Frequently Asked Questions
1. What was the cost to attend?
Chosen applicants pay $24.00 USD, to:
Venmo @JamesTristanRedding
Cash App $ JamesTristanRedding
Check / Money Order:
P. O. Box 68513
Nashville TN 37206
2. What was included in the admission price?
Overnight accommodations and retreat programming.
The last retreat was Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26, 2025.
3. What WAs NOT included in the admission price?
Food or beverages. At the 2025 retreat, participants either brought
food and drinks along or ordered for delivery during the retreat.
Transportation was not included, either, but no travel was required
after each participant arrived on-site.
4. What Was the schedule, when did we arrive / depart / etc.?
Our 2025 event began Friday, October 24, and concluded Sunday, October 26.
This was roughly our timeline:
+ Fri. Oct. 24, 2025 -- 5pm doors open, songwriters begin arriving
+ Fri. Oct. 24, 2025 -- 6pm dinner time for all who have arrived
+ Fri. Oct. 24, 2025 -- 9pm bedtime; lights out and silence
+ Sat. Oct. 25, 2025 -- 2am wake up, get ready to write
+ Sat. Oct. 25, 2025 -- 3am begin writing!
+ Sun. Oct. 26, 2025 -- 3am stop writing! Loose bedtime
+ Sun. Oct. 26, 2025 -- 10am wake up and share breakfast
+ Sun. Oct. 26, 2025 -- 12pm noon departure
5. What Was the deadline to apply?
October 1, 2025, at midnight central time.
6. Where DID this event take place?
We don’t publish the exact location, for purposes of safety and privacy.
But our last retreat was held in East Nashville.
7. Who owns the rights to the songs created at the retreat?
Every writer retains 100% of his or her intellectual property.
8. Where did we sleep?
Accommodations were a combination of beds, couches, and sleeping bags. We coordinated in advance to ensure every participant was comfortable.
9. was there photography or video captured?
All participants were welcome to record video and take still photos for content.
10. Got another question we haven’t answered here?
11. What to bring?
A. A tent and sleeping bag if you’ll be camping. To include 24 writers, every available inch of space is vital! The event organizing team is coordinating which writers are willing and able to camp vs. which need to share a room indoors.
B. A cell phone charger, including the regular wall plug, not just the USB port.
C. A power strip: the more we have, the more people can plug in computers and phones simultaneously. These are surprisingly affordable, only a few dollars.
D. A laptop computer or tablet, if you have either: helpful to put lyrics in a place they can be saved, organized, and shared. For those camping, if you prefer not to store electronics in the tent, you’re welcome to leave valuables indoors with the event management team for safe keeping.
E. A pair of earplugs and a pair of headphones: in close quarters, even a little sound carries and sleep is precious. And during the writing times, some private sound may be helpful.
F. A toothbrush and toothpaste: especially in between long days and short nights, brushing one’s teeth can help refresh the mind too.
G. A hand towel or full towel: a shower can also rejuvenate the body and mind, and even washing and drying a face can really renew and energize.
H. A reusable water bottle: staying hydrated is a building block of anything good in life, including writing good songs.
I. Snacks to share: we’ll set aside a surface at the venue for food that’s safe to share, so bring something along to help yourself and everyone else enjoy this overnight experience. Anything from muffins to tortilla chips, candy to fruit.
J. An instrument to write on: whether it’s a guitar, a small keyboard, a violin, etc. Anything with which you would usually write a song at home, bring the most compact and portable version of that.
K. A wide open mind!