Rivendell Writers' Colony, a nationally renowned residency program for authors, will close at the end of March.

A statement on the organization's website from benefactor and board chair Mary Elizabeth Nelson says she plans to transform the property in Sewanee, Tennessee, into a center for spiritual healing and exploration.

Nelson says the move is painful because of the success of the writers' colony, but she's pursuing a lifelong dream.

The mission of the colony was to inspire imagination among writers by offering programs, workshops and residencies to published and aspiring writers.

Nelson says the nonprofit has helped hundreds of writers over the past five years.