Writing is a lonely vocation. A joke I read once sums it up beautifully..."I love my computer because all my friends live inside it". The number one reason for attending or hosting a workshop is networking with real live people who relate to you by virtue of a shared passion. You learn from each other, share the pitfalls and joys, and expand your world by spending time with like-minded acquaintances. To find an established workshop, check with your state or provincial publisher's association. They usually host and/or list legitimate conferences. You can also do a Google search or check your city's Kijiji and Craigslist pages for listed events. One of the best workshop hosting sites is http://www.meetup.com . No matter what your hobby is, you can find a local group that can help you.

If you're interested in starting a local workshop of your own, it's as easy as talking to neighbourbood coffee shops, libraries or bookshops for a cosy corner once a week (most are more than willing to accommodate), hanging a few flyers up, and setting an agreeable time for all interested. You might want structured meetings where there is assigned 'homework', it could be a creative critique club, or it could just be a casual coffee where everyone can talk about their latest project.

As for retreats and/or resorts, the price alone can be beyond the reach of a starving artist. Escaping to a mountainside cabin for a weekend is a romantic thought, but highly impractical for most of us. Use that writer's imagination of yours and create your own 'retreat'. Take the phone off the hook, turn off your cell, curl up in your bedroom, backyard, anywhere that lets you mentally escape from the outside world. Order dinners in, light candles, take long baths. If you usually use a laptop, try writing longhand in a notebook to push the illusion of being off the grid.

Workshops & retreats don't have to be expensive. With a little ingenuity, you can build a network of writing friends and still 'escape' on your days off.