Recharge Your Writing Retreat at Conception Abbey
Apr 17, 2026 - Apr 19, 2026
Conception Abbey 37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433
Who’s ready to take a step back from everyday life and focus on their writing for 2 solid days! Who wants to fill their creative soul with nature and children’s book talk? If I’m describing you, take time for yourself to dive into a manuscript or two in the bucolic setting of Conception Abbey (37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433). This year we are excited to announce that Ruqayyah Daud of Little Brown Books for Young Readers will be our guest editor. Come get feedback from both a seasoned editor and fellow writers. Join us Friday, April 17 to Sunday, April 19, 2026 for 2 full days of digging deeper into your works in progress! KSMO-SCBWI offers this retreat for all writing levels. About the faculty: Ruqayyah Daud is a senior editor at LBYR. She began her career in 2018 assisting editor-in-chief Alvina Ling and editor-at-large, Susan Rich. She is currently building her own list and is drawn to commercial books with a strong hook, emotional core, and vibrant cast of characters. Her titles include the critically acclaimed As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh and the #1 New York Times bestselling Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma, and the New York Times bestselling Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray. When she isn’t editing she can be found working as a part-time bookseller at her local independent bookstore, Fonts Books & Gifts, where she also leads the Fantasy Book Club.
Recharge Your Writing Retreat at Conception Abbey
REGISTRATION WILL CLOSE ON MARCH 7th
WHEN? Friday April 17- Sunday April 19, 2026
Who’s ready to take a step back from everyday life and focus on their writing for 2 solid days! Who wants to fill their creative soul with nature and children’s book talk?
If I’m describing you, take time for yourself to dive into a manuscript or two in the bucolic setting of Conception Abbey (37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433).
This year we are excited to announce that Ruqayyah Daud of Little Brown Books for Young Readers will be our guest editor. Come get feedback from both a seasoned editor and fellow writers.
Join us Friday April 17- Sunday April 19, 2025 for 2 full days of digging deeper into your works in progress!
KSMO-SCBWI offers this retreat for all writing levels.
About our faculty:
Ruqayyah Daud is a senior editor at LBYR. She began her career in 2018 assisting editor-in-chief Alvina Ling and editor-at-large, Susan Rich. She is currently building her own list and is drawn to commercial books with a strong hook, emotional core, and vibrant cast of characters. Her titles include the critically acclaimed As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh and the #1 New York Times bestselling Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma, and the New York Times bestselling Bitten by Jordan Stephanie Gray. When she isn’t editing she can be found working as a part-time bookseller at her local independent bookstore, Fonts Books & Gifts, where she also leads the Fantasy Book Club.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
Ruqayyah Daud will be leading two one-hour presentations:
(to be announced)
(**Note: Topics of presentation are subject to change.)
She will also be participating in a Q&A on Saturday.
From Ruqayyah you will receive a one-on-one 15-minute personalized critique covering 10 manuscript pages and a synopsis (synopsis will not be critiqued but used as a reference to the story), OR one complete PB manuscript (under 1500 words) using the SCBWI gold critique form.
PEER CRITIQUE GROUPS
Additionally, all who register are required to participate in two peer critique sessions. This is mandatory and entails reading and giving comments on other’s works prior to attending the retreat. It is also what most find to be the best part of the retreat.
We ask that you fill out and print a copy of the gold form for each manuscript in your critique group prior to attending.
2 to 3 weeks prior to the retreat, you will be asked to send in 2 manuscripts for picture books or two chapters for novels for a peer critique group to read and provide feedback on prior to the actual retreat. Everyone brings these completed critiques (either with suggestions written on the manuscript themselves and/or on a gold form) to discuss on Thursday and Friday nights with a group of writers who work on similar manuscripts.
Based on feedback, for novels we also suggest you send a synopsis, not to be critiqued, but rather to allow your fellow attendees to place your book in context to help with evaluating your chapters.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES FOR EDITOR CRITIQUE
Submit the first 10 pages and a synopsis (if you wish) or one complete picture book of no more than 1500 words in standard manuscript format, as an email attachment to [email protected]
Send all materials & manuscript pages as ONE document.
SUBJECT LINE of your email and Doc title should read: LastName_Title_EditorsLastName (ie. Helsel_Fantastic_Manuscript_Daud)
Please use .doc NOT PDF.
All Materials due by 5:00 PM CT on Friday, March 13, 2025. This is to give Ruqayyah Daud maximum time to complete her critiques.
It’s a steal! Don’t miss your opportunity! Sign up now!
Tentative Retreat Schedule: (*subject to change)
- Friday, April 17th, 2026
12:30
Check-in (Eat before you come. No lunch served.)
1:00 p.m.
Individual critiques with Ruqayyah Daud/ Individual mss. revision/writing time
5 pm
Ice Breaker in main meeting area
5:45 p.m.
Dinner
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Presentation by Ruqayyah Daud:
8:00-10:00 p.m.
Mandatory Peer group critique meeting #1
- Saturday, April 18th, 2026
7:45 a.m.
Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Remaining critique meetings with Ruqayyah Daud / Individual mss. revision/writing time
12:20 p.m.
Lunch
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Presentation by Ruqayyah Daud:
2:00-5:45 p.m.
Individual mss revision/writing time
5:45 p.m.
Pizza party Dinner with Ruqayyah Daud and SCBWI group
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Mandatory Peer critique group meeting #2
- Sunday, April 19th, 2026
7:45 a.m. Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. Editor Q&A
10:00-11:15 am Open Forum
11:30 a.m. Lunch (for those who signed up when registering)
2:00 p.m. Check Out