Structured Writing Time + Brand Strategy
This isn't a getaway; it's a turning point.
Real pages written. Feedback that hits. And a unique platform for your Authorpreneurship launch.
Who are you outside your department?
Authorpreneurs are deliberate about the ownership
AND impact of their work.
"Write what should not be forgotten." - Isabel Allende
In the world of teaching, research, and service, the one thing that usually falls off the list is YOU.
Real intellectual freedom requires more than just "time off"—it requires a change of scenery, a supportive community, and the mental space to think like an entrepreneur.
Starting at just $1600, you can experience a transformational writing excursion and escape to a private beach house in the Sea Island South, on Hilton Head Island for 4 days and 3 nights.
Experience the freedom of focused writing, strategic insights, and restoration where you can:
> dedicate uninterrupted time to your manuscript;
> enjoy crafted culinary experiences (so you can focus on writing);
> experience amenities that create space for breakthroughs;
> get strategic insights and immediate feedback; and,
> design a strategic launchpad for your Author-preneurship journey.
Applications reviewed in the order received. Cohort size intentionally limited to preserve a restful writing experience.
A Writing Retreat designed for Academics and Creatives
who want to grow their impact, audience, and income.
The Authorpreneurship Strategy Session
Every guest gets 1:1 coaching to create a strategic blueprint for translating your expertise into an independent brand platform.
Learn how to choose projects and set your pace for low-risk, meaningful public-facing work
Integrate your "hobbies" into a professional, profitable entrepreneurial identity that also builds academic visibility
Identify key steps that bridge the gap between scholarly writing, professional integrity, and public impact
Create a revenue roadmap that complements your salary
Develop a personalized communication strategy to translate your academic voice into a brand voice that resonates
Clarify your core message & expanded audience (because your voice deserves a public life!)
Industry Expert Q & A
Get answers to industry questions like:
How has the definition of “success” for an author shifted in the last five years?
What revenue streams beyond book sales should every serious author explore?
How do you recognize a trustworthy editor, agent, or publishing partner in a crowded market?
What early signal tells you a book concept has real commercial or cultural traction?
How should authors think about intellectual property across courses, speaking, and media?
Learn about self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing,
and how to brand yourself as an Authorpreneur.
Attendee Testimonials
"I'm a practitioner, but Dr. Helane took me to a whole other level of understanding the story that my hands have to tell. At the retreat, I was able to generate a whole brand for myself--and expanded my understanding of my own client base, which gave me clearer direction for my efforts. I was able to create something I never knew was inside me...
Dr. Helane will always bring you to another level of understanding of your potential."
--Dr. Pearl D. Lawson, L.Ac., DAOM, MArch
"It's just a unique experience that I dare somebody to go...and not come back saying that this was a transformative experience."
--Dr. Beth Dietz, Professor of Psychology
I cannot recommend Dr. Helane's Salt & Solace Writing Retreat enough. James Baldwin famously said that it is impossible to write, "with a gun to the back of your head." Often that feels like the pressure of day-to-day life that gets in the way of one's writing goals. At the retreat, Dr. Helane curates the environment in such an artful and expert way that your nervous system relaxes, and the ideas start to flow. The mixture of group sharing and a one-on-one session with Dr. Helane to strategize about your writing and projects, is the perfect balance of work and establishing the safety and relaxation needed to do that work. 10/10 experience!
The Itinerary
We combine the restorative power of the Sea Islands with strategic insight & feedback
to help you discover the "hidden curriculum" inside your creative, intellectual self.
Daily walking access to the beach
Professional body & mind relaxation work appointments on site
Chef-catered low-country meals, snacks, coffee service, and drinks
1:1 Author-preneurship Strategy Session with Dr. Helane
Daily writing, sharing, feedback & advice sessions
Chef-crafted boxed lunch with an industry leader for publishing/media Q & A
Cultural tour options that celebrate Gullah history & storytelling
Daily sport & water activities available including kayaking, tennis & pickleball (optional)
Chef-curated Meals
Sample "Low-country" Menu Highlights
Starters
Mini crab cakes with remoulade
Fried green tomatoes
Entrees
Salmon/Shrimp & grits
Lowcountry red rice
Pimento cheese & cucumber
Blackened portabello
Desserts
Mini peach cobblers
Meet your host:
Fully promoted, Award-winning English Professor in higher education for more than 20 years
Solo-preneur of 2 profitable businesses & Co-owner of a franchise
Author/Co-Author of 12+ academic and creative publications
Proven record of publishing with traditional and independent publishers
Administrative, editorial board, and national grant award committee service experience
Trained grant-writer with over $150K in awarded national grants
Podcast Host, Keynote Speaker, and Workshop Facilitator
>>Perk Alert<<
You can now use professional development funds
Prose4pro's Writing Services LLC provides
an acceptance letter & certificate for attendees.
Give your creativity the room its been asking for.
Available Suite Packages
Early Bird registration offers the most generous investment level AND first choice of retreat suite.
Early Bird Pricing is available until May 1.
Sapelo Suite
A full body exhale.
Concierge that includes private transport and bodywork designed to support rest, circulation, and creative clarity. From the moment you land, logistics are handled and time slows. The room is generous, quiet, and designed for uninterrupted ease.
Guests who want the body tended alongside the work.
The Sapelo Experience includes:
Private airport transport (arrival and departure)
One specialized Chinese medicine bodywork appointment
Premium private room & private bathroom
All meals and shared retreat amenities
Authorship Journey Consultation
Gullah Heritage Tour or comparable island excursion included
Early Bird Investment: $1997 per person
(Shared room: $1800 per person)
Standard Investment: $2197 per person
Praise House Suite
Measured refinement.
Arrive on your own timetable and enter directly into the collective pace of the retreat. The room is comfortable, quiet, and thoughtfully appointed for relaxation and progress.
Guests who value simplicity, structure, and shared rhythm.
The Praise House Experience includes:
Private room
All meals and shared retreat amenities
Authorship Journey Consultation
Optional cultural tour (additional fee)
Early Bird Investment: $1600 per person
(Shared: $1440 per person)
Standard Investment: $1800 per person
Sapelo Experience
$2200 $1997 per person/$1800 shared
Sweetgrass Experience
$1900 $1750 per person/$1587 shared
Praise House Experience
$1800 $1600 per person/$1440 shared
Payment plans are available at checkout.
You’ve spent your career building your institution’s reputation.
It’s time to build yours.
Reservation Form
Apply Now for Early Bird Registration
Small cohort. Deep focus.
Strategic guidance that lasts long after the tide goes out.
Early Bird registration is now open, and space is intentionally limited to preserve the quiet focus of the retreat. Registration prior to May 1 secures preferred pricing until capacity is reached. All applicants will receive a free consultation with Dr. Helane prior to the retreat.
Early Bird Registration Bonus! Apply before May 1 and receive a FREE follow-up Strategy Call.
