Michigan has been the home of Ernest Hemingway, Jim Harrison, Joyce Carol Oates, and Charles Baxter; of Edward Hirsch, Donald Hall, Phil Levine, and Jane Kenyon; and, of course, Theodore Roethke. It is Roethke's poem "The Far Field" that gives this retreat for writers its name. "I dream of journeys repeatedly," writes Roethke, and here, the journey is both what brought us to writing and the process itself.

At the Retreat, writers will have the opportunity to study the craft of poetry, fiction, writing for children, or non-fiction writing with faculty who are committed teachers and prominent writers both locally and nationally. Oakland University's rolling hillsides and wooded trails offer an ideal setting for interaction with other writers and for uninterrupted creative time. Workshop participants will also enjoy proximity to historic Meadow Brook Hall, well-known as the home of one of Detroit's auto baron families, and to the University's state-of-the-art recreation and library facilities.

The Retreat features four workshops sessions with the writer of your choice; several group meals, including an opening night dinner at Meadow Brook Hall; readings by faculty and students; afternoon craft/publishing sessions; and, most importantly, time to write in a supportive and creative atmosphere.