I recently had the privilege of attending the Silk Road Slippers writing retreat in Marrakech, organised by Faiza Khan, Alexandre Pringle and Alex von Tunzelmann, and hosted at the extraordinary Jnane Tamsna Hotel in the Palmeraie. Our guest author was Max Porter, whose presence immediately dissolved any intimidation one might feel in the company of an acclaimed writer. His guiding principle was simple: break the rules. Writing, he reminded us, doesn’t need to behave like a student in a classroom. It can sing, whisper, stutter and improvise like music. I had expected him to give us a method. Instead, he gave us permission. Each day began with morning pages. A quiet ritual of sitting down with pen and paper by the swimming pool and the smell of woodburning, before the world fully wakes. One page, written without judgement, without editing, without expectation.
Those moments quickly became small treasures, clearing the mind and preparing it for the day’s creativity.
The setting itself was remarkable. Jnane Tamsna feels less like a hotel and more like a sanctuary, almost a kingdom within the kingdom of Morocco. Its vast gardens are filled with centuries-old palm trees, roses, olive trees and vegetable plots that feed the table. Meals were vibrant and unforgettable, prepared with produce grown only steps away.
The retreat was not only about the writing sessions. In fact, much of the magic happened around the table, where conversations moved easily between craft, memory, travel and imagination.
For some of us, the workshops opened doors to emotions we hadn’t expected to find. For all of us, they offered something invaluable: the freedom to write more openly and without fear.
And we left with the memory of a garden in Marrakech where, for a few days, words seemed to grow as naturally as the palm trees around us.
