A Post-election Update

Hello everyone! Sorry it’s taken me so long to do this. I had started recording a video a few weeks ago, but got side tracked and didn’t get to finish it. 

So here I am, communicating in the way I’m most comfortable: In writing. 

I want to first thank everyone who came to Eerie Elixir. Thanks to our speakers, author Briana Morgan and owner/agent Michelle Grajkowski from Three Seas Literary Agency. And of course, thanks to my co-host agent Stacey Graham (also from Three Seas)! 

The feedback I’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive, and that has been tremendously encouraging. 

I want to also take a moment to thank all of the attendees, speakers, and partners who participated in past Elixirs. Elixir would not have gotten to three retreats without you, and I’m extremely grateful for the contributions you’ve made. Each of you are on your own writing journey, and it is a privilege that you’ve made Elixir a part of that.

This past year has been a roller coaster, and the recent election has me feeling like 2024 has gone off the rails. Without going into too many personal details, I went through several large life changes this year. All of them to be expected as part of the human experience, but challenging and (some) painful nonetheless. 

Since returning from Eerie Elixir, I’ve been slowly working on the next Elixir, knowing that this election would have an impact. And it will. 

While I don’t have a crystal ball, I do tend to take what people say at face value. And this upcoming administration has promised to do a lot of horrible things that will hurt a lot of people, both physically and financially. 

As a result, I do not feel comfortable holding an Elixir retreat in the US. I don’t feel safe, and I fear for the safety of our attendees. I also want to avoid economically contributing to this new regime. I am therefore taking a break from producing a retreat in 2025. 

This, however, is not the end of Elixir! I am exploring other potential locations outside the US for a future Elixir, ideally to take place in 2026. 

But more immediately, I’d like to share that I am developing an online component for Elixir. As anyone who’s attended one of our retreats will tell you, attendees develop a deep sense of community. And one of my main challenges is keeping the sense of community going throughout the year. 

So, in 2025, my goal is creating an online community to supplement and reflect our in-person retreats. 

I’m still figuring out what that looks like, but one thing is certain: This will be an entirely free community and resource. There will be some unique features, such as live online events and get togethers. And there will be some built-in perks for all Elixir alumni.

Although the concept of Elixir was created before the pandemic, I’ve come to realize how much a child of the pandemic it is. That is, I think the pandemic forced a lot of us to reevaluate our lives and dedicate ourselves to something we’re passionate about. It also probably increased our need to connect in-person in meaningful ways. 

Elixir Writing Retreats have been an excellent opportunity to do both: Feed our passion for creativity and get together with people who share that desire. It only makes sense to build an online component that brings the same values (and hopefully similar benefits) as our in-person retreats.

So stay tuned for an announcement on that coming in the near future! 

In the meantime, hug your loved ones, take some deep breaths, be kind to yourself, and focus on what drives you. 

Sincerely,

Daniel Waldman, Founder & Producer

PS. We’re ditching the fascist platform Xitter for BlueSky. Join us there!