THE HISTORY The WRW story begins in June of 1987 in a Victorian retreat center tucked away in the sleepy countryside village of Woodstock, Connecticut. There, a small group of pre-published novelists and writers of narrative non-fiction gathered for the first Writers Retreat Workshop. Their purpose: to study with one of the leading teachers of writing for publication- Gary Provost, known to them as “The Writer's Writer.” And the purpose of the WRW: to teach these students all that Gary knew about the art, craft, and business of being a novelist. Until his untimely death in 1995 at the age of fifty, Gary Provost was arguably the leading teacher of writing in the United States.”—Writer's Digest Books "When I planned our first WRW, I had an ideal vision of how the work sessions would go, but because we were doing this for the first time, naturally I worried. As it turned out, things went better than I had even hoped. The work sessions were lively, thoughtful, and constructive. The writers who came were all the serious-minded, dedicated people we had tried to reach. Though we enjoyed fun and good conversation each day, nobody forgot why we were there: to bring our books closer to publication. For me, it was exciting to see writers abandoning poor writing habits and breaking through to new levels of ability. WRW was the most satisfying teaching experience of my career, and I believe that for the writers it was the most successful learning experience. Perhaps the best measure of last year's success is the fact that all of our writers continued to work on their books... and are in touch with each other still."—Gary Provost For these serious writers, Gary simplified the complex with his unique blend of warmth, wit, and wisdom; creating an easy-to-absorb, step-by-step course that has become the hallmark of WRW instruction. He was a master communicator, and of his more than 24 published books covering most genres, seven were written specifically for writers. Included in that list are such top sellers as Writer’s Digest Books’ Make Every Word Count, Beyond Style: Mastering the Finer Points of Writing, Make Your Words Work, and the more recent How To Tell A Story: The Secrets of Writing Captivating Tales. Because Gary Provost was an inspiration to writers around the globe, his sudden death in 1995 left the writing world shaken. At WRW, however, his indomitable spirit endures as his legacy lives on. Founded by Gary and Gail Provost to provide writing students with as much current nuts and bolts information as possible in the short amount of time, WRW continues to offer an abundance of advice, tips, and guidance; ensure a nurturing supportive environment free of “real life” distractions; and include a hearty dose of fun. So, who are these WRW participants who feel compelled to attend these cherished opportunities to learn and grow as writers? They are dedicated students, committed to learning to improve their craft in order to publish their novels. Although they arrive at varying levels of ability and experience, all make dramatic leaps and leave WRW as far more confident writers. Without exception.