Write what you’re burning to say, and stop pushing it to next year’s vision board
Get the words out of your head and onto the page.
Waitlist-only price closes
We’re taking this writing project out of your sad little Word doc for good
In this retreat, you get to finally make time for the writing that’s yours. Maybe it’s a book you keep dreaming about writing. Maybe it’s essays, poetry, a Substack, or you just want to remember what it feels like to write for yourself.
I’ll help you find what you really want to say, show you how to write honestly without oversharing, and help you build a writing practice that feels joyful rather than raking your soul over hot coals.
Come with a project you’re already developing, or a blank notebook. Either way, you’ll go home knowing what you want to write, with real pages written and a plan to keep going.
“My writing had stagnated for months. Priya’s memoir course rooted me in the narrative arc, how to bring in characters, how to structure the story — things I had no clue about. She helped me understand how to express myself fully.”
“Priya creates spaces that feel both inspiring yet restful. At the Barcelona retreat, I finally had the time to reflect on what I wanted creatively — and I came home not just relaxed because I had so much fun, but with a real sense of creative direction again.”
You want to write what really matters
You’ve got a creative writing project burning inside you, that never really leaves your head. You know you’re capable of producing writing that is meaningful and moving if you just had the time and space to do it.
You want to nail your writing voice and have it sound like you, not like your favourite writers.
You are ready for your writing to flow as a true creative expression, and to write without censoring yourself or editing it to death.
And you are so ready for this writing to become a reality, not just a dream that you keep deferring.
But here’s why you’re not writing it
I’d bet my bottom dollar you already write most days. Instagram captions, marketing emails – easy peasy.
But the thing that’s actually yours, the one sitting in the core of your soul, is personal. And that’s scary, so you keep collecting notes and tweaking, and another year goes by.
Maybe you’ve even tried courses, how-to books, or morning pages, but the story you want to tell isn’t materialising.
You tell yourself you’ll really get stuck in when life settles down. Let’s be honest, when does that ever happen?
On this retreat, all that changes
We’ll mix focused writing sessions with creative immersion and outdoor exploring to get your creative juices flowwwwing
Join the retreatWelcome to your writing retreat in Marrakesh.
Picture this. You wake up in a riad just outside the Medina, with light falling through the plant-filled terrace and the pool glinting in the courtyard. Breakfast is warm, homemade and already waiting for you. Nobody needs anything from you.
Mornings are for writing. We gather on the terrace with notebooks open and mint tea on the table. I’ll guide you through sessions that help you find confidence in your writing and, if you’re working on a book, build its narrative and structure. Then I’ll give you the space to get it down on the page.
Afternoons are for creative play. Shape clay with a local Moroccan ceramicist. Get lost in the colour and noise of the souks. Let a hypnotherapist and a tarot deck quieten the shitty committee in your head. Or just swim, nap and read in the shade.
Evenings are slow and golden. We’ll do playful, interactive writing sessions, then sit down to long Moroccan dinners full of conversation and laughter.
A final night you won’t stop thinking about. We leave the city for the desert. You’ll sleep in a white-tented camp, with rugs underfoot, lamps flickering, and more stars than you’ve ever seen.
This retreat is for you if…
You write for work, but never for yourself.
You can knock out a campaign email on deadline, but your own writing keeps getting pushed.
You've started this book more times than you can count.
A few thousand words in, life gets loud, the spark goes, and you start from scratch again.
You're the mouthiest at dinner, but courage deserts you on the page.
Opinions on the WhatsApp group? Easy. Putting them into meaningful words? Terrifying.
You've got 6 ideas and no idea which one is the one.
You’ve been adding notes to the same document for years, still searching for the throughline.
You know exactly what you want to write, but you don't have the nerve yet.
It’s raw, honest, maybe a bit brutal – and it feels too exposing.
You're exhausted by work and don’t want learning to write to feel like school.
You want to write, nap, laugh, read and swim, with every single detail taken care of.
Where you'll be writing
We’ll start in a private villa with views of the Atlas Mountains, with a pool, spa, hammam, gardens, tennis court and gym. Then we move to the dreamy Agafay desert for a night in the most beautiful glamping tents.
“A lot of writing coaching can feel vague and ‘good vibes-esque’ but Priya is focused, supportive and (crucially for me) structured. She’s helped me find faith in my abilities as a writer and speaker, and I cannot recommend her highly enough to anyone who wants clarity, confidence and support from a brilliant human being.”
“Priya helped me understand that my book needed focus. After working with her, I knew exactly what I needed to write about. If there is a story within you, she will help you tell it.”
“Priya’s memoir course was immensely helpful in learning the foundations of memoir writing and where to best focus my energies as I began writing about my own past.”
“OMG that session was so helpful. You are like some writer's elixir that unleashes ideas! I finished talking with you and immediately came up with the structure! What a gift to have met you.”
Hi, I’m Priya
Writer, coach, retreat host, and the person reading your pages.
I spent 25 years as a journalist, BBC, The Guardian, New Scientist, before Penguin published my memoir, M(other)land, after it went to auction with five publishers bidding.
But here’s the bit that matters for you. For a decade, that book lived in a Word doc I just changed the date on every year. I knew I had a book in me, but I didn’t have the cojones to be as honest on the page as I wanted to be. It changed the day I got fed up of not telling my own story.
Writing it taught me how to find the through-line when the material feels too big, how to be honest without being reckless, and how to get past the voice that tells you not to bother. Everything I teach on this retreat, I’ve used myself.
And I won’t teach it like a dry professor. I’m more your writing shaman, the one who helps you reach the words that are actually in there and get them out, no psychedelics necessary.
Also guiding you in Marrakesh
Quieting your inner critic
Led by Hannah Jardine Youell — hypnotherapist and TEDx speaker.
Hannah will guide you in quieting your inner critic — that overzealous "shitty committee" so many writers know too well — and reconnecting with the true, uncensored voice underneath. Using hypnotherapy alongside tarot as a tool for storytelling and self-discovery, she'll help you dig into the hidden narratives and archetypes already living inside you, waiting to be written.
Creating with Clay
Led by Imane Benmbarek — artist and ceramicist who founded the Marrakesh-based Atelier Benimane, where she creates ceremonial gatherings designed to help people disconnect from everyday routine, slow down, and bond through the tactile medium of clay.
Get your hands in the clay and shape your own ceramic pieces to take home, a keepsake of the week long after you've left.
What you leave with
When you reconnect with your creative source, the words stop being a trickle. You’ll leave with pages of writing, and a much clearer idea of what it is you actually want to say.
The bold, funny, honest voice you use with your closest friends, finally showing up in your writing.
The question at its heart, the thread that runs through it, and what stays in and what has to go, with my feedback on your pages along the way.
Simple routines you can slot into an ordinary Tuesday, not just a week in Marrakesh.
Not the safe one. And maybe even the nerve to let other people read it.
Real pages that you wrote, which are a lot harder to argue with than the voice in your head telling you not to bother.
After our time together, you'll know exactly what you want to write
Waitlist-only price closes — Wednesday 28 October, 6pm UK time
Waitlist-only
£1,950
Private room
£1,700
Shared room
You're on the waitlist — this is your price
General early bird
£2,300
Private room
£2,050
Shared room
After waitlist window closes
Full price
£2,600
Private room
£2,350
Shared room
General release
Pay in full and get 1:1 support writing your book proposal. I’ll give you the exact template I used to get published, and we’ll workshop it together
Waitlist bonusBook during the waitlist-only period and get a free 60-minute one-to-one session with Priya
You're on the waitlist — your waitlist-only price is £1,950 for a private room or £1,700 shared.
You'll be well taken care of
"The creative women's supper club that Priya ran was so good for the soul! What made it special was the deep conversation (with women I'd never met before), laughter, and genuine connection. It reminded me that creativity doesn't just live in our work, but in how we gather and share ourselves."— Maya
"Priya is really fantastic at creating engaging and inclusive spaces to show our most creative (and sometimes our most vulnerable) side."— Nika
"The food - not just how delicious it was (I kept coming back for more) but everything around it. Feeling like I stepped into someone's home. Then, the people. An intimate group of women, from different backgrounds, that chose to be in the company of strangers, and then leave with a feeling of connection, and belonging."— Nicole
"Priya's supper clubs are events I always look forward to. I'm guaranteed delicious food, stellar company and conversations that leave me feeling energized and inspired. It's a genuine space for connection and sharing of ideas."— Manuela
What are the timings of the retreat?
The retreat runs from 17 to 22 March 2027. Check in is 4pm onwards on 17 March and checkout is 10am on 22 March.
Are there payment plans?
Absolutely! You can pay a £500 deposit followed by 3 instalments, with the final payment due 60 days before the retreat starts (16 January 2027). Or pay in full and get 1:1 support writing your book proposal. I’ll give you the exact template I used to get published, and we’ll workshop it together.
Do I have to be a writer to join?
No. This retreat is for any creative who wants to write, whatever you do for work and whether or not you write regularly now.
Do I need a project?
No. You can arrive with nothing but a notebook. If a book idea shows up, brilliant – I’ll help you work out whether it’s the one. If you leave with a writing practice instead, that’s just as much the point.
I’ve never done tarot or ceramics. Is that OK?
That’s the point! No experience needed. These aren’t skills to master – they’re playful ways to sneak past your inner critic. The messier, the better.
Will I have to share my writing?
Only if you want to. Sharing is always optional, including on the final evening, and there’s no pressure either way.
I’ve already taken a course. Is this for me?
Yes. The creative play will take you somewhere a course can’t, and I’ll help you find the heart of what you’re working on.
Will I get feedback on my writing?
Yes. You’ll get direct feedback during the morning sessions, so you leave with clarity on what’s working and what to do next — not just a burst of inspiration.
Will there be other solo travellers?
Absolutely. Many guests come solo, and our groups are small and intentionally welcoming. Shared meals, sessions, and conversations mean you’ll feel connected quickly — but there’s also plenty of space if you need quiet time.
I also want some downtime — will it be very intense?
The mornings are focused, but the afternoons are open for rest or exploration. Every single session is optional however - ideally, you would join all of it but nothing is mandatory and you can take time out when you need to.
What’s included in the price?
5 nights accommodation, all meals, and all writing and creative workshops are included. Flights, and optional extras (like wine, massages or excursions) are not.
What is provided in the rooms?
quality cotton bed linen, bath and pool towels
hairdryers in each bathroom
organic toiletries (hand wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion)
ceiling fans or air conditioners/heating in all bedrooms
Please note there are no hotel-style locks on bedroom doors, but each bedroom has a small safe for valuables. However, we will have the riad to ourselves.
Is there WIFI?
Yes there is - though phone-free time is encouraged to disconnect
Don't let another year go by wondering when you'll actually write this thing
You know how we're always saying it'll quieten down after this? It never does. The Word document doesn't get less daunting with time. The through-line doesn't find itself.
If you’re ready to stop waiting and start writing, secure your spot on The Art of Storytelling now.
Secure your spotWaitlist-only: £1,950 private room, £1,700 shared. Payment plans available.
Waitlist-only price closes — 28 October 2026, 6pm UK time
Questions? Reply to any email from Priya or find her on Instagram @priya.joi