June 15-19, 2026

in Scotland

From Manuscript to Market: The Indie Author Self-Publishing Intensive

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What to Expect

A 5-Day Immersive Publishing Seminar to Prepare Your First Book for Professional Self-Publishing

You’ve written your first book. Now you want to publish it. Professionally, confidently, avoiding mistakes, and without overwhelm.

Join a small cohort of seven first-time authors in the Scottish Highlands for a structured, seminar-style, hands-on publishing intensive designed to prepare your manuscript for self-publication the right way.

This is not your usual writing retreat. It’s an Indie author boot camp in the Scottish Highlands!

Stop being stuck. Learn the full self-publishing workflow and enjoy hands-on support. Publish your book this year and avoid costly mistakes! It’s the only retreat that teaches you the HOW.

This retreat is best positioned for:

✔ Writers with a completed or nearly completed manuscript

✔ Authors ready to self-publish professionally

✔ Writers overwhelmed by the publishing and technical processes

Your first book done right will set you up for a successful career as an indie author!

Enjoy gorgeous Scotland and a beautiful lakeshore house at the banks of Loch Goil, located in the Highlands within the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Let the beautiful setting and rugged nature of the Highlands inspire your journey as a writer and published author.

All meals and refreshments fully catered!

Taught by published and self-published author C. K. McAdam, author of The Seamstress of Auschwitz. As an acclaimed teaching professor whose passion for teaching, mentoring, and leading programs abroad, she is looking forward to teaching writers how to become published authors.

While incredibly rewarding when done right, self-publishing has a huge learning curve. There are a lot of moving pieces. I will teach you the steps, workflow, tools, resources, and practical application from editing, to formatting, to metadata, KDP and other publishing platforms, and even marketing and translations with 1-on-1 sessions included. This isn’t a writing retreat. It’s a focused working retreat. It’s a turning point!

Participants must:

  • Bring a completed or nearly completed manuscript draft

  • Bring a laptop

  • Be comfortable working intensively

Participants are encouraged:

  • To invest in tools

  • Share their own experience and journey

  • Structured Publishing Workshops: clear, step-by-step instructions on formatting (incl. front and back matter), metadata (incl. book description/blurb), KDP setup (incl. keywords, categories, etc.), launch planning/strategy, marketing positioning, and translations (incl. foreign book markets)

  • Guided Implementation Labs: daily quiet work sessions to apply what you learn — with personal support.

  • Dedicated One-on-One Time: individual check-ins to address your manuscript, positioning, and publishing questions.

  • Evening Firesides: reflection, Q&A, and sharing time

> Intentional Structure and Expert Facilitation

> Payment Plans and Early Bird Discounts and Discounts for Shared Rooms

> One-On-One Sessions

> Limited Seats

> BONUS: Private Alumni Facebook Group and 1-Hour Post-Intensive Zoom Meeting

FAQ

Do I need to have a finished manuscript?

You should have a completed or nearly completed draft ready for formatting and publication preparation.

Will we publish during the retreat?

No. You will prepare your book fully and leave ready to publish when you choose.

What genre is accepted?

Fiction and narrative nonfiction are welcome.

How much one-on-one time will I receive?

Each participant receives a daily 20 minutes one-on-one session after implementation labs plus a scheduled 1-hour check-in (via Zoom) after the intensive.

> Three meals a day catered

> Daily snacks and refreshments

> Welcome and farewell dinners

> Evening firesides

> Scenic Highland hike

> Shuttle service from Glasgow airport to Lochwood House and back

> Comfortable accommodations and facilities

PRICING

Intensive Course, Accommodations, Meals, and Shuttle Service:

Private Room: $2900 (Early Bird Rate: $2700 if paid in full by 4/15)

Shared Room: $2600 (limited availability; Early Bird Rate: $2400 if paid in full by 4/15)

Payment plans available (does not apply to Early Bird Rate).

Deposit of $750 required to secure your place.

Only 7 spots available!

Scotland + catered + teaching + 1:1 coaching

Daily Schedule

Breakfast

8:00 - 9:00 am

Workshop/Seminar

9:00 - 11:30 am 

Lunch Break

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Implementation Lab

12:30 - 3:30 pm

1:1 Sessions

3:30 - 6:00 pm

Evening Fireside

6:00 - 7:00 pm

Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 pm

How It Works

  • Fill out the application form. Make sure to indicate your room and payment preference, and any food allergies you have.

  • Upon acceptance (via email notification), you will receive an invoice and will need to pay the deposit to reserve your spot.

  • After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know—detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more.

  • We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from Glasgow as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays.

  • Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your journey of becoming a published author.

Book now! Limited spots available.

Apply to join