The Writer’s Workshop at Komitof
Next workshop date coming soon
Join our EXPERT AUTHORS & COACHES as you hone your writing skills at Villa Komito for the 2025 creative and travel WRITER’S WORKSHOP, designed for anyone interested in enhancing their creative competence in this most inspirational environment.
EXPERIENCED OR NOVICE, YOU’RE WELCOME.
Whether you’re NEW to writing, are starting a long-considered PROJECT, or are already well into your process and want GUIDANCE or ideas to move it ahead and improve it, you’ll find a wealth of guidance experts at hand. And please, do bring along a partner or friend if you like.
YOUR WRITING, YOUR FORM
Whether your project is fiction, biography, non-fiction, journalism, memoir, or whatever form your writing goals take, these experienced EXPERTS will enhance your ideas and improve your TECHNIQUE through both joint workshops and study sessions.
For example, on Friday we’ll hold a 10-minute-per-person session for experts and guests both when we can each, if we wish to, present a book or writer and say why we like it.
Some Previous Coaches and Expert Guestsy
Sara Wheeler
Author, Coach
A highly-experienced writing coach, Sara is also a multi award-winning travel writer and bestselling biographer, whose eleven books include Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica, Cherry: A Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard and Glowing Still: A Woman’s Life on the Road. Sara is currently writing the authorised biography of Jan Morris for Faber.
Sara is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a contributing editor of the Literary Review.
Bruce Clark
Author, journalist
Bruce is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster of many years experience with The Economist, Reuters and The Times. He is author of very highly regarded titles including Athens, City of Wisdom, Twice a Stranger, winner of the Runciman Award 2007.
As a tutor, Bruce advises and shares with us his long and distinguished experience and learning both as journalist and as non-fiction author.
Cindy Blake
NOVELIST
An expert at the tortuous, but important art of devising and developing plot lines. She has been published by Harper Collins, Random House, Transworld as Cindy Blake and under other names as well. Cindy will be joining us virtually.
Clare Conville
Literary Agent
Clare Conville is the founder and CEO of the very successful literary agency C&W– Conville and Walsh–which is now part of Curtis Brown Ltd., one of the world’s leading literary agencies.
A Week of Exploration, Inspiration and Expertise y
You’ll meet with our experts each morning to learn how to implement solutions that every writer faces, from the CREATIVE PROCESS, to PLOT SOLUTIONS, to refining your PERSONAL STYLE, to options for getting your work published.
Daily Workshops & Writing Advice
The WORKSHOP SESSIONS are designed so that we can IDENTIFY the areas where you’d like support and ideas. There are TASKS, for both individuals and the group, which enable all of us to explore our strengths and weaknesses.
THE EXPERTS will be with us all week, so much of the EXCHANGE of ideas and learning arises from INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS. Participants may want to send in notes or questions in advance as an introduction, which will also help in the preparation of the workshops.
Some Enthusiastic Reviews y
It was a brilliant week! I loved it and it helped me believe in the project again! Sarah, Bruce and Clare all seemed positive which is great; Bruce said I should email Clare with more details which I will do.
It was also lovely to get to know Madison, Martin and Margaret. You did a truly fantastic job putting it all together!
What an enjoyable and informative week. The tutors, both published authors, were excellent and very helpful. Also, the Zoom call with Claire (Clare Conville of Conville Walsh literary agency), a very experienced senior agent, was hugely beneficial.
The location, accommodation and catering were superb. Both Christopher and Bill, were so helpful and supportive.
I am truly so happy and grateful to have had this experience.
I wanted a critique of what I had done so far, and I got that. Bruce read my work-in-progress and gave an instant response which I felt was fair and most helpful. Sara spent time with me going through a chapter or two in detail and that as much as anything convinced me that I have a good story worth telling. She gave me excellent pointers on style and things to be avoided.
This course gave me the confidence to go ahead and finish what I had started.
I had a FANTASTIC week! The scenery, food, activities, workshops, and PEOPLE were all phenomenal. You could say it exceeded my expectations.
I found a new setting for my book, and Sara (Wheeler) and Bruce (Clark) helped me learn some incredible new writing techniques. I feel very set up for success.
After the Writing’s Done y
We keep workshop sessions to the mornings. One-to-one sessions can be in the afternoons. But the afternoons and evenings are reserved to explore the luscious Komito estate and Syros itself.
- Walks down to the sea to swim or lounge by our private cove
- Explore the nearby beach and hillsides
- Play our own adaptation of Padel tennis
- Petanque
- Backgammon
Also included:
- Lunch in the enchanting OuSyra vineyard
- Dinner in enchanting Ermopoli.
Additional possibilities:
- Yoga on the hilltop terrace with Anna Vardoxaglou
- “Five Greek Dishes” cooking class with Nella, Komito’s chef supreme
- Visit by boat to the extraordinary, ancient island of Delos
About Komito, Your Workshop Home
Villa Komito was built in the 1960’s and 70’s by Anglo-Irish Baronet Sir Richard Musgrave and his wife Maria, who still lives there much of the time. Today the villa is run by his son Christopher, who has turned this renowned retreat in its glorious location into a much-admired destination in the Cyclades.
Weather
Early October is simply the very best time to be in Syros. The sea is at its warmest after the summer; the crowds have gone and the lovely island is at its most endearing. You will see why Syros has attracted so many long stay international residents.
Program & Pricing y
Included in your payment:
- All transfers to and from Komito from airport or the port
- Board and lodging at Villa Komito
- All writer’s sessions with Sarah, Bruce and Cindy
- An evening talk on Greek and Cyclades history
- ‘Five Great Greek Dishes’ cooking class with Nella
- Discussion with and advice from Clare Conville
- All programmed excursions
- One dinner in a favorite Ermoupoli restaurant
- Lunch and tour of the OuSyra organic vineyard with the owner/producer Edward Maitland
- A variety of afternoon activities in the villa and around the island (hiking, petanque, backgammon, padel and more)
What’s not included:
- Flights, ferries to Syros
- Meals and transport costs on optional excursions to other islands such as Delos
- Tips for our expertly attentive Greek/Albanian Komito staff
- Yoga with the Anna is €20 per person
Pricing:
Prices vary somewhat by room choice and number of guests sharing the room.
- A single person is € 2440
- Two people sharing a room is € 1800 per person.
Review and download the Workshop programme.
Join Us a
Please complete the form below to request your place in this rich, one-of-a-kind writer’s experience.
You can also contact us directly at Musgavechristopher@yahoo.ie, ColegraveBill@gmail.com, or
+44 7990010754 (SMS or Whatsapp)