camps, was made into a documentary, and Tomorrow to Be Brave, about the only woman in the French Foreign Legion, has been optioned for film. She wrote Behind Enemy Lines featuring a French Jewish spy, made into a short, A Woman of Firsts, the memoir of the ‘Muslim Mother Teresa,’ in development for a movie, and I Give You My Heart, about a Polish couple who hid a Jewish child. Wendy is a public speaker, podcaster, and a book doctor who teaches creative writing around the world. She is also her own agent. Her first novel, The Sense of Paper, was published by Random House, New York in 2006. Her second, The Cruelty of Beauty, is to be made into a European film. She is currently working on the first ever authorized biography of Audrey Hepburn with the star’s son. She lives on a small farm in Suffolk, England with her husband and two dogs, and is a passionate swimmer, gardener, and cook.
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Leslie Hinson Leslie Hinson is an American ghostwriter, fiction writer, and editor living in Lisbon, Portugal. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in fiction from Sewanee, University of the South. In an effort to marry her two biggest passions, writing and travel, she started Travels With, a company that facilitates writing retreats in France and Portugal, with plans to expand to other European countries. She teaches fiction and ghostwriting classes for The Porch Writing Collective in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lived for 14 years. |
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Jaime Levine In her nearly thirty-year career in publishing, Jaime Levine has worked at multiple prominent publishing companies including Warner Books, Grand Central Publishing, William Morrow Books, Thomas Dunne Books (an imprint of St. Martin’s Press), and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, where she discovered new talent, nurtured authors across many stages of writing and publishing achievement, celebrated titles reaching bestseller status and starred reviews, and saw authors and titles win awards. She was an editorial director of a fantasy/science fiction imprint and publisher of a small independent press during a period of high growth, giving her greater insight into aspects of the business and infrastructure of publishing. Additionally, she has been an independent editor working with aspiring writers and authors who self-publish, giving her insight into the experience of creators who aren’t a part of the traditional machine.
Jaime specializes in commercial fiction, specifically the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror (for adults and young adults) as well as suspense, crime, mystery, and thrillers. She has worked with F/SF authors, including the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien, Veronica Roth, Hugh Howey, Octavia Butler, Jacqueline Carey, Michael Moorcock, Benjamin Percy, the Estate of Arthur C. Clarke, Nalo Hopkinson, and David Eddings. She has worked with YA authors including Lauren De Stefano, Renée Ahdieh, and April Daniels. In the genres of thrillers, suspense, mystery, and crime, she has worked with Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, getting them their first #1 New York Times bestseller in hardcover for Cold Vengeance, the estate of Robert Ludlum, Eric Van Lustbader, Jamie Freveletti, Kyle Mills, Derek B. Miller, Walter Mosley, and the estate of Ian Fleming.
Jaime’s love of the art and craft of writing and storytelling dovetails with a mission of nurturing creative talent at any point in its trajectory. To that end, she routinely performs seminars, lectures, and discussions about craft and professional development for writers at conferences, classes, and private writing groups. |
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Becka Oliver Becka Oliver began her career licensing foreign and domestic rights, first at St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan) and later at Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books, now Hachette) where she served as Associate Director of Subsidiary Rights before making the move to agenting. She helped to launch the Endeavor book department, continuing as a literary agent at William Morris Endeavor (WME) after the two powerhouse talent agencies merged.
Most recently, Becka has served as Executive Director at the Writers’ League of Texas, the largest literary arts organization in Texas, overseeing a full-slate of year round programs and services to support writers not only in Texas but across the US and beyond. |
Who is the retreat for?
This is a women-only retreat focusing on storytelling with participants comprising a mix of established and aspiring writers of fiction and non-fiction. Along with the experts, each will be bringing their own experiences and creativity to the sessions. Our team of educators has curated a workshop itinerary to help storytellers across genres learn how to craft their writing in the best possible way.
Participants may bring female guests with whom they may share their room. Guests may use the grounds and amenities, but cannot participate in the course itself.
I’m ready for a life-changing experience — how do I sign up?
Pricing
- $13,500 includes the retreat with private room and en suite bathroom
- $12,500 for a room with shared bathroom
- $11,500 for a shared room and shared bathroom
- Bring a female guest for $3,500
Accomodations/Rooms
- 6 double bedrooms (4 with en suite bathrooms)
- Two king-sized bedrooms
- Four convertible rooms (king or two singles)
- Duvets and variety of down and temperpedic pillows
- Mosquito screens in windows
- 5 full bathrooms (fully renovated 2025), 1 half bath (fully renovated 2026)
FAQ
Do I have to participate in all of the classes?
No, but we hope you do. Our team of educators has carefully planned their courses to interest and benefit the entire group, no matter where you are with your writing.
Do I have to have a work-in-progress?
Not at all. The one-on-one meetings with editors, agents, and instructors can be catered to you and whatever project you have in mind, whether it’s a magnum opus or the memoir of a distant relative.
Can I save money by sharing a room?
Yes. At this all-female retreat participants are welcome to bring a travel partner who may share their room (or book their own if available, although retreat participants will have priority for single-occupancy rooms). Your sister, best friend, cousin, girlfriend/wife, etc. is welcome. There will be optional activities and excursions to enjoy while you’re busy writing, and the pool and tennis courts will be available to all.
Can I bring my husband?
No. This is a women-only retreat. Husbands and partners can meet participants in Florence or Rome before or after the retreat.
Are there suggestions for what I should do during my free time?
Yes. While many of our participants come to write, others may want to spend their free time exploring the region. Keep in mind that the villa is in the countryside, so you will not be able to rely on public transportation to take you to any regional attractions. If you think you’d like to explore, we suggest you rent a car at Florence airport for the week.
There are many guides to this region available online, and we can also recommend to you specific local attractions, tips, and insights. Some of the many local attractions include:
→ Medieval Towns and Villages: San Gimignano, Castellina, Siena, Volterra, and any more
→ Florence and Pisa
→ World Class Museums of Florence
→ World Class Museums of Florence
→ Chianti Wine Tours
→ Monastery Tours /massage in villa
→ Florence
→ Hiking/Biking
→ Hot Air Ballooning
→ Major attractions within 2-3 hours via car or high-speed train:
→ Rome
→ Venice
→ Cinque Terre
→ Bologna
→ San Marino
→ Modena (Ferrari HQ and Museums)
→ Orvieto
→ Portofino
What is the villa’s accessibility?
Unfortunately, the villa is not wheelchair accessible, aside from the main floor (which contains no bedrooms). The bedrooms are up a flight of stairs. The pool and tennis court are close to the villa, but only accessible by walking down a few stone steps. Please note that there are no handrails or disabled facilities in the bathrooms.
Are plane tickets included in the price?
No. Participants will be flying in from all over the world with different budgets, timetables, and levels of comfort.
Will there be airport transportation offered?
Yes, we will offer transportation to the villa from the Florence airport on Day 1 of the retreat. Participants who choose to fly into other neighboring airports (listed below) can decide to rent a car and drive directly to the villa, or travel by train to Florence and join the group on our airport shuttle. As you solidify your plans, our team can help you iron out these details. Please note that if you plan on exploring the region outside of our group activities, we highly recommend you rent a car for the week so you can come and go as you please.
→ Pisa to Florence: 1 hour 45 minutes by train
→ Bologna to Florence: 1.5 hours by high-speed train
→ Rome to Florence: 3 hours by high-speed train