The first retreat was held in 2021. Julie called a few writer friends around the country and invited them to come to the northwest Iowa tourist destination, off season, for a retreat. Everyone she called, said yes, including award-winning, best-selling authors and journalists. She thought maybe 50 participants might be interested, but ended up having a sold out crowd of 115.
The following year, she had to cap enrollment at 200, then 250, and now 300. Each year, the event was sold out, even though we have expanded space by renting the next door Lakeshore Center.
To ensure our participants have an ideal experience, and small group interaction, we are capping enrollment at 300 for the 2026 retreat.
One of the key enhancements to the retreat has been the addition of songwriting workshops taught by extraordinary musicians. This unique offering has amplified the experiential learning experience of sound and sight to new levels of rich complexity.
“It is heartwarming to hear from past participants and speakers about the experience of attending this event. For many, it was transformational. We all benefit greatly from ‘bathing in the woods’ around Okoboji with a bunch of super-talented folks.”
“I’ve been going to writers’ conferences for decades. I learned more in three days here than all the ones I’ve attended before – and they were great, too!”
“Every year, the offerings get better and more focused.”
“Being in community with writers felt so amazing. That is priceless! Having a chance to chat with an agent and publisher was awesome. The cabins are comfortable and cozy. The presenters are personable, friendly and approachable. No one was stuck up or seemed to feel above anyone else. The variety of panel and workshop topics was impressive.”
“I feel completely fueled by the experience. At a time I was feeling a crisis of faith—in the efficacy of traditional journalism and my role in it, in the value or even the possibility of my continuing my fictional and poetic pursuits—I am now reinvigorated and encouraged. My foundational faithlessness may even have some lights shining in through its cracks.”
“I will move forward with confidence and more assertively promote my own company. I will finish my book. I now have an agent to pitch it. A reason to keep going and get it in its best form.”
PANELS
Memoir, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism Masterclass, and much more.
WORKSHOPS & COACHING
Why do we have so many speakers? To keep workshops and coaching sessions small. You are here to learn and apply the knowledge.
CONCERTS
Songwriters teach attendees how to write songs, plus give evening performances.
Co-founder of Substack
Spoken Word Poet
Author
Screenwriter/Director
Beginning January 14, 2026 we will launch the Okoboji Year-Round Mastery Circle, a monthly online class series. Each session runs 90 minutes on the second Wednesday of the month and features one of our OWSR workshop leaders adapting their signature class for Zoom. OWSR Founder Julie Gammack will be moderating the conversations, keeping them lively, useful, and laser-focused on helping you move your writing forward.
This is not a casual drop-in workshop series. It is a developmental path. You will sharpen your voice, strengthen your structure, and leave with pages that are stronger, clearer, and more emotionally resonant. You will write, revise, share, and grow beside peers who are just as committed as you are to finishing meaningful work. All skill levels are welcome.
How to choose where a story begins—prologues, frame narrators, in-media-res openings, and the dreaded “false start.” Perfect for fiction, nonfiction, and memoir writers wrestling with where to step onto the path.
BIO: Award-winning author of "The Monsters We Make," "Release of Information," and more. MFA, educator, and editor-at-large of The Past Ten.
Kali will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Kali.
Learn how an Oscar-nominated screenwriter shapes emotional arcs, builds memorable characters, and thinks cinematically—whether writing scripts or prose.
BIO: Author, screenwriter, filmmaker known for "What’s Eating Gilbert Grape" and "Pieces of April."
Peter will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Peter.
How to use your voice to illuminate injustice, human rights issues, global challenges, and more—and how to offer readers pathways to action.
BIO: Syndicated columnist, author, and globally raised feminist journalist.
Rekha will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Rekha.
Discover how to uncover overlooked histories, interview with sensitivity, navigate research gaps, and build narratives that matter.
BIO: Author, columnist, historian known for her celebrated work on Buxton, Iowa.
Rachelle will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Rachelle.
A spirited deep-clean of clichés, filler, and saggy sentences—and how to replace them with crisp, fresh, surprising language that pops off the page.
BIO: Award-winning journalist known for turning business and automotive reporting into can’t-put-down storytelling.
Phoebe will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Phoebe.
How to move beyond “what happened” toward meaning, shape, and emotional resonance. One of the most beloved OWSR classes every year.
BIO: Author, teacher, and mentor to thousands of memoirists.
Debra will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Debra.
If you’ve got pages (or piles) of stories, this workshop helps you discover the through-lines that hold them together.
BIO: Longtime journalist, author of "Bet the Farm," and host of "At the Iowa Farm Table" and "In the Dirt."
Beth will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Beth.
Craft protagonists readers care about from page one. This workshop will be taught by Nicole Bart and Julie Cantrell.
Nicole Baart is the author of twelve novels, including "Everything We Didn’t Say" (an October 2021 Book of the Month selection and Amazon Editor’s pick) and "Where He Left Me," an instant National Bestseller. The cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five, she lives in Iowa with her family.
Nicole will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Nicole.
Julie Cantrell is a multiple award-winning, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, editor, creative writing instructor, TEDx speaker and ghostwriter.
Julie will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Julie.
What makes agents say yes? How do you pitch memoir, fiction, or nonfiction? What hooks a reader—or an editor? Find out from the agent provocateur herself.
Katharine will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Katharine.
Write nonfiction rooted in voice, empathy, and insight. Douglas Burns, Robert Leonard, and Ty Rushing will be on this panel.
Douglas Burns is a fourth-generation Iowa journalist and the former long-time co-owner of the Carroll, Iowa newspaper. He now operates a statewide news site, The Iowa Mercury.
Douglas will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Douglas.
Dr. Robert Leonard is an author and occasional contributor to The New York Times, the Kansas City Star, the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the Des Moines Register, TIME, FERN, USA Today, and many other publications. Much of his written work covers rural issues, including politics, agriculture, immigration, food security and climate change.
Robert will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Robert.
Ty Rushing is a Kansas City, Kansas native who made a name for himself as an Iowa journalist. He broke barriers as the first Black reporter and/or editor at eight Iowa print publications across the state. Recently, Ty wrote, produced, and directed an Emmy-nominated documentary film for Iowa PBS. He is also a journalism professor at the University of Iowa.
Ty will also be presenting at the 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. Click to learn more about Ty.
We’re limiting enrollment to 300 participants. In past years, we’ve reached several hundred participants by late Spring. Once we hit 300, registration will be closed. Enrolling now not only saves your seat, doing so also saves you money.
We host the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat to help writers bring their stories to life while offering our speakers an enriching experience and doing our best to make sure everyone has a memorable time. While we need to cover our expenses, we aren’t doing this to make profit. That’s why we make sure there’s enough to spare from the enrollment fees paid to offer a limited number of scholarships. If you feel it is imperative that you attend, but are experiencing financial hardship, we invite you to apply.
If you still aren’t ready to enroll in the 2026 Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’Retreat, we don’t want you to miss out! Sign-up to be notified of deadlines, new speakers, and news.