That Story You’ve Been Carrying for Years? It’s Time.

Do you have a secret project?

I bet you do. It lives rent free on your laptop, in a folder that’s probably named something sensible like ‘Film Projects’. Inside is a file. Maybe it’s called Series_Pilot_v2.docx or Feature_Idea_Notes.pages. It holds the characters who talk to you in the car, the scenes you direct in your head; catching your cheating spouse in the act, the dramatic break up; the original plot nobody saw coming, the killer ending that you’re sure will make an audience gasp. 

It’s brilliant. It’s got heart. And it’s going absolutely nowhere!

Life is a relentless thief of creative time, isn't it? Your day job, your family, the laundry, the endless scrolling… they all demand their pound of flesh. By the time you finally have a quiet moment, your brain feels like a wrung-out sponge. So you promise yourself you’ll get to it "next weekend." But next weekend is just as busy. And so, your precious story waits.

Believe me, I get it. I’m also a card-carrying member of the “My Screenplay is Taking a Few Years” club. My own feature film script, loosely based on my own life, has been my constant, and occasionally infuriating, companion for a long time. It was brilliant, it was personal, and it was completely stuck in the mud. As much as it was very therapeutic to write down all the ups and (many) downs) that I have gone through, including a divorce and trying to figure out my next chapter in life, I knew I needed a kick in the butt to take my screenplay idea to the next level. 

Two years ago, I decided to do something about it. I took a leap of faith and flew to London to attend a course at the prestigious National Film and Television School. I walked in feeling a healthy dose of imposter syndrome, clutching my ideas and hoping for a miracle.

And that’s where I met Stéphanie Joalland.

She was the course instructor, a brilliant, no-nonsense screenwriter and director who had a way of cutting through the noise. In the week I spent working with her, something clicked. She didn't just teach theory; she provided a practical toolbox. The tangled plot knots in my own script started to loosen. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of clarity and, more importantly, a renewed fire to actually get it done.

Dancing in the rain in London - March 2023 - during my screenplay workshop at NFTS :)

It was a lightbulb moment. And then, a slightly crazy thought popped into my head. "What if more people could feel this? What if I could pair this kind of expert guidance with a place that forces you to unplug and dream?"

So, naturally, I did what any sane person would do: I decided to try and convince this brilliant woman to come to my home county, a tiny island above the Arctic Circle in the middle of January to teach screenwriting.

And she said yes! That’s how the Aurora - A Storytelling Retreat was born—from my own creative struggle and the desire to build the very thing I needed most.

Look, that story you’ve been carrying has waited long enough. It chose you for a reason. It’s time to stop treating it like a hobby and start giving it the respect it deserves. This is your official, empathetic nudge. Your story matters, and it is more than okay to prioritize it.

But how do you do that? How do you make space for your story when your life is already bursting at the seams?

You have to carve it out. You have to intentionally build a container for your creativity, a space free from the distractions and demands of your daily routine. You need to give your idea a chance to breathe and to be heard.

If you’re ready to give your story the attention it deserves, maybe the first step is to simply make space for it. To find the courage to bring your idea into the light and share it with people who get it.

My suggestion? Give it a kickstart. Immerse yourself for one focused, unforgettable week. Imagine being surrounded by the silent, snow-covered mountains of Senja, with the Northern Lights dancing overhead, dipping into an ice bath and warming up in a sauna in our spare time. A week that’s just for you and that big idea, supported by expert mentors and a handful of other creative people who are on the very same journey.

Ice bathing & sauna - best combo! 

Your next chapter is waiting to be written. Maybe it starts in the Arctic?

Aurora - A Storytelling Retreat in the Arctic 25th - 31st January 2026