Everyone has a story to tell. What’s yours?

What’s the story you’ve been dying to tell?

The one that keeps you up at night, gets you out of bed, and occupies all the corners of your mind? If you’ve felt the writer’s call, this is the place to craft your tale.

The Wild Inkling is a female-founded and -driven community designed to deliver professional guidance, support, and creative inspiration for your next writing project. We provide in-person retreats in beautiful locations around Colorado, online writing contests, courses, and more—all crafted with the insight of publishing industry professionals.

Whether you're just picking up the pen or deep in the trenches of your fifth manuscript, The Wild Inkling is here to fuel your creative fire.

Writ·er (n.) - one who writes.

You do not have to be a published author to be a writer! If you enjoy expressing yourself through the written word, you belong here. If you’re an avid reader or someone who loves a good story, you belong here. We can’t wait to meet you!

What We Do

✍️ Writing Challenges

Looking for a creative spark? Our monthly writing challenges are designed to ignite ideas, build momentum, and banish perfectionism. Each month, we choose a different genre and give you two weeks to craft your submission. Winners are selected by our team of pros and shared amongst our writing community. Oh, and the prizes are legit!

🌿 Transformative Retreats

Come write with us in beautiful places—from cozy mountain cabins to sun-soaked coastal hideaways. Our retreats are a space to reconnect with your voice, get creative, and make lifelong friends. Don’t feel like writing? We offer reading retreats, too! Our goal is to give female creatives a space to connect with their inner spark and each other.

🎓 Courses & Workshops—COMING SOON!

Coming late 2026: Explore a shoppable catalogue of live and on-demand courses, as well as downloadable materials to help you hone your craft. Learn everything from storytelling fundamentals to writing for publication, all while connecting with fellow writers.

💬 The Wild Inkling Collective

Join our members-only space to share work, swap feedback, chat about your latest great read, find accountability partners, and celebrate your writing journey. Find your people and watch your inspiration soar.

Retreats: What’s included and how does it work?

Retreat purchases all come with: Cozy accommodations, a welcome gift, meals for the duration of the trip, and a full itinerary that includes tailored workshops, outdoor activities, and plenty of writing time.

Guests are responsible for travel and arriving at the retreat location on time. All activities are optional, so you can choose your own adventure.

We currently offer two tiers of retreats:

The Writer-Curious Retreat
This retreat is for any and all creatives looking for community, guidance, and a gorgeous atmosphere designed to spark great ideas and writing flow. Consider this the intro to writing option, a low-stakes environment where all are welcome.

The Publishing Pro Retreat
For writers looking to take their manuscripts and essays to the next level, we offer an application-only option. If you want a seriously productive weekend complete with expert editorial guidance, a community of top-tier writers, and quality draft feedback designed to give you pages ready-for-publishing, this retreat is for you. Our application process ensures that all guests meet our editorial standards and that everyone comes with the same focus and intention: to write their next great work.

Ute Colorado Sky Ranch Camp Grounds

FAQs

  • Our primary focus is memoir and personal essays. We help writers process their life stories and turn them into compelling personal narratives.

    We also cover a range of writing categories, including short stories, magazine features, screenwriting, and book manuscripts.

    If memoir isn’t your thing, never fear. We host themed fiction and creative writing retreats. For retreat themes and dates, sign up for our newsletter!

  • The Wild Inkling is first and foremost a space to help writers spark creativity, hone their craft, and connect with fellow wordsmiths.

    However, if publishing your work is a goal, we’ve got insider tips and years of professional experience to strengthen your chances of getting published.

  • To cultivate a safe and collaborative environment, our retreats are currently open to women and femme-identifying individuals only.

  • That’s ok! It only takes one try to write your first story.

    We welcome writers of all kinds and intentionally craft our programming to support varying levels of experience and expertise.

  • Our retreats are for ages 21+. We welcome a diverse mix of ages at our retreats. Additionally, our educational materials are for anyone. If you want to write, there is room for you here!