2024 BK Authors Retreat

November 1–4 (Friday–Monday), 2024

The 2024 BK Authors Retreat will be held November 1–4 at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos, California.

Registration is now closed for 2024.

November 1–4
(Friday dinner through Monday lunch)

Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos

300 Manresa Way (view on Google Maps)

Los Altos, California (Bay Area, close to San Jose)

Schedule

What is the BK Author Retreat?

The BK Author retreat is an annual four-day event where around 30–50 Berrett-Koehler authors and staff gather to connect with, learn from, and help each other.

At the retreat, you will:

Meet and get to know (or reconnect with) other BK authors, BK staff members, and friends of the BK community
Talk about trends, topics, and issues that are important to you
Learn from people with perspectives and backgrounds different from your own
Discover possibilities for collaboration
Take a break from the grind of the digital work world
Spend time in personal reflection, relaxation, and rejuvenation

What is the location?

The Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos
300 Manresa Way
Los Altos, CA 94022-4659

(view on Google Maps)

Established in 1925, the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos is a perfect setting for our retreat. Located on 38 acres of ecologically diverse hillside land, situated near the quaint town of Los Altos, the retreat center offers splendid meeting and breakout rooms, single bedrooms each with a private bath (a few doubles available), and nourishing and healthy meals for all dietary desires, in a dining room overlooking the valley and bay.

The grounds, peaceful and isolated, offer plenty of opportunity for outdoor events, walking meditations, and solitude. See a map of the grounds.

What’s included?

Room accommodations Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday night, November 1–3
Catered breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from Friday dinner to Monday lunch
Snacks throughout
Four days of structured conversations, activities, sessions, and group interactions, as well as unstructured time for mingling or personal renewal. See the agenda for more details.

Why should I come?

The Retreat is an opportunity to flourish. It’s an opportunity to welcome new authors into the fold and help old authors find fresh ideas and connections.

The decision to show up is not just an estimation of the risks and benefits of an in-person retreat. It’s about deciding who you are when you show up. We’re hoping to see you in all your glory, ready to face what needs to be faced, open to whatever wants to find you.

We also hope to make the retreat a valuable learning opportunity, with sessions and conversations designed to introduce you to new ideas and trends and help authors learn from each others’ extensive experience and wisdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a commuter option?

Yes! Local residents who will be going home each night, or those who wish to arrange off-premise lodgings, can pay a per-day commuter rate instead of the full retreat rate.

I’m not a BK author. Can I come?

Our retreat is primarily intended for authors published or signed with Berrett-Koehler, as well as BK staff members. However, we do have some limited spots for members of the BK foundation, people who are closely associated with the BK community (such as beta readers), and other nonfiction authors who care about creating a world that works for all.

If you fit in those categories—especially if you know a BK authors who will be there, or have attended one of our events in the past—please come!

Can I invite a friend?

If you are a BK author and would like to invite another nonfiction author who you feel is a cultural fit for our community, you are welcome to!

Please email our committee at [email protected] to give us a heads-up so we can make sure we welcome your friend.

Can spouses come?

Yes! Spouses and partners of BK authors are welcome to register and participate.

We have several rooms with two beds. Email us at [email protected] to request a double room.

Can I share a room with a friend?

Yes! We have several rooms with two beds each. Email us at [email protected] to request a shared room.

Is there financial assistance available?

Yes! We don’t want money to be the reason you can’t attend. We have earmarked donor funds so that up to 20 attendees can receive a $150 subsidy.

If you have additional financial constraints that make it impractical to attend despite the subsidy, you can apply for a scholarship covering the whole cost on our scholarship page.

What are the closest airports?

Distance by car, with light traffic:
-San Jose Airport: 22–25 min
-San Francisco Airport: 35–40 min
-Oakland Airport: 55–60 min

Airfare is not included in registration.

Are there options for those with dietary restrictions?

The retreat center kitchen can usually accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets. We collect dietary restrictions in the registration process and pass that information on to them.

If you have severe food allergies or a specialty diet, consider bringing supplemental food. Refrigerators are available in the main building.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

We can extend full refunds for cancellations received by October 1.

Because we submit a final room count to the retreat center on October 2, and are charged for those rooms whether we use them or not, we are unable to issue refunds for cancellations received after that date.

If you need to cancel your registration, please email our operations manager, Jeremy Madsen, at [email protected].

What activities will be included?

Breakout Discussions: Pre-planned discussions on topics of interest and value to our authors, from marketing ideas to social issues.
Open Discussions: First we will meet all together to propose and identify 4–6 topics to discuss; then you get to decide which conversation you want to join. You are welcome to propose your own topic, so get thinking!
Talent Show: Authors will share songs, poetry, recitations, magic tricks, and other talents. Start thinking of what you want to share!
Other Activities: Indoor and outdoor, fun and reflective, educational and inspirational.

See our agenda for details.

If you want to lead any discussion or activity, please email our operations manager, Jeremy Madsen, at [email protected].

Schedule

Pricing

Stay-In Options	Early Bird Price *(Closes June 30)**	StillTime Price (July 1–August 31)	Full Price (September 1–October 1)
Regular	$650	$675	$750
Subsidized price For those with tight budgets. This is paid out of our scholarship fund.	$500	$520	$580
Patron price For those who want to pay extra so other authors can come at the subsidized price.	$695	$745	$795

Commuter Options (Lunch and dinner included but not overnight accommodations or breakfast)	Early Bird Price (Closes June 30*)	StillTime Price (July 1–August 31)	Full Price (September 1–October 1)
Thursday evening	$90	$95	$105
Friday	$120	$125	$140
Saturay	$120	$125	$140
Sunday morning	$90	$95	$105

*For BK authors and BK staff, we’ve extended the Early Bird discount to August 31.

Financial assistance is available for BK authors: See our scholarship page.

Schedule

Jesuit Retreat Center Photo Gallery

Attendees at the 2022 BK Retreat pose for a picture outdoors.

Past BK Retreats Photo Gallery

Authors talking a walk at the 2023 Pendle Hill retreat

Schedule

Agenda

November 1, 2024

Time

Facilitator

Event

1:00–4:00 pm

Informal gathering and mingling in retreat grounds and patios

4:00 pm

Jeremy Madsen & Marcia Daszko

Room check-in begins

4:30 pm

Neal Maillet

Redwoods Grove group walk

6:00

“Family group” time (meet with and get to know 4–5 other retreat attendees)

6:30–7:30 pm

Dinner

7:40–9:00 pm

Brad McLain

Welcome and getting-to-know-you activities

November 2, 2024

Time

Facilitator

Event

7:30–8:30

Yoga, group walk, and improvisational writing

8:30–9:30 am

Breakfast

9:45-10:00

Eric FitzMedrud

Morning Stage Setting and journaling/reflection time

10:10-11:10

Connecting Conversations #1 (topics pre-determined by interest poll)

11:25-12:25

Connecting Conversations #2 (topics pre-determined by interest poll)

12:30–1:30 pm

Lunch

1:45-2:45

Praveen Madan

“Fireside chat” on the state of BK and the publishing industry

2:45-3:00

Eric FitzMedrud

Energy Break (it'll be fun!)

3:00-4:00

Brad McLain

Flash Topics (convene a topic on the spot)

4:00-4:30

Marcia Reynolds

“Breathing Life into Your Good Ideas” follow-up activity

4:30–6:30 pm

Unstructured time

6:30–7:30 pm

Dinner

7:40–9:00 pm

Rob Jolles (a.k.a. Johnny Fabulous)

Talent Show: Come bring a talent to share with the group!

November 3, 2024

Time

Facilitator

Event

7:30-8:30 am

Yoga, group walk, and improvisational writing

8:30–9:30 am

Breakfast

9:45-10:00 am

Journaling and reflection time

10:00-10:30

Gerald Harris

Group forum: Moving the BK Authors Group Forward

10:30-11:30

Gerald Harris

Flash Topics

11:30-11:50

Marcia Reynolds

“Breathing Life into Your Good Ideas” follow-up activity

11:50-12:00

Jeremy Madsen

Group Picture

12:00–1:00 pm

Lunch

1:10-2:10

Connecting Conversations #3 (topics pre-determined by interest poll)

2:20-3:20

Connecting Conversations #4 (topics pre-determined by interest poll)

3:20-4:00

TBD

Small group reflection and sharing

4:00-4:30

Neal Maillet

Redwoods Grove / Retreat Grounds walk

4:00–6:00 pm

Unstructured time

6:00–7:00 pm

Dinner

7:10-7:40

Family Group Time

7:40

TBD

Evening games (board games, card games, party games) and snacks

November 4, 2024

Time

Facilitator

Event

8:00–9:00 am

Breakfast

9:00–10:50 am

Discussions, sessions, and activities (details TBD)

11:00–11:50 am

Closing activity (details TBD)

12:00–1:00 pm

Lunch

1:00–2:00 pm

Farewells and clean-up

Registration

November 1–4
(Friday dinner through Monday lunch)

Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos
300 Manresa Way (view on Google Maps)
Los Altos, California (Bay Area, close to San Jose)

Financial assistance is available for BK authors: See our scholarship page.

Registration is now closed.