Are you ready to take your fiction to the next level?
Join #1 internationally bestselling author Karen Dionne and her bestselling guest instructors at her lakefront Michigan home for a productive and inspiring weekend!
2026 Retreat Schedule
choose from four different sessions with four different guest instructors
June 17-21, 2026| Karen Dionne & Jaime Levine
July 8-12, 2026 | Karen Dionne & Wanda M. Morris
August 19-23, 2026 | Karen Dionne & Jacquelyn Mitchard
September 16-20, 2026 | Karen Dionne & Kelly Mustian
Muskrat Lodge Writers Retreat Highlights
High-level instruction
Karen and her carefully selected co-instructors are skilled teachers who are eager to share what they've learned about the business and the craft.
Individual feedback
Get constructive feedback on your first 20 pages from not just one, but two award-winning, bestselling authors to help you make your manuscript the best it can be.
Quiet time until 1 PM
Hole up during your free time and write your heart out. Or go for a hike in the woods or kayak on the lake. This quiet time is yours to use as you wish.
Encouragement and camaraderie
The only person who truly understands a writer is another writer. We promise you’ll come away encouraged and inspired!
Why would a bestselling author take time from her busy schedule to host a writers retreat?
It’s a fair question. The short answer is that Karen loves helping writers almost as much as she loves writing.
“Thank you for the most intensive writer’s retreat ever! It was a truly priceless experience to learn tips to elevate my WIP and workshop with Jean and Karen and make new friends in such an intimate setting.”
– 2024 retreat attendee
Surrounded by woods and water, students find inspiration at every turn.
Make yourself at home.
Explore Muskrat Lodge, Karen’s peaceful hideaway on a small lake surrounded by forest in the middle of Michigan.
Sharpen your skills,
shape your story
Join us and take the next step toward becoming a published author.