September 14 - 20
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WRITE YOURSELF IN PARIS
Join award-winning writers Glynnis MacNicol and Susanna Schrobsdorff for six transformative days in Paris.
The Blue Hour is a retreat from the ordinary, a chance to write, to think, to adventure, and to immerse yourself in the pleasures of Paris where beauty is a catalyst all its own. Our aim is to give you an intimate, powerful and engaging balance of expert guidance, writerly solidarity, and freedom to wander.
What we're offering in our September 14 - 20, 2025 workshop:
- Daily guided writing sessions
- Expert advice on writing and professional opportunities via daily workshops with Susanna, Glynnis and special guests.
- A one-hour private writer conference
- Sunday arrival cocktails
- Daily breakfast (Monday-Friday)
- Friday dinner with optional member readings
- Saturday breakfast and optional excursion to the legendary Paris flea market at Saint-Ouen
Why The Blue Hour?
In the hour just after the sun sets in Paris, the sky becomes a vibrant shade of indigo. It is Paris at its most Paris. The French call it l’heure bleue, the blue hour. It’s both a beginning and an end. They say this is the time between dog and wolf – entre chien et loup. It’s when one transitions from the domestic, responsible, and contained to something more powerful, less contained. We believe this is a potent analogy for the kind of storytelling that comes from moving from the recognized power of youth toward the immense freedom and daring that comes with age.
Led by professional writers, Glynnis MacNicol and Susanna Schrobsdorff, The Blue Hour is a unique six-day Paris workshop geared toward writers who are interested in delving into this transition, be it through memoir, or essay, or journalistic endeavor. We'll host intimate writing sessions, workshops and share guidance rooted in our deep understanding of both storytelling and the practicalities of sharing your work professionally. We aim to embrace the inbetweeness of it all, and to harness the energy of change in the pursuit of creativity. It's an opportunity to develop a fuller sense of yourself and your writing outside the constraints and distractions of daily life. (You can find our full bios here.)
Why Paris?
Of course, Paris is always a good idea. But it's also a place that has long provided nourishment and strength to extraordinary women, particularly those who are coming into their full adult power. As writers, we've both embraced this city, and we feel that it embraces us just as we are. Surely that's potent fuel for a week of writing and solidarity.
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In 2016, Glynnis came to Paris for one month to start working on her first memoir, No One Tells You This. She returned again the next year to finish. And then the year after that, and after that. You get the picture. Paris began as a refuge to focus on writing, and became a second home full of friends and routines and a life that she eventually captured in her second memoir I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris. |
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When Susanna was 26, TIME magazine moved her to their Paris bureau. She arrived with two suitcases of pitiable clothing and zero French. For months, she wept and watched reruns of Bewitched dubbed in French. Then she fell in love with a Swede and the city (as one does), and when TIME transferred her back to the U.S., Susanna vowed to return. In January 2024, more than a few gigs as an editor and columnist, Susanna sold everything and moved back to Paris. This time, she showed up with two suitcases, one small dog, and a book project. |
You can find our full bios here. There's a sample retreat schedule in our FAQ. Pricing and registration deadlines are here. And there's more about the Blue Hour's benefits and delights from participants on the testimonials page.