A Literary Retreat in Vietnam

Join Authors at Large (AAL) co-founders Robin Hemley and Xu Xi in June for a literary week at the Caravelle Hotel in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Send us one manuscript of fiction or nonfiction (5,000 words max.) two weeks in advance of the retreat, and Robin and Xu will read your work and each meet with you separately during the retreat to offer private editorial feedback.  We will also lead daily generative writing workshops every morning and afternoon, as well as present salons and readings and organize some optional excursions in this historic city.  

Our minimum group size is 16, maximum 24 to allow for an intimate, meaningful week of literary engagement.

Literary week schedule

Salons & readings (4 to 5 PM)

Monday Readings by Robin & Xu

Tuesday Salon — Robin: “The rewards of frustration, discomfort and risk taking in the writing life”

Wednesday Salon — Xu: “Challenges and rewards of writing between fiction and nonfiction”

Thursday Salon on publishing — Robin & Xu

Friday Readings by participants

Saturday Reading by participants

Optional Excursions (additional cost)

We will organize and book these for anyone interested in joining Robin and/or Xu for excursions to the Saigon Opera House, an art gallery walk, the War Remnants Museum, an evening river cruise, a street food tour (walk or on motorbike) led by local students, cultural city tours, as well as lunch or dinner at well-known restaurants in District 1, or drinks at other rooftop bars.

How to Register

Registration is open to any writer interested in time away to write and think seriously about their work.  No application is required.  Your manuscript (prose only) may be fiction, literary/creative nonfiction or both or a hybrid work.  5,000 words MAXIMUM.

Registration deadline: Friday May 10

To book a place in the retreat please use the following links:

• First time participants to any AAL event please register HERE and fill out our brief questionnaire about your writing experience and expectations

• AAL current & former clients (from retreats, workshops or a private editorial contract) please register HERE to receive your 10% AAL client discount

• To participate in the daily generative workshops only please register HERE (no questionnaire required).

The retreat group is limited in size to 24 and confirmation of your place is first come first served.  We will close registration as soon as we reach the maximum number.  

Note:  Your place in the retreat is not confirmed until we receive your registration and payment.

Manuscript review submission

Your manuscript for our review (max. 5,000 words) must be sent to us by no later than Sunday May 19.  

Please submit a WORD document as an attachment by email to aalauthors@gmail.com.  Your document should be in standard professional manuscript format, sized for US letter (8.5” x 11”) or international A4 with numbered pages, 1” margins on all sides, double spaced, in 12 pt. Times or Times New Roman typeface.  Please include your name, email and phone contact on the first page and indicate what genre you’re submitting (e.g.: fiction, nonfiction, both genres, hybrid). For best results, we recommend you submit either a single piece (e.g.:  short story or essay), or an excerpt from a longer work, ideally from the beginning (e.g.: opening of a novel or memoir), or two or more connected pieces from the same larger work. You may submit two unconnected pieces in more than one genre (e.g.: 1 fiction story + 1 personal essay). However, whatever you choose to submit, your total word count must not exceed 5,000 words; the only exception is if you send an excerpt of a longer work that is NOT the beginning, you may include a short description of the longer work – no more than 50 to 75 words — to provide context.