Selva Academic Writing Retreat

Trade your desk for the jungle.

Write in community. With expert support.

You've been meaning to write. You've blocked off the time, cleared the calendar, told yourself this week would be different. And then life happened, again, and the chapter is still sitting there, exactly where you left it.

What if the problem isn't you? What if it's the environment?

The Selva Academic Writing Retreat in the heart of Mexico's Mayan Riviera gives you:

Structured writing time. Alongside motivated peers.
Professional guidance. With an on-call writing coach.
New energy and momentum. In pristine nature, with modern amenities, and nourishing local food.

You'll leave with pages, momentum, and a plan for what comes after.

Is this for you?

The Selva retreat is for grad students, postdocs, faculty, and early-career researchers who are ready to stop spinning their wheels and start moving forward.

You might be finishing a dissertation chapter that has been stalled for months. You might have a manuscript sitting in a folder, untouched since last semester. You might be working on a grant proposal, a journal article, or a thesis that just needs dedicated time and the right support to get done.

What you have in common with everyone who joins this retreat: you are not stuck because you aren't capable. You're stuck because academic writing is hard, and doing it alone, in the same four walls, with the same interruptions, makes it harder.

This retreat is for people who are ready to change that.

This is not for you if you're looking for a vacation with a little writing on the side. This is real work, in a beautiful place, with structure and support built in. Come ready to write.

What's Included?

15 hours of structured writing time

Protected, focused blocks across three full writing days. No meetings, no emails, no interruptions.

On-demand coaching via Voxer

Think of it like a walkie talkie in your pocket. When you hit a wall, you reach out and I'm there. You will never have to sit stuck and spinning alone.

Daily check-ins

Every morning we connect as a group to set intentions and track progress. Every evening we reflect on what got done.

Community building workshops

Small-group sessions designed to build connection, accountability, and peer support that extends well beyond the retreat itself.

Writing and research resources

Practical tools and frameworks to help you write more efficiently and strategically, during the retreat and after.

Post-retreat accountability group

The momentum doesn't stop when you fly home. You'll have an ongoing community of people who know your work and want to see you finish it.

Five nights accommodation

A private room in a beautiful, modern space in the heart of Ciudad Mayakoba. Comfortable, quiet, and designed for focus.

All meals included

Fresh, nourishing local food prepared and waiting for you. One less thing to think about.

Airport transfers

We'll take care of getting you here and back so you can hit the ground running.

Welcome package

Everything you need from day one: mosquito repellent, umbrella, portable charger, notebook, and pen.

Your Five Days

Day 1: Arrive and settle in

You land, get settled, meet the group, and let yourself decompress. Travel is tiring and your brain needs a minute to shift gears. We ease in intentionally, with an evening walk and an introduction to the week ahead.

Day 2: We begin

We start the morning together with a two-hour goal-setting session: mapping out what you want to accomplish, identifying what's been blocking you, and making a realistic plan to get there. Then we write. That afternoon you'll have your first real block of uninterrupted writing time, with me available the whole time on Voxer.

Day 3: Full writing day

Six hours of focused writing time, broken into blocks. Daily check-in in the morning, downtime built into the afternoon. Flexible meal times. Space to breathe and process.

Day 4: Full writing day

Another full day of writing, with momentum from yesterday behind you. This is often when the real breakthroughs happen.

Day 5: Close out and carry forward

We spend the morning in a group reflection session: celebrating what got done, identifying what comes next, and building a concrete plan for keeping the momentum going when you get home. You won't just leave with pages. You'll leave knowing exactly what to do after and with a group of peers to keep you accountable.

Your Retreat Location

The Selva retreat takes place in Ciudad Mayakoba, a private gated community and planned city in the heart of Mexico's Mayan Riviera. It is 30 minutes from Cancun International Airport (CUN) and 15 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen.

This is not a beachfront resort. It's a city in the jungle, and that's exactly what makes it unlike anywhere else you've ever tried to write.

Lush jungle. Warm air. Birdsong in the morning. The kind of natural stillness that makes your brain finally quiet down enough to do the work.

And this is not roughing it. You'll have a private room, modern amenities, reliable wifi, and fresh food prepared and waiting for you. Everything you need to focus.

There's something that happens when you remove yourself from your usual environment. The emails feel farther away. The department politics fade. The mental noise that follows you around at home gets quieter.

What's left is you, your work, and a place that makes the work feel possible again.

I've written in a lot of places. Writing in the jungle is different.

Investment

$1,500 USD

Payment plans available up to five months.

This includes five nights accommodation in a private room, all meals, airport transfers, 15 hours of structured writing time, on-demand coaching access throughout the retreat, all workshops and resources, post-retreat accountability group, and your welcome package.

Your total trip including flights typically runs between $2,000 and $2,500 USD depending on where you're traveling from.

Spots are intentionally limited. This is a small, high-support retreat.

Dates for the next retreat are coming soon. Join the waitlist to be the first to know, receive early bird pricing, and help shape the timing through our pre-retreat survey.

About Your Host

I'm Dr. Rebecca Schmor, academic coach and editor, and the person who will be in your corner throughout this retreat.

I finished my PhD in three years while publishing extensively. I know what it takes to write strategically, sustainably, and well, and I know what it feels like when the support isn't there and you're trying to do it alone.

After finishing my PhD at the University of Toronto, I moved to Mexico and started an online coaching and editing practice where I've been working with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, helping them finish what they started.

The Selva retreat is an extension of that work, in a format I've been wanting to create for a long time.

I live in the Mayan Riviera. I write here. I know this place well, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Questions and Answers

Who is this retreat for?

Graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and early-career researchers who want dedicated writing time, expert support, and a community of peers. If you have an academic writing project you need to move forward, this retreat is for you.

What kind of writing projects are welcome?

All of them. Dissertations, theses, journal articles, book chapters, grant proposals, manuscripts. If it's academic writing, bring it.

Do I need to be at a specific stage of my project?

No. You might be just getting started on a chapter or you might be in final revisions. The retreat is structured to meet you where you are.

What does on-demand coaching actually mean?

It means I'm available to you throughout each writing day via Voxer, a voice messaging app. When you get stuck on an idea, a paragraph, or a sentence, you send me a voice note and I respond. You won't be waiting until the next scheduled session. I'm there when you actually need me.

Is this really all-inclusive?

Yes. Accommodation, all meals, airport transfers, workshops, resources, coaching access, and your welcome package are all included in the retreat fee. The only additional cost is your flight.

Can I bring a friend or family member?

Yes, please reach out after joining the waitlist to arrange accommodation and any applicable discounts.

Are payment plans available?

Yes, up to five months. Reach out after joining the waitlist and we'll get you set up.

Where exactly is the retreat located?

The retreat takes place in Ciudad Mayakoba, a private gated community and planned city in the heart of the Mayan Riviera. It is 30 minutes from Cancun International Airport (CUN) and 15 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen. This is not a beachfront resort. It's a city in the jungle, and that's exactly what makes it unlike anywhere else you've ever tried to write.