About us
We're more than just a retreat; we believe in investing the time and energy to help writers realise their full potential.
Find out what makes us unique and why writers rave about their experiences with us.
Meet the duo behind Pen and Pause
Nicolette and Morgan are eclectic, quirky, knowledgeable, and fiercely passionate about writing. They are friendly and accepting, aiming to create an inclusive space for all writers, no matter their background or experience. At Pen and Pause, you're not just attending a writing retreat; you're joining a family. Our retreats centre around a strong sense of camaraderie, creative community, and unwavering support for your journey. We believe that the best writing happens when you feel comfortable, supported, and free to express yourself.
What drives us: Craft, Mentorship, and Community
What should you know about Pen and Pause?
We provide expert guidance to hone your skills, foster meaningful connections with fellow writers, and create an environment where your unique voice can flourish.
Make time for an unforgettable writing craft journey, you deserve it.
Our Background
Nicolette Bronkhorst
Nicolette Bronkhorst (she/her) is a Maitland fiction writer with a deep love for storytelling. A voracious reader since a very young age, she has been inspired to create stories that will hopefully one day offer other readers the same escape she dove into.
Nicolette has a history in adult education having been a program coordinator in the VET sector where she taught multiple creative courses. Currently, she is a facilitator for Young Maitland Writers' Group with Hunter Writers Centre, and she founded the Maitland Writers' group being a huge proponent for coffee, cake and chats every other Sunday.
Nicolette has independently published works under a nom-de-plume and is currently working on a YA adventure fantasy at the request of her children. She enjoys the challenge of different genres in her writing.
She occasionally dabbles in short form and has been longlisted in the 2024 Northern Beaches Readers Festival Short Story competition and has shared her poetry prose at Culture Club Poets' regular meetings.
She is an alumnus of the Hunter Writers' center Lighthouse Residency and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts through Macquarie University, majoring in Creative Writing and English and minoring in Ancient History.
Nicolette lives with her husband, two kids, two cats, and dogs who all think they're royalty. When not writing, you’ll probably find her wrangling her noisy, lovable crew.
Nicolette is passionate about inclusive, neuro-affirming practices and spaces; she believes story-telling is for everyone and learning requires an individualised approach.
She’s dedicated to supporting writers, helping them explore their creativity, and guiding them as they discover and refine their unique voices.
Morgan Bell (she/her) is a Port Stephens author of short fiction and visual poetry. Her books include Sniggerless Boundulations, Laissez Faire, and Intersection Control: Collected Works. She is a qualified technical writer, creative writing teacher, and editor of Sproutlings: A Compendium of Little Fictions. Morgan has delivered several short courses and workshops on behalf of various organisations; incl. Memoir and Life-writing, Short Story writing, and a Young Writers' program.
Morgan's first chapbook of visual poetry Idiomatic, For The People was released in 2019. In 2021, Flying Islands published her visual poetry collection Pretend I Don’t Exist.
Morgan is a regular speaker at Newcastle Writers Festival, with her upcoming haiku collection due to be launched at NWF 2026, and is a Varuna alumnus with an interest in crime writing.
Her story Midnight Daisy was awarded a Story Commendation by the She: True Stories project, with live readings on 1233 ABC Newcastle and at the NWF 2014. Her anti-travel story Don’t Pay The Ferryman was shortlisted for the Hunter Writers Centre Travel Writing Prize. Her stories The Shift and A Deer In The Shunting Yard have appeared in Novascapes Volume 1 and Novascapes Volume 2.
Morgan became the Municipal Liaison for the global Novel Writing Month program in Newcastle in 2021 and has hosted weekly writing community meetings with the group for over 200 consecutive weeks running pomodoro sprints and project workshops free of charge for anyone with internet access. Outside of her writing, she volunteers time on social media, promoting local literary events and opportunities, because she believes in the importance of creative expression in a community.
Morgan Bell
