“Life offers you a thousand chances…
all you have to do is take one.”

— Under the Tuscan Sun

There’s a reason Under the Tuscan Sun still makes us want to book a flight to Italy.

It’s the reminder that sometimes you have to say yes to something before you know exactly where it will lead.

This October 14–19, 2026, Once Upon a Script is creating our own little Under the Tuscan Sun moment with She Writes Under the Tuscan Sun, our final in-person retreat of 2026.

What a year of traveling it has been.

We started 2026 in the jungle in Mexico for a creative reset.

We gathered in a cozy cabin in the Catskills to reconnect with our stories.

We learned how to write vertical series while sailing from Los Angeles to Ensenada and Catalina Island.

We spent a summer of writing, learning, and connecting in Provence and Barcelona.

And now, we’re ending our 2026 retreat season in Tuscany.

With laptops, new pages, pasta, wine, mentorship, and a group of women choosing to make space for their stories.

Why Tuscany?

Because some places make you want to create.

Tuscany asks you to slow down.

To have another coffee.

To sit outside with your laptop.

To look up from the page every once in a while and remember that creating a life you love matters just as much as creating the stories you want to tell.

This year, we’ll make our home at a charming centuries-old farmhouse between Florence and Pisa, surrounded by green hills, vineyards, olive groves, and medieval villages.

And while the setting is dreamy, Tuscany isn’t only about beautiful photos.

The heart of this retreat is still the writing and the community.

This Year, We’re Doing Things a Little Differently

For the first time in Tuscany, writers will be able to choose between two creative tracks.

Writers developing traditional television pilots and features will work with , a seasoned TV writer and producer with credits including Ugly Betty, Samantha Who?, Becker, and Good Witch. With decades of experience across television, comedy, drama, and story development, Dawn brings sharp industry insight, warmth, and practical guidance to help writers strengthen their voice, structure, and pitch.

Writers exploring the fast-growing world of vertical storytelling will work with , a screenwriter, director, producer, and vertical storytelling expert whose microdrama credits include The Summer I Turned My Sexiest and The Royal Wedding Planner, both #1 series on GammaTime, as well as The Blind Bride of the Scarred Mafia Boss and When Love Finally Found Me. She brings a strong understanding of mobile-first storytelling, addictive hooks, pacing, and the fast-growing vertical series market.

Throughout the week, there will be time for mentorship, one-on-one consultations, workshops, and very importantly; actual writing.

Because sometimes what your script needs most is for you to finally give it your undivided attention.

And Then There’s the Tuscany Part…

Because we are Once Upon a Script, and we firmly believe you can take your writing seriously and romanticize your life a little.

We’ll welcome everyone with a Tuscan wine tasting and pizza night.

We’ll visit a local market.

We’ll make pasta together.

There will be an industry Q&A, one-on-one mentor sessions, and plenty of opportunities to get inspired.

And then there are the moments we can’t really plan.

The conversation that starts at breakfast and somehow turns into a breakthrough for your character.

The late-night wait, what if you did THIS? story brainstorm.

Someone understanding exactly what you’re trying to create before you’ve completely figured out how to explain it.

Those are usually the moments we remember most.

But Don’t Just Take It From Us

One of my favorite parts of bringing these retreats back is hearing from the women who have already experienced them.

Becky joined us for She Writes Under the Tuscan Sun last year, traveling from London to spend the week writing and creating with us.

She shared what the experience was like from the other side, as a writer who said yes, booked the trip, and came to Tuscany.

You can read Becky talk about her Tuscany experience here.

There’s something different about hearing it from someone who was actually there.

Because I can tell you about the villa.

I can tell you about the workshops.

I can show you the vineyards, the pasta, and the beautiful tables.

But the thing I care about most is harder to photograph:

how women feel when they leave.

More connected.

More inspired.

More confident about their stories.

And reminded that they don’t have to build a creative life alone.

We only have a few spaces left. Registration closes September 16, 2026.

So if you’ve spent this year watching our adventures and thinking…

One day I’m going to do that.

Maybe this is your one day.

Come write with us in Tuscany. ☀️✍️🇮🇹

Explore She Writes Under the Tuscan Sun + remaining rooms

It was our second year hosting Storytelling & Sisterhood, a virtual day retreat created around something I believe women writers need more of: space to gather, create, learn, and remember that we don’t have to do this alone.

We began the day with a grounding meditation led by astrologer and writer Lisa Moore, before diving into a beautiful conversation with multi-format writer Amy Ferris about her new book, Amy in Retrograde, a funny, honest memoir about a decades-long search for cosmic answers.

Amy talked about her creative process, working with her publisher, and the courage it takes to put something deeply personal on the page.

If you haven’t read the book yet, you’re missing out. Amy’s writing is joyful, beautiful, and deeply human. You can find Amy in Retrograde here:

Get Amy in Retrograde

Then we wrote.

Amy gave us a couple of fun retrograde-themed prompts, women shared pieces in the chat, and a few brave participants even received free copies of the book. I’m leaving one of the prompts here in case you’re feeling creative, too.

We followed with a conversation featuring producer Anna Henry and writer-director Emmylou Diaz about creating inclusive stories without reducing characters to stereotypes. We talked about authenticity, responsibility, and the opportunities writers have when telling stories about experiences beyond their own.

This was just the first question for each of them, and there were plenty more nuggets of wisdom throughout the rest of the session.

In the afternoon, veteran TV writer and producer Dawn DeKeyser, along with screenwriter, director, and author Isabel Dréan, took us into two very different corners of television: traditional TV and the rapidly growing world of vertical storytelling. They talked about navigating an industry that never seems to stop changing, where opportunities are emerging for writers, and how storytelling itself is evolving. And yes, we discussed AI. Here’s a nugget.

We also dreamed a little about our upcoming Tuscany retreat, where Dawn and Isabel will be mentoring, and what it will be like when some of us gather there this October to write together in person: Italian food, wine, movie nights, writing, mentorship—all of it in a beautiful villa. We can’t wait!

And, by the way, we still have a few spots left if you want to join us, so it’s not too late.

Learn more about She Writes Under the Tuscan Sun

In our last panel of the day, produced screenwriters Tracee Beebe and Lisa Hepner talked about opportunities in the horror and holiday spaces, two genres that might seem like complete opposites, but have something important in common: loyal audiences and real opportunities for writers looking to break in and build a career.

I especially loved this part, where they got real about the industry and how important it is to have someone by your side who truly understands the journey.

And then we ended the day in breakout rooms, where women who had never met before simply got to talk to each other.

That part matters to me just as much as the panels.

Because so much of being a writer happens alone.

But storytelling has never really been a solitary thing.

One of my favorite parts of building Once Upon a Script has been watching women meet through a retreat or event and then continue showing up for each other long after it ends.

They exchange scripts.

They celebrate wins.

They recommend each other.

They become friends.

That’s the kind of community I want to keep building.

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To Amy Ferris, Lisa Moore, Anna Henry, Emmylou Diaz, Dawn DeKeyser, Isabel Dréan, Tracee Beebe, and Lisa Hepner: thank you for bringing your wisdom, honesty, generosity, and time to this day.

If any of their perspectives resonated with you and you’d love to have their eyes on your work, several of these incredible women are offering script notes and one-on-one feedback through Once Upon a Script, so the conversation doesn’t have to end with the event.

Learn more about Script Notes & Feedback

And to every woman who showed up, wrote with us, asked a question, shared something in the chat, or stayed until the end to meet another writer:

Thank you.

The internet can feel enormous.

The film industry can feel even bigger.

But for one Saturday, our little corner of it felt wonderfully small.

And full of sisterhood. 💛

Here’s to telling the stories only we can tell, and finding women to tell them alongside.

— Mariannjely
Founder, Once Upon a Script

P.S. If you weren’t able to join us live, or if you’d simply like to revisit these conversations, the Storytelling & Sisterhood recordings are available through August 22.

Watch the Storytelling & Sisterhood replays

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A room full of women storytellers logs on.

Writers. Producers. Creatives. Women with finished scripts, half-finished scripts, new ideas, big questions, and stories they’re still figuring out how to tell.

For one day, we come together to talk about the craft, the industry, creativity, and what it really looks like to keep building a life around storytelling.

That’s Storytelling & Sisterhood.

Join us for one conversation, take a creative break with us, or spend the whole day surrounded by women who love stories as much as you do.

Saturday, August 15
10:00 AM–3:30 PM PT
Live on Zoom
FREE

Here’s what we have planned:

✨ 10:00–10:45 AM — She Writes in Retrograde

We’ll start the day with a short meditation and mantra led by astrologer and writer Lisa Moore, followed by a conversation with writer Amy Ferris about the creative and personal journey behind her new book, Amy in Retrograde.

Amy will also lead us through astrology-inspired writing prompts to help get the creativity flowing.

🎬 11:00–11:45 AM — Women Shaping Inclusive Stories

Join producer Anna Henry and writer-director Emmy Lou Diaz for a conversation about the importance of diversity in writers and stories. They’ll discuss authentic representation, challenging stereotypes, developing culturally specific stories, and creating more opportunities for underrepresented voices in film and TV.

✍️ 12:00–12:45 PM — Creative Break

Grab lunch, open your notebook, work on a few pages, or simply take some time to reset. This is your space to write, create, or just enjoy a little breathing room before we jump back in.

📺 1:00–1:45 PM — Women Amplifying Stories: Traditional TV vs. Vertical Series

Television writer and producer Dawn DeKeyser and vertical storytelling expert Isabel Dréan will talk about writing and pitching in today’s changing entertainment industry, from traditional television to the growing world of vertical storytelling.

🎄🔪 2:00–2:45 PM — Women Writers Breaking In: Horror and Holiday

Screenwriters Tracee Beebe and Lisa Hepner will share their experiences building careers as writers, working across genres, navigating the industry, and continuing to create opportunities for their stories.

💛 3:00–3:30 PM — Women Storytellers Virtual Mixer

We’ll end the day with a casual mixer and a chance to meet other women in the community, make new creative connections, and simply talk storytelling.

There will also be time throughout the day for Q&A, conversation, and connection.

Come for one panel or stay for the whole day. We’d love to have you with us.

RSVP here: https://www.onceuponascript.com/storytelling-sisterhood-2026

And if there’s another woman storyteller you think would enjoy this day, send this her way. 💛

Last November, I had the opportunity of joining Once Upon a Script’s “The Story Within Her” screenwriting retreat in Lake Arrowhead, California under the mentorship of Kay Ross. It was my first time in California and I absolutely fell in love with the place. Just a few minutes after leaving the airport, I was already planning my next trip back.

When I got to the mountains late at night and walked into the retreat’s cabin, the atmosphere changed. It felt right. Being surrounded by beautiful, talented and inspirational female writers fueled my own ideas. Unpopular opinion, but the writing process doesn’t have to be a lonely one.

This retreat was a weekend example of this statement. It gave me a new life experience, people from different backgrounds, deep conversations, all the important ingredients needed to create a good story. It also gave me roommates! I hadn’t had a roommate since my sophomore year of college, and even if we were roommates for a weekend, we bonded and had conversations as if we’ve known each other for years.

You can learn something from any writer, even the ones that write different genres than what you’re used to. This retreat was a challenge too. I’m not talking about the intense, but fruitful workshops or the chilly, but sky full of stars nights up in the mountains. I’m talking about getting up early in the morning and jumping into an AM writing session as a night owl. I learned that, believe it or not, I can actually write in the mornings too!

I came into this retreat with the plan of strengthening my outline for my supernatural horror screenplay titled Borealis Cyanic. I’m very proud to say that: goal accomplished. Not only did I leave California with a finer outline, but also with multilayered characters. I had a love and hate relationship with this story, but now, it’s the project that I think has the most structure out of my whole portfolio.

Every good story has a plot twist and of course I had one during the course of this weekend. I couldn’t write about this retreat without adding the detail that American Airlines cancelled my flight last minute and I got stuck in California for the night. During my last day at the cabin, I kept saying that I didn’t want to go back home. The universe heard me and said, “Bet!” I gotta say, there are worse places to be stuck at. I’m very thankful that Mariannjely let me stay at the cabin with her and Kay until I got a new flight back home. A beautiful resolution.

I think it’s needless to say that overall, this was an incredible experience. What better way to spend a weekend than with gifted women united for our love and passion for storytelling? In a patriarchal world where women’s stories are always being overshadowed and undervalued, it’s important that we unite and raise each other’s voices. I’m hoping for a sequel!

Follow Joelis’s substack:

Instagram: @joelis.rdz

‘She writes under the Tuscan sun’ and loved every second.

The hurdle of staying connected to my creative side, while entering a scary adult world, was (and still is) a big jump to make. Leaving university and trying to survive in a place I no longer felt safe in, I felt isolated from my own future goals.

I love creating, especially in the film industry. Originally wanting to be an actress yet finding myself feeling more aligned behind the camera, in roles such as Director or Cinematographer. Yet, writing became my most treasured passion. Especially screen writing, trying to get across something that could and would be transformed into a visual piece of art is terrifying but exhilarating.

However, after finishing university, I lost my confidence, I let my mind convince me that I shouldn’t even try to pursue my dreams. So, I stopped. Then the universe somehow aligned and I found a Tik Tok about a screenwriting retreat to Italy which ignited a flame of passion that I thought I had lost. Italy is such a beautiful country, and I started to imagine how enchanting writing in this space would be. I left a comment under the video, and we actually ended up conversing.

Mariannjely, the Founder of ‘Once upon a script’ is an absolute delight, she has such a powerful and inspiring voice to all Women storytellers. Not only did Mari make this trip unforgettable, but she also brought together a group of 9 beautiful, talented women and created such a supportive and magical atmosphere. I cannot even begin to explain how refreshing and transformative this retreat was.

The trip consisted of five days in a remote villa within Tuscany. Days full of divine meals, informative talks and moments of peace to write. With the beautiful views of the green countryside and the magnetic home we were staying in, I felt so I felt overwhelmingly appreciative. During our first day all together we attended a wine tasting session. While each taste was exquisite, this was the perfect way of breaking the ice. I’m a naturally nervous and slightly introverted person so admittedly I was scared to meet everyone. We all soon warmed up to one another and in the matter of an hour it felt like we had all known each other for ages.

The villa was otherworldly in my eyes. The intricate details and gorgeous shrubbery surrounding the exterior made me emotional from the beauty. A cosy design and the spacious garden/ pool area overlooking valleys of Tuscan charm. Happiness filled my soul. The interior was somehow better, each room filled with books and antiques, unique furniture dotted the place. It truly was a place built for writers.

One of the most picturesque moments was this stunning pink sunset, the pictures don’t do the reality justice. It was truly a breath-taking moment, it almost took every negative bone out of my body to see such a pretty phenomenon.

Not only was I residing in Italy for the week, but I was also writing again. Taking that step back in was magical and to be surrounded by other writers really motivated me to keep going even when I got stressed.

This entire retreat was unforgettable, but I will have this specific moment ingrained in my brain, every time I feel emotionally weak or ‘dramatic’ in my emotions I look back at this moment.

On the second day, we all went around talking about our ideas and how we’ve come up with them and what has inspired each of our pieces. It was so lovely to hear each Women’s story idea, and I was overjoyed that each of us felt safe within the room to reveal and share emotional and raw situations that have occurred. It made me feel real and willing to open up about a very vulnerable part of me that inspired my own story. I didn’t feel like I was being judged or looked down upon like I have before in my life. They encouraged my sensitivity and supported my idea and helped me will it along. These girls who I had only just met made me feel like I was normal, human for having deep emotions. That it seemed like a lot of creative women have felt like they were ‘too much’ for other people just because they felt deeply with any emotion. I have never felt so seen before, they gave me the confidence to write about what I wanted and to do so with pride.

Hearing all their ideas also sparked more determination to write as they all had such unique and interesting stories to tell, no matter the genre and theme. Each and every one of these women inspired me, with their strength, emotions, and the love they poured out to me even though I was a complete stranger. It reminded me what humanity and community meant. It reminded me of the strength Women have, especially within the film industry where it is still very male dominated. It gave me hope that I could take my passion and love and make it a career for myself. Make it my life.

Writing means so much to me and sometimes I find myself procrastinating or letting life get too busy to enjoy it. But I do believe without this Writing retreat, I would’ve stopped writing all together and that thought in itself is frightening.

I will never be able to thank Mariannjely enough for organising this trip and helping me come along. I will never be able to thank every single Woman enough for their support and love. If they ever read this, I hope they know how much they lit up my life while I was in such a dark part. You guys saved me in ways I didn’t know I needed, the community and friendship meant and still means so much to me.

Thank you.

Truly.

Sincerely, Becky <3

Follow Becky’s substack:

Instagram: @b.e.c.k.y_xo

This week, we’re excited to feature screenwriter, producer, and story consultant Dawn DeKeyser. Her writing credits include Ugly Betty, Samantha Who?, NewsRadio, The Client List, Good Witch, Becker, The Geena Davis Show, among others. With more than 30 years of experience in film and television, Dawn has worked with countless writers helping them develop their projects, strengthen their storytelling, and learn how to pitch their ideas with clarity and confidence.

During our Q & A this Saturday, we’ll talk about:

• How women writers can shape a strong pitch
• What industry professionals are actually looking for
• Common mistakes writers make when presenting their projects
• How to confidently share your story

Dawn will also be mentoring our upcoming Her Power Pitch Retreat in Barcelona (June 15–19) for women writers who want to refine their projects and practice pitching in a supportive environment. We’ll share more about the retreat during the conversation, including a special exclusive discount for attendees.

🎙 Join the Conversation This Saturday, March 21st

If you’re a woman writer working on a screenplay, TV pilot, or story idea, we’d love to have you join us. There is no cost to attend.

[Zoom registration link]

At Once Upon a Script, we believe storytelling becomes more powerful when women come together to support each other, share ideas, and grow as writers.

✨ If you’re a woman storyteller and want to stay connected to upcoming conversations, retreats, and creative opportunities, subscribe to the Once Upon a Script Letter. And if you know a woman writer who might enjoy conversations like this, feel free to forward this to her as well.

Over the last few months, Once Upon a Script has brought women writers together in different places around the world to write, reflect, and reconnect with their creativity through immersive retreats. It started as a simple idea of creating spaces where women could step away from their daily routines and focus on their stories, and it has grown into a beautiful and supportive community of storytellers.

But the connection doesn’t end when the retreats do.

This newsletter is a way for our community to stay connected in between those gatherings, sharing inspiration, reflections on the writing life, conversations about storytelling and the industry, and updates on upcoming Once Upon a Script experiences.

Whether you’ve joined us at a retreat before, are considering attending one in the future, or are simply looking for a space to feel less alone in your creative process, you’re welcome here.

We’d love to hear about it.

What are you currently writing?

Feel free to reply or join the conversation in our community.

And if you know another woman storyteller who might enjoy this space, feel free to share this newsletter with her. ✨

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