Spanish Peaks Writing Retreat
A long weekend - a lifetime transformation
With Imaginative Storm co-creators Allegra Huston and James Navé
June 25 – 28, 2026
Transform your inner critic into a trusted creative partner
Banish writer’s block and generate rich, original work on command
Stretch and strengthen your imagination — so that your writing will consistently surprise you
Blend deep craft with imaginative exploration
Whether you’re working on a memoir, creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry—or still finding your voice—you’ll discover the freedom, power, and originality waiting inside your writing.
Morning and afternoon group writing sessions: unlock creative flow
Salon conversations: discuss your challenges and celebrate your curiosity
New insights, new energy, and a supportive writing community: stay connected long after the weekend is over
Plus: a powerful set of tools to take into the rest of your writing life
$1395 • Limit 12 participants
welcome reception, breakfasts and lunches included
Praise for Past Retreats
Your Guides into the Imaginative Storm
Award-winning authors. Renowned teachers. Creative collaborators.
Allegra Huston
Acclaimed author, world-class editor, and co-creator of the Imaginative Storm method
Allegra brings a rare blend of literary rigor and creative liberation to her teaching. She’s helped writers from all backgrounds break free from perfectionism and reconnect with the joy of writing.
“Allegra Huston is incapable of writing a dull sentence.”
James Navé
Poet, spoken-word performer, and co-creator of the Imaginative Storm method
Navé holds an MFA in poetry from Vermont College, and brings a lifetime of creative exploration to the page. With roots in performance poetry and a deep belief in the power of imagination, his work helps writers of all backgrounds tap into their wild, true voice.
“James Navé and I worked together for over 20 years. His work as a poet, teacher, and facilitator is an important force for change.”
“After Imaginative Storm, writer’s block is a myth.”
— Abdullah H. Erakat, journalist and screenwriter
The Imaginative Storm Method
The Imaginative Storm method is centered on appreciation, not criticism. Our workshops are always a safe space in which to explore and experiment. We don’t encourage competition, and we don’t offer negative criticism in the group setting.
We’re looking for what’s original and intense and memorable. Appreciating your strengths is, we believe, the most powerful way to guide you toward your best writing.
We, Allegra and Navé, write along with the group to most prompts. We believe this is vital in creating a safe space so that creativity can blossom.
Write by hand
Before you come to La Veta, find a pen you enjoy writing with, and a notebook that doesn’t make you feel you’re supposed to write well in it. Many people (Allegra included) prefer cheap spiral-bound notebooks. Navé uses a nice hardback journal but fill it from back to front!
Start with a prompt to spark your imagination
We’ll offer you a prompt that invites you to approach a memory, a person, a place, or an idea, in a way you’ve never approached it before.
Set a 10-minute timer
That might seem like pressure, but actually it’s the opposite! The biggest pressure most people put on themselves is their desire to write well. Your rational mind probably doesn’t believe it’s possible to write well in just 10 minutes, so the timer makes it much easier to get the rational mind, with all its ambitions and anxieties, to step back and let your imagination take the lead.
Read what you wrote aloud
When the 10 minutes is up, we’ll each read what we wrote aloud. There’s huge benefit in reading your writing aloud, and you’ll quickly get over any nerves. Reading aloud is the secret to finding your voice and moving your writing into a place of intense originality and authenticity.
Why It Works
You stop trying to “write well.” That frees your real voice to come through and retrains your inner critic.
You develop a consistent writing habit that boosts emotional wellness and mental clarity.
You train your brain to be curious, not critical. Which makes writing—and life—more interesting and more enjoyable.
You gain new insights, perspectives, and energy. They ripple into all your creative work.
You join a welcoming, supportive writing community, where you're encouraged, not judged.
Participants tell us they’re happier with what they write in these 10-minute sessions than what they manage in hours on their own. That’s because Imaginative Storm writing isn’t just about the prompt—it’s a practice.
You’re stretching and strengthening your imagination. You’re learning how to write what you don’t know—and that’s where the sparky, original writing comes from.
Our base: the Estelle Center in La Veta
The charming town of La Veta sits right at the base of the Spanish Peaks, in a gorgeous, bucolic valley. The Estelle Center occupies a lovely building in a central location, and offers a large downstairs room where we meet, along with imaginatively decorated rooms upstairs. Stay there, or at the La Veta Hotel next door.
On Thursday, June 25, we’ll meet 5:30 pm for a welcome reception. You'll enjoy drinks and generous hors d’oeuvres while we introduce you to the Imaginative Storm method. We’ll ask you to share what brought you to our retreat, so that we can tailor the retreat to the desires and needs of the group.
On Friday and Saturday, we’ll enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast catered by the Estelle Center, with homemade baked goods, before settling into our writing circle for 3 hours (with comfort break). We’ll break for lunch, also provided by the Estelle Center, and allow time for rest, or a walk, before forming our writing circle again for 2 hours in the afternoon.
Sunday will follow the pattern of the previous two days, but we will finish after lunch with a salon conversation before heading back into our lives, refreshed, rejuvenated, and inspired!
FAQs
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ot at all.
The only requirement is a desire to write. If you write, you’re a writer—no MFA required.
Some of our participants have never taken a writing class before; others are published authors. What unites them is a deep curiosity—and the joy of discovering that they can write better than they thought possible. Our method helps beginners build confidence and gives experienced writers new depth, direction, and energy.
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No. This is much more than free writing.
The Imaginative Storm method is not a technique—it’s a full creative system.
In four days, you’ll move from pure imaginative exploration to structured creative form. You’ll learn how to:
Access surprising emotional depth and authentic voice
Use vivid imagery and original language
Develop compelling characters, narrative arcs, and emotional structure
Find the energetic core that drives every great story
We help you write what you didn’t know you knew—and shape it into something real.
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No required reading. No homework. Just your imagination.
We won’t assign books or offer models of “how to write well.” Our goal is not to mold you but to free you. Every writing prompt is designed to help you discover what you want to say — and how only you can say it.
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Absolutely not.
The Imaginative Storm method is rooted in appreciation, not critique.
We believe in creating a safe, generative space where your imagination can flourish—where you’re encouraged to take creative risks, not fear them.Traditional writing workshops often rely on early-stage criticism, which can shut down the very spark you're trying to fan. We don’t believe in public takedowns or pointing out what’s “wrong.” Instead, we build your strengths—because that’s what creates confidence, clarity, and forward momentum.
We don’t agree with the usual creative writing class model, or the masterclass model in which someone’s work is criticized by or in front of the group. Development of your writing is not a spectator sport! Many writers suffer needlessly because they receive negative feedback too early in the writing process.
However, if you want critical feedback on your work, that is available in your one-on-one sessions with Allegra.
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Yes—if and when you’re ready.
Every participant receives two one-on-one sessions with Allegra. You may submit up to 25 pages of writing (12 pt., double-spaced) one week prior to the workshop.
These sessions are tailored to you—they’re optional, private, and focused on helping your work grow.
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Not the way we do it.
Praise is the foundation of great editing and great teaching. Without it, how do you know what to build on? How do you know what’s working?
Allegra’s two rules of editing are:
Praise
Ask questions
This isn’t false flattery. It’s a strategy. Praise shows you your strengths. Questions guide you to go deeper. Together, they give you the insight and motivation to carry your writing forward—with confidence.