Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat: A Practical Conference Guide for Authors and Creative Writers

Some writing events feel like conferences. Others feel like retreats. The Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is very much the second kind, and that is part of its charm.

This event is not just about sitting in a ballroom and collecting notes. It is about placing writers in a creative environment, surrounding them with instructors, authors, journalists, songwriters, agents, publishers, and fellow storytellers, and giving them several days to think differently about their work. The setting matters. The schedule matters. The people matter. The atmosphere matters.

For Iowa authors, this is one of the strongest author-facing events in the state. It also deserves attention from writers outside Iowa because it offers something a little different from the standard conference model. It blends literary craft, genre writing, journalism, fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, screenwriting, songwriting, coaching, agent access, and community into a retreat-style experience near the Great Lakes of Okoboji.

The 2026 Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is scheduled for September 27-30, 2026. It is produced by Julie Gammack and held in the Okoboji area of northwest Iowa. The official site lists more than 50 speakers, a 300-participant cap, workshop and coaching opportunities, panels, concerts, and both retreat and all-inclusive pricing options.

That combination makes it a valuable entry in the ScribeCount Author Resources conference series.

The Focus of the Retreat

The focus of the Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is creative development through community, instruction, and immersion.

That is different from a strictly publishing-focused conference. Some events are built around agents and pitches. Some are built around craft workshops. Some are built around marketing and author business. Okoboji includes elements of all those things, but its deeper identity is broader. It wants writers to bring their stories to life.

That language matters. Many authors do not only need information. They need renewal. They need to remember why the work matters. They need to get unstuck. They need to hear how other writers solve problems. They need access to people who can help them improve a manuscript, think about publishing, or return to the page with confidence.

The retreat's programming includes panels in memoir, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism, and more. It also includes workshops and coaching sessions, with a large speaker roster designed to keep groups smaller and more interactive. The addition of songwriting workshops and concerts gives the retreat an unusual creative range. Songwriters think about compression, emotion, rhythm, voice, and audience in ways prose writers can learn from. Authors who pay attention to those lessons may come home with a better ear for language and a stronger sense of emotional movement.

For indie authors, the retreat can be useful because it offers both creative and professional energy. The official site mentions agents and publishers being eager to meet participants, and the retreat package includes an agent pitch. That gives authors a chance to combine inspiration with practical opportunity.

Sponsor and Organizer

The Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is produced by Julie Gammack through Julie Gammack Productions. The official site names her as the producer and describes the event as a retreat designed to help writers bring their stories to life while also offering speakers an enriching experience.

That producer-led identity gives the retreat a personal feel. Some conferences are institutional. Others are built by a person with a vision and a network. Okoboji appears to be the latter. It began with Julie inviting writer friends to the northwest Iowa tourist destination in the off-season for a retreat. That beginning still shows in the event's tone. It feels intentionally communal rather than transactional.

The retreat also offers scholarship opportunities, including general and songwriter scholarships, which suggests a desire to make the event accessible to writers facing financial hardship. That is worth noting because author development can be expensive. Conferences and retreats often require travel, lodging, registration, and time away from work. Scholarships help widen the door.

History and Background

The first Okoboji Writers' Retreat was held in 2021. According to the official site, Julie Gammack originally thought perhaps 50 people might attend. Instead, the first retreat sold out with 115 participants. The next year, enrollment had to be capped at 200, then 250, and now 300. The site states that each year has sold out as the event expanded space by renting the neighboring Lakeshore Center.

That is a strong history for a relatively young event. Many conferences need years to find their audience. Okoboji found one quickly, likely because it offered a combination writers crave: strong faculty, small-group interaction, an inspiring setting, and a sense of belonging.

The addition of songwriting workshops helped give the retreat a distinctive identity. Rather than treating writing as one narrow practice, Okoboji embraces storytelling across forms. That is useful for modern authors. Today's writers may publish novels, write essays, produce newsletters, appear on podcasts, sell directly to readers, speak publicly, write scripts, collaborate with musicians, or adapt their work into audio and visual formats. The lines between creative disciplines are not as rigid as they once were.

A retreat that invites prose writers and songwriters into the same creative space can help authors think more expansively.

General Description of the 2026 Event

The 2026 retreat runs September 27-30 in the Great Lakes of Okoboji, Iowa. The official site lists more than 50 speakers and notes that presentations are still being developed. It describes panels in memoir, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, journalism masterclass, and more. It also highlights workshops, coaching, concerts, and evening performances.

The event is capped at 300 participants to preserve small-group interaction and a strong participant experience. That cap matters. A retreat loses something if it grows so large that attendees disappear into the crowd. Okoboji seems to understand that its value comes from proximity: writers close enough to ask questions, meet speakers, talk with other participants, and feel part of a creative community.

The speaker examples listed on the official site show the range. They include authors, journalists, screenwriters, songwriters, editors, agents, and creative professionals. Featured examples include Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie in a virtual session, author Nicole Baart, screenwriter and director Peter Hedges, spoken-word poet Caleb Rainey, and others. Speaker lists can change, so authors should always check the official site before registering.

The retreat also includes an Okoboji Year-Round Mastery Circle, a monthly online class series launched in 2026. That is a smart extension because it keeps the writing community active beyond the retreat itself. A conference can light the fire, but year-round learning helps keep it burning.

Attendance and Event Size

The 2026 retreat is capped at 300 participants. The official site states that the first retreat sold out with 115 attendees, then later caps rose to 200, 250, and now 300. It also notes that past years reached several hundred participants by late spring and that registration closes when the cap is reached.

Those numbers are useful for authors because they show both demand and scale. This is not a tiny private workshop, but it is also not a massive festival. It sits in a middle space: large enough to offer variety, small enough to maintain a retreat feel.

For authors who dislike huge conferences but still want a strong speaker lineup and real networking, that may be the sweet spot.

Costs and Fees

The 2026 retreat lists a standard Retreat package at $895. That package includes all workshops, panels, agent pitch, registration packets, tote, two lunches, a sunset cruise, and ten live online 90-minute sessions, one per month.

An All-Inclusive package is listed at $1,895. That package includes everything in the Retreat package plus three nights/four days of lodging, two group dinners, and evening activities.

Early bird pricing ends July 5, 2026. Authors should verify current pricing and availability on the official site before registering because events can update packages, deadlines, and inclusions.

Writers should also consider travel costs, any additional meals, transportation, and time away from work. The all-inclusive package may be attractive for authors who want a simpler planning experience, while the standard package may work better for local or regional writers who prefer to arrange their own lodging.

Who Should Attend?

The Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is a strong fit for authors who want more than a standard classroom-style conference.

It is especially useful for writers seeking creative renewal. If you have been stuck, tired, isolated, or uncertain about the next step, a retreat environment can be powerful. Being around other writers for several days can restore energy that routine alone cannot.

It is also a strong fit for writers who work across forms. Novelists, memoirists, poets, journalists, songwriters, screenwriters, essayists, and nonfiction authors can all find a place here. That cross-pollination is one of the event's strengths.

Indie authors may benefit from the agent pitch, publisher access, workshops, and community, though authors seeking deep advertising strategy or direct-sales systems may also want to pair this retreat with a business-focused conference such as Author Nation, NINC, or Superstars Writing Seminars.

Website

Official website: https://okobojiwritersretreat.com

Conclusion

The Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat is a bright, distinctive addition to the author conference landscape.

It has grown quickly because it offers something writers respond to: a beautiful setting, strong speakers, practical workshops, creative variety, agent access, music, conversation, and a sense that storytelling is bigger than any one format. For Iowa writers, it is a major in-state opportunity. For authors outside Iowa, it may be worth the trip if you are looking for an immersive retreat rather than a conventional conference.

The event's cap of 300 participants keeps it personal. Its history of selling out shows that the community values what it provides. Its mix of writing and songwriting reminds authors that story can be shaped in many ways, and that our own work often improves when we listen outside our usual lane.

If you attend, go ready to participate. Talk to people. Try a workshop outside your comfort zone. Listen to songwriters. Ask questions of agents and publishers. Let the setting do some of the work. Then come home and turn that energy into pages.

A good retreat should not only inspire you while you are there.

It should change what you do when you return.

• Randall