Write with Us in a Pueblo Mágico
April 8-18, 2027
One temple, two facilitators, many mountains.
Join Susan Wadds and Pennie Nichols for a writing retreat designed to give you space to write deeply, explore freely, and discover what wants to emerge.
Tepoztlán—nestled between mountains, under Tepozteco, the temple of Ometochtli-Tepoztecatl, Aztec god of pulque, fertility, and harvest—is a designated pueblo mágico and the perfect place to reach deep and harvest the magic you carry within.
This retreat is for the curious and ready to explore the magic—the magic without and the magic within. For nine enchanting days, enjoy supportive writing time, home-crafted and pre-Hispanic meals, music, and excursions. Come, discover the Mexico you never knew.
During this nine-day retreat, we’ll enjoy the hospitality of family-run posadas, where each room has its own en-suite bathroom with a shower.
After three hours of guided writing practice, we’ll enjoy comida casera: real home-style Mexican food rich with guisados and soups from locally harvested crops.
Afternoons and evenings are free for exploring and dinner, with some suggested excursions and places.
Most evenings, we’ll gather again at a posada for fireside readings of excerpts from works in progress or from writing inspired by afternoon adventures.
Fees: $1995 USD
Included:
- Daily facilitated writing practice with Pennie and Deepam
- Private en suite room
- Breakfast and lunch
Not included:
- Transportation – assistance and detailed information is available
Options: Bus, taxi, or private car from Mexico City Airport to Tepoztlán. In Tepoztlán, the streets are narrow, and the posadas have little to no parking. We don’t recommend renting a car. Everything is walking distance from the posada.
- Excursions
Suggested nearby excursions:
- El Templo de Tepozteco
- El Mercado
- El Centro
- San Juan for a temazcal with Rogelio
- Cuernavaca
Money
It’s important to have pesos. In Tepoztlán, no one takes foreign currencies and many establishments don’t accept credit cards.
Change your money to pesos at the airport. There are no casas de cambio in Tepoztlán.
Banco Azteca in Tepoztlán will change currencies, but their rates are not as good as the airport.
Facilitators:
Pennie A. Nichols is an Amherst Writers & Artists affiliate and a Louisiana-based author of literary fiction. Pennie is passionate about fostering safe spaces for creative expression. Alongside her own writing, she facilitates in-person and virtual workshops, meetups, and retreats that help writers tap into their creative flow. You can find her essays and some stories at https://www.pennienichols.com/category/my-creations/essays/. You can learn more about her workshops here: https://www.innergardenretreats.com/
Susan Wadds’ debut novel, “What the Living Do,” won the 2024 Canadian Book Club Award for fiction, was a 2024 Indies finalist, and was shortlisted for the 2024 Fred Kerner Book Award. In 2016, her short fiction won the Writers’ Union of Canada’s Prose Contest. Susan’s work has appeared in various publications, including carteblanche, The Blood Pudding, Room, and Waterwheel Review. A graduate of the Humber School for Writers and a proud member of The Writers Union of Canada and The Canadian Authors Association, Susan is a certified Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) workshop facilitator, leading writing workshops and retreats online and internationally. She lives as a guest on a quiet river on Williams Treaty land traditionally cared for by the Anishinaabe.
For more information or to register, please fill out this form.
