Haven 1 Writing Retreat
Learn The Essentials of Writing
Join Laura Munson at Haven 1 Writing Retreat and Dive Deep into Voice, Craft, and Wonder in an intimate Montana Setting
Haven 1 is a Small-Group Immersion
For writers ready to write their story
Haven I is where the writers’ work begins. It will meet you where you need to be met, no matter where you are along your writing path.
It is a five-day immersion program designed to help writers find a steady, honest relationship with their voice—one grounded in attention, care, and curiosity rather than urgency or outcome.
People arrive at Haven I at many different stages.
Some bring full drafts.
Some bring fragments or questions.
Some arrive simply knowing it is time to finally make time to write.
What matters most is not where you are in your work, but how willing you are to meet it.
2026 Haven 1 Writing Retreat Schedule
There are several opportunities throughout the year to step away and into this work. Each retreat is small, intentional, and held in the Montana landscape that makes the writing possible. Dates are listed below.
June 3 – 7, 2026: Space is still available
June 24 – 28, 2026: Space is still available
September 16 – 20, 2026: Now booking
September 23 – 27, 2026: Now booking
October 14 – 18, 2026: Now booking
How Haven Holds Craft
A Note from Laura Munson
“At Haven, you take a freefall into a free zone — and I’m holding the net. In over a thousand people, I have never once dropped it.”
— Laura Munson
The Group Size
All of this takes place within a curated, intimate group—typically six to seven people. This allows us to remain in one continuous conversation, whether in class, at the table, or during social hour.
One-on-One Mentorship
You aren’t just joining a group. You are entering a rare one-on-one mentorship. Your retreat includes dedicated, one-on-one time with Laura to focus exclusively on your project, your roadblocks, and your vision.
You May Be Ready If You Recognize Yourself Here
Many people who come to Haven 1 travel a long way to get here — and that distance is part of the medicine. Stepping out of your daily life, your obligations, and the geography of your ordinary routine creates a rare kind of permission. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to write. You don’t have to have a practice already in place. You don’t need to feel ready. What Haven asks of you is simpler than any of that: a willingness to finally make time for your own voice, in a space that is emotionally safe, carefully held, and genuinely unlike anything else in your writing life. Whether you arrive with a manuscript, a question, or simply a long-quiet knowing that it is time — the Montana woods, and the work waiting inside them, will meet you there.
What is the Experience Like?
Haven 1 is a place to slow the process down so that something true emerges. Whether it’s a memoir, a novel, a personal essay, a short story, or more meaningful “word wandering,” there is something deeply illuminating for every attendee. At Haven I, you will never get false promises. Only real take-aways that last long after the retreat.
How the Days Unfold at Haven 1 Writing Retreats
Haven I follows a steady, intentional rhythm—one designed to support deep-dive learning without overwhelm.
Mornings
Inside-Out Craft
Mornings include guided writing and craft exploration. We put the loud, and often cruel, Inner Critter down for a much needed ‘nap’ as I take you through a diverse writing experience designed to inspire your full writing voice and expression. Instruction is active and lived, with concrete takeaways that you can apply to your writing practice long after the retreat.
This instruction can be applied to any genre and any project, long or short form. If you are in the story that you don’t have a voice, or that you’re stuck… it will cause major shifts in you. It’s like watching a miracle every time. And I can say this because it’s not about me. It’s about the program. It’s just that powerful. I’ve seen it change not just people’s writing…but their lives. Over and over again.
Afternoons
Open Space, and One-on-Ones
Our afternoons are intentionally unstructured. This time is yours—to walk, rest, journal, or work on a writing project that’s already in the works, or inspired by the morning class.
This is also when you will have your pre-scheduled 55-minute One-on-One with Laura.
Evenings
Share Your Writing/Get Feedback
In the evenings, we gather to read aloud and get group feedback, guided and held by Laura. You are safe here, and at the same time, you will get what you want to move your writing toward your goals, whatever they are. You get to make the rules in this regard. While this is a traditional workshop environment, each attendee feels supported and witnessed without harsh scrutiny. We listen for what is alive in the work, what is unique, surprising, and essential…and mirror that to each reader.
Groups remain small—typically six to seven people—so the space stays intimate and attentive. “This is my ideal number for my Haven groups, because we can be in one conversation, whether in class, workshop, or at our meals and Social hour. It makes for excellent group bonding.”
If you’ve read this far, your writing life is already asking for something.
You don’t need to have the words for it yet.
The introductory call with Laura is not an audition or a sales call. It’s an hour to talk about your writing dreams with someone who has walked this path for decades — and who will listen, carefully and without agenda, to help you understand whether Haven I is the right fit for you right now.
“I came to learn craft. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to be cared for.”
— Haven alum
Haven is selective — to protect what happens inside it. There is never any pressure. If it’s not the right time, or the right fit, Laura will tell you that too. By clicking on the link below, Laura will know your heart might be longing for Haven.
