Writing Residencies to Hone Your Craft

The act of writing requires a certain patience and focus that many of us cannot afford today. Being bombarded with news from every corner of our lives, information overload and a general sense of feeling overwhelmed by daily life makes it hard to carve out special time to write. These writing residences offer a chance to do exactly that: give writers an opportunity to hone their craft, many of them including workshops, mentor sessions and peer reviews. There is nothing like writing with a group of people, testing your work and getting honest feedback. Here are some writing residences in the country to look out for.
 
The USAWA Writing Residency
A villa in Goa gets transformed into a writing community for 6 days. This residency creates a space where writers step away from everyday demands to focus on craft, reflect on their goals, and think carefully about the journey from draft to publication. Mentors include Arpita Das, Sumana Roy and Hemali Sodhi. The 2026 edition took place from October 3rd to 8th.
 
The Himalayan Emerging Writers Residency
What better than writing in the majestic Himalayas, with nature as your muse? This specific residency helps debut writers from South Asia work on their craft, giving them space to think, slow down and practice. The 2026 edition took place from July 9th to 26th.

Rachna Books’ Writer’s Residency
Taking place in Gangtok, Villa Swagatam’s Rachna Books’ Writer’s Residency aims to provide an engaging, stimulating and peaceful place for writers to live, write and interact. We nurture new and emerging writing: non-fiction, fiction, graphic novels and comics, and children’s books fiction from the Eastern Himalayan states in India, and connect with writers from the rest of the world. The 2026 edition took place in July and August.
 
Alekhya Writing Retreat
At the Parvati Valley, Alekhya was born out of love for the craft of writing. Their aim is to provide a holistic environment which lets you be, so that you can devote yourself towards a singular objective: writing. The 2026 edition took place in June, from 3rd to 7th.

Siyahi Writers' Retreats
Bringing genre wise workshops, Siyahi’s retreats take place in shimmering Jaipur, Rajasthan. The translation workshops have had Booker prize winners Deepa Bhasti and Daisy Rockwell guide participants, as well as leading publishers guide along the way. It is a celebration of Indian writing in its glory.
 
Sangam House Writers Residency
As one of the oldest writing residencies in India, Sangam House in Bangalore brings together writers from around the world to provide a safe, peaceful environment. The residency is specifically for those who might have been published in the past, but are yet to be on the brink of commercial success, helping them tip over that edge.

Words Platform Desk
Date 5.11.2026