Date/Time
Date(s) - Monday 24 Aug - Saturday 29 Aug, 2026
All Day
Location
Moniack Mhor, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire, IV4 7HT
The Wild and the Considered: process, practice and editorial
Following the success of Elizabeth’s Reeder’s A Year of Writing in 2025-26, we are happy to be able to offer this course again in 2026-27. This is a four-season writing course open to writers of fiction and non-fiction with a work in progress. It is led by Elizabeth Reeder, author of An Archive of Happiness (Penned in the Margins) and microbursts (Prototype). The course will run roughly fortnightly on Wednesday evenings.
This course has a limited number of places for writers to join us. You are welcome to join on a season by season basis or book the whole year. If you choose season by season we’ll do our best to give you first choice to allow you to participate in the next season.
Course outline
Elizabeth’s year-long course, run season by season, is intended to support you and your writing process as you undertake a long-form fiction or creative non-fiction project. The premise is that by writing in the company of others, figuring out what sort of habits, goal setting and flexibility work for you, discussing elements of craft and process and what will bring the most joy as you write, even if it’s tough at times – you will have more resources to complete a longer project.
In this Year of Writing we are doing something a bit different.
There will be Three Online Seasons. The fully online Seasons are: Spring 26, Autumn 26 and Winter into Spring 2027.
& One Hybrid Season: This year, we are running the Summer Season as a hybrid season, which will include a residential week at Moniack Mhor, taking place from 24 – 29 August 2026! (There is a pared back online only option for the summer season too.) Both include an initial session at the start of July and a post-residency discussion in September.
Each writer will receive a one one-to-one tutorial with Elizabeth each term where you can submit up to 2,500 words and then discuss it in a 40-minute session.
Seasonal themes:
Spring 2026 Motivation and Momentum
Summer 2026 Writing towards the residency/ a summer of writing; flexibility, kindness, toughness
Autumn 2026 Questions of Craft and Crafting
Winter into Spring Reflection and Creative-Critical Editing
Season Two – Summer 2026 Flexibility, Kindness, Toughness
This year we’re quite excited to offer something new – the summer season will include a solo tutored retreat at Moniack Mhor (24th of August to 29th of August)! This residential retreat is top and tailed by online sessions on 01 July 2026 and 16 September 2026.
This course is open to participants of a Year of Writing, with any additional spaces being opened up to people who fancy the writing residential and a one one-to-one tutorial with Elizabeth Reeder. There may also be some light-touch, optional writing spaces / workshops during the week. These will be discussed and decided on together in the 1st online session on 01.07.26. The main focus of the residential week is time dedicated to work on your own writing that can be fuelled by being occasional (excellent) company of other writers. For the 40-minute tutorial, you can submit 2,500 words of prose (submitted a fortnight before the start of the residential (09.08.26). We’ll conclude the residential at Moniack Mhor with a sharing of work in progress.
The fee for the residential option is a bit higher than other seasons – to cover accommodation, food, and slightly more contact time – and the bursary scheme can help support fees. The online only option for this summer season, costs, as you might expect, a bit less than in other seasons because we have slightly fewer overall sessions with this option.
A Year of Writing: Season 2 includes:
- a week-long residential at Moniack Mhor
- two online sessions on 1 July 2026 + 16 Sept 2026
- one 40-minute one-to-one tutorial and feedback on up to 2,500 words
- Contact and support from your community of writers via Padlet (optional)
Fees
The full fee for this tutored retreat is £625. This includes your accommodation in a single room with shared bathroom, all meals, hot drinks and snacks from Monday afternoon until Saturday morning. For more information about the format and practicalities of our courses, tutored courses, and retreats, please visit our About the Residential Courses & Retreats page.
A limited number of en-suite rooms are available, which can be booked in advance for a £50 surcharge. We will also reserve an en-suite room for anyone who may need it due to a medical condition. This will be offered out as an upgrade nearer the course start date if it is not needed.
A deposit is required to secure your place, which is non-refundable after a 14-day cooling-off period. The remainder of the fee is due six weeks before the course begins. Please read our Terms & Conditions for full details about our cancellation policy. If you would like to pay the full amount in advance, please email us on info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Bursaries are always available, and you also have the option to pay in instalments. If you have any problems paying online, or wish to discuss paying in instalments or applying for financial help, or would simply like assistance, please contact us by emailing info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Access
Please let us know in your booking form if you have any access requirements, for example a ground floor bedroom and / or access to a step-free accessible shower room. We also reserve one en-suite bedroom per course for anyone who may need this due to a medical condition. For more information about access to our courses, please visit our Access page.
Terms and Conditions
Please read our Terms & Conditions before booking.