The Author Portal Retreat
April 17-19 | Austin, Texas - SOLD OUT
A luxurious, deeply creative, and wildly inspiring weekend to help you step into your published author era.
A 3-day, 2-night intimate writing retreat for women ready to unleash your creative power, make meaningful progress on your book, enjoy some luxurious R&R, 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 (including access to a fabulous literary agent who will be joining us all weekend) and supported creation time so you can move your book forward while reclaiming with your creative voice in community…and having so much fun in the process!
Very limited spots. Women only.
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.
The theme of the retreat is reclaiming your creative power to shine your light through your writing.
As part of that, we’ll be joined by a few speakers who will showcase different paths to publishing and help you find the path that is most aligned for you. Speakers include:
Literary agent Zeynep Sen, who represents an amazing roster of authors (fun fact: she sold one of Lindsay’s client’s books for a multi-six-figure book deal to Macmillan Publishers). Zeynep is an amazing champion of authors, and she will be demystifying the author to agent to book deal process and giving live feedback on everyone’s pitches (totally optional for you to pitch her, but we highly recommend making the most of this very rare opportunity!)
Business coach, author, and founder Jenni Gritters, who will be leading a workshop on self-publishing and figuring out where your book sits in your bigger business ecosystem. Jenni successfully self-published and leveraged her book, The Sustainable Solopreneur, into a highly profitable and impactful part of her business, and she will be sharing her magic with everyone in the retreat.
Lindsay will also be sharing the raw behind-the-scenes of her own books (4 traditionally published; 1 self-published) to empower you on your author journey.
This retreat 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 + land on “the idea”
Big dreamer ready to fully step into your creative calling
Sensitive feeler + empathetic person who is feeling a bit burned out by the heaviness of the world…this is where you get your spark back + nourish your mind, body and soul
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
Guest sessions on traditional and self publishing (from esteemed literary agent Zeynep Sen and successful self-published author Jenni Gritters)
Flow-state rituals and meditations to regulate your nervous system and open creativity
Cozy creative magic: slow mornings, nourishing meals (no alcohol but lots of dark chocolate!), 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
✔️ A stronger author network and 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 traditionally published with Penguin Random House and HarperCollins 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. She is the creative spark who helps you actualize your big dreams.
Her writing retreats are designed to help you embody your author identity, feel supported, access flow, have FUN, and reignite your creative power.
Logistics
Dates: April 17-19, 2026
Location: Austin, Texas
Length: 3 days / 2 nights (Friday afternoon through Sunday mid-day)
Investment:
$1,400 — Shared room (you will have your own bed but will share a room with one or more other women)
$1,800 — Private room
VIP EXPERIENCE: $2,300: Private room, plus a 55-minute 1:1 integration call with Lindsay following the retreat and two weeks of voice messaging with Lindsay to integrate the experience
Very limited spots.
ITINERARY (Subject to change)
Friday — 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 — Flow State, Creation, and Support
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.
Then you’ll get to hear from a fabulous literary agent Zeynep Sen who will demystify the publishing process and will also offer live feedback on work-in-progress book pitches in a low-stress, high-impact way (totally optional to pitch her, but it’s a rare opportunity to make the most of, and either way, you’ll learn so much by witnessing the process).
After another break + solo time, we’ll gather for a couple of mini workshops and intimate group coaching to help you dissolve doubt, clarify your vision, and help you feel EMPOWERED in your author journey, knowing that there is not just one path that this can come to life. You will feel in your power and inspired by the workshops.
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 — 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 mini meditation and sacred closing circle to anchor what’s opened and carry it forward into your life.
The closing ceremony will end by 10:30am and we have to leave the house by 11am.
After that, there will be an optional integration walk and light lunch to explore Austin a bit more and let all the magic permeate…or if you have to dash to the airport, totally fine too. The retreat formally ends at 1pm.
You’ll depart feeling grounded, inspired, creatively clear, deeply connected to your author identity, and brimming with joy to have new friends on the journey with you.
What’s included
Lodging (Friday and Saturday night)
All meals from Friday night through Sunday morning
Facilitated workshops with Lindsay and guest speakers (literary agent Zeynep Sen and author/entrepreneur Jenni Gritters)
Headshots + candid photos for your author branding
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 stepsYou 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.