The Author Portal Retreat
March 20-22 | Austin, Texas

A luxurious, deeply creative, and wildly inspiring weekend to help you step into your published author era.

Join the Waitlist

A 3-day, 2-night intimate writing retreat for women ready to unleash your creative power, make meaningful progress on their book, and fully embody your author identity.

Led by 5x author, 4x TEDx speaker, and creative entrepreneur Lindsay MacMillan, this high-touch retreat blends guided writing sessions, flow-state practices, group workshops, and supported creation time so you can move your manuscript forward while reconnecting with your creative voice in community…and having so much FUN in the process!

Very limited spots. Women only.

Join the waitlist.

The vibe / promise

This is your permission slip to step out of the noise and back into your creative knowing so you can finally give your book the space it deserves.

The Author Portal Retreat is an intimate, high-touch writing retreat designed to help you drop into flow, make real progress on your book, reconnect with the deeper story you’re here to tell, and up-level your energy to hold this new identity…all while in community with a small group of wildly inspiring creatives.

In this retreat, you’ll have space to slow down, listen inward, write, and remember why this book matters. You’ll move through your blocks and walk away feeling new clarity and confidence to fully step into your author era.

This is for you if you’re a…

  • Writer craving uninterrupted time and momentum

  • Aspiring or published author working on a novel, memoir, poetry collection, or nonfiction book

  • Woman who knows she has a book inside her and wants an IRL portal to finally bring it to life

  • Big dreamer ready to fully step into your creative calling

You DO NOT need a finished manuscript or polished pages when you enter this experience. All you need is the desire to write, devote yourself to your book for the weekend, and show up exactly as you are to be a vessel for creative channeling and deep, dreamy community.

What you’ll experience…

Expect a blend of structure + softness. This retreat is equal parts creative flow + practical guidance.

  • Daily guided writing sessions to help you access flow and creative clarity

  • Supported creation time (real, protected hours to work on your book)

  • Group workshop sessions to help you move through blocks and receive real-time coaching from Lindsay

  • Intimate group conversations that dissolve doubt and build confidence

  • Practical publishing tips + personalized book roadmaps

  • Flow-state rituals and meditations to regulate your nervous system and open creativity

  • Cozy creative magic: slow mornings, nourishing meals (no alcohol), and time to unplug from the noise of the world

  • A small, curated group of incredible writers walking this creative path alongside you

You’ll leave with:

✔️ New pages written
✔️ Clear next steps for your book
✔️ A regulated nervous system and refreshed outlook on your creative life
✔️ A deeper trust in your creative voice + your author identity
✔️ Lifelong connections with other women on the journey with you

Your guide

Lindsay MacMillan is a five-time author, four-time TEDx speaker, and creative channel.

Her life’s work is helping people reconnect with their creative power. Lindsay blends grounded strategy with soulful intuitive guidance to help you stop shrinking, start creating, and build what you’re here to build — by channeling and co-creating with the universe, rather than controlling or carrying everything alone.

After leaving Wall Street to pursue writing full-time, Lindsay has published five books (four with Big 5 publishers and one self-published) and she now guides writers and creatives through both the practical craft of creation and the deeper courage it takes to be seen.

Her retreats are designed to help you regulate your nervous system, access flow, and remember your creative power.

Logistics

Dates: March 20-22, 2026
Location: Austin, Texas
Length: 3 days / 2 nights (Friday afternoon through Sunday mid-day)

Investment:

  • $1,400 — Shared room

  • $1,800 — Private room

Very limited spots.

Join the Waitlist

ITINERARY (Subject to change)

Friday, March 20 — Arrival + Opening the Field

Arrive in the late afternoon, settle into your room, and let your nervous system land.

We’ll open the weekend with a candlelit welcome circle, gentle grounding practices, and intention setting for your creative work. After a cozy takeout dinner at the house, you’ll be guided through a creative activation and low-pressure writing prompt to open your channel before drifting into a restful night.

This evening is about safety, softness, and remembering why you’re here.

Saturday, March 21 — Flow State + Creation

Saturday is our deep creation day.

After a slow morning and nourishing breakfast, we’ll move into flow with breathwork and visualization, followed by protected writing time to bring new pages to life. You’ll have space to write, reflect, and receive intuitive guidance on your book.

In the afternoon, we’ll gather for an author identity session and intimate group coaching to help you dissolve doubt, clarify your vision, and anchor into the version of you who finishes her book.

Professional photography will capture organic moments throughout the day and also give you new author headshots and candids for social media.

We’ll end with a luxurious group dinner out, followed by an evening integration circle back at the house — sharing breakthroughs, celebrating your creative courage, playing games, and closing the day in community.

Sunday, March 22 — Integration, Embodiment, and Closing Ceremony

Sunday morning is for integration.

You’ll enjoy a final writing block and a roadmap for your next steps. There will also be a final meditation and sacred closing circle to anchor what’s opened and carry it forward into your life.

You’ll depart around noon, feeling grounded, inspired, creatively clear, deeply connected to your author identity, and brimming with joy to have new friends on the journey with you.

Your Questions, Answered

  • Anywhere from idea stage to gearing up for publication.

    Some women will arrive with a clear concept or outline. Others may be early in the writing process or reconnecting with a project they’ve been circling for a while. All of it is welcome.

    This retreat is designed to help you:

    – clarify your book’s direction
    – reconnect with your creative voice
    – move past blocks or hesitation
    – write new pages
    – and leave with clear next steps

    You don’t need a finished manuscript — just a genuine desire to bring your book to life and the willingness to show up for your creative process.

  • Both — and beyond.

    This retreat welcomes writers working across fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and poetry. Lindsay writes and publishes in multiple genres herself, making her a supportive guide for a wide range of creative projects.

    One of the most powerful aspects of this retreat is the cross-pollination that happens in a room full of writers working in different genres, all united by a shared commitment to their author journey. You’ll be surprised how much clarity and inspiration comes from hearing perspectives outside your own lane.

    If you’re writing a book and ready to move it forward, you belong here.

  • Yes. This retreat is intentionally designed as a women’s creative container to support nervous system safety, emotional openness, and deep intuitive creativity.

  • You’ll choose between a private room or shared room at checkout. Shared rooms are thoughtfully curated and always paired with another retreat participant.

    Exact room details will be shared after registration.

    Note: This retreat is women only.

  • Spots are very limited (<10) to preserve intimacy and personalized support. Expect a small, curated group of women.

  • After you register, you’ll receive a detailed welcome guide including a packing list. In general, bring:

    – Your laptop or notebook
    – Cozy clothes for writing and lounging
    – One nicer outfit for our group dinner
    – A bathing suit (if you’d like to enjoy the pool)
    – An open heart

  • Because this is a small, high-touch retreat with limited spots, all sales are final. If you’re unable to attend, your spot may be transferred to another approved participant with advance notice.