If you’re involved in the Denver literary scene whatsoever, whether as a reader or writer, you’ve likely heard of Lighthouse before. This non-profit is run out of a two-story home just off of Colfax Avenue. It has the antique, homey feel of the area, and the ornate ceilings, light fixtures and furniture give the ambiance of being welcomed into a well-to-do writer’s home (though nobody actually lives here). Lighthouse hosts a number of free public events, readings, writer’s workshops, and offers membership perks such as writer’s hours, workshop discounts, and exclusive events. I can proclaim with confidence that for much of the Denver writing community, Lighthouse serves as a go-to resource for the unparalleled array of resources it provides—exposure, networking, craft knowledge, critique, discussion, and perhaps most importantly, connection with peers.

For the month of March, there are several events open to non-members well-worth checking out!

FRIDAY 500:
SUBMITTING TO LIT JOURNAL

DATE & TIME: Mar 9, 2018 4:30pm – 6:30pm
All Levels
INSTRUCTOR: Dan Manzanares
More info: https://lighthousewriters.org/workshops
*Online Registration required to attend*

WILLFULLY SUBMIT:
SEND YOUR WORK OUT NOW

DATE & TIME: Mar 10, 2018 10:30am – 12:00pm
All Levels
INSTRUCTOR: Laura Miller
More info: https://lighthousewriters.org/workshop/willfully-submit-send-your-work-out-now?session=671
*Online Registration required to attend*

FRIDAY 500:
90-MINUTE WRITE-A-THON

DATE & TIME: Mar 23, 2018 4:30pm – 6:00pm
All Levels
More info: https://lighthousewriters.org/workshop/friday-500-90-minute-write-thon?session=632
*Online registration required to attend*

THE LIGHTHOUSE READING SHOW

DATE & TIME: March 23, 2018 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Open to the Public
Readers include:
Franchesca Castillo, Young Writers Program
Diana Nguyen, Lighthouse Faculty
Kathy Conde, Community Outreach Program
Lynette Vialet, The Book Project
*Online registration required to attend*

Looking forward a few months to the summer, Lighthouse’s Lit Fest is an annual concentrated two week celebration of all things literary (June 1-15th). Here is where I ask you to mark your calendar, put a post it note on your bathroom mirror, set a random alarm reminder, do what you know works for you to ensure you won’t miss the opportunity to participate in Lit Fest, and be sure to bug your friends to do the same!

Sign ups, application deadlines, and ticket purchases are all time sensitive and quickly approaching. I will go into these event details here in my article:

The Lighthouse website advertises Lit Fest as, “two weeks of workshops, parties, seminars, salons, agent consultations, and more. We’ll have something for everyone—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, screenwriting—as well as courses for young writers, grades 3-12.”

There are also a number of Master Workshops available where those enrolled will have the opportunity to work closely with some of the following visiting writers and a list of publishing agents. Keep in mind, however, that participation to these classes is reserved for those who apply by March 15th, 2018 and receive their acceptance decision in May. Payment plans, tuition assistance, and four fellowship awards are available. I strongly encourage all writers raising a brow at this opportunity to consider the numerous advantages of working alongside field experts. To invest in your craft is to invest in yourself and your dreams.

More info is available here: https://www.lighthousewriters.org/lit-fest-master-workshops-2018

Visiting authors include (but are not limited to):

Drama Writing/Documentary:

Alexandre Philippe

( https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/alexandre-philippe)

Playwright:

Daniel Goldfarb

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/daniel-goldfarb)

Essayist/Poetry:

CAConrad

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/caconrad)

Poets:

Terrance Hayes

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/terrance-hayes)

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/user/26045)

Fiction/Nonfiction:

Steve Almond

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/steve-almond),

Fiction:

Lydia Millet

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/lydia-millet)

Min Jin Lee

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/min-jin-lee)

Jenny Offill

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/jenny-offill)

Memoir/Fiction:

Rachel Cusk

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/rachel-cusk)

Memoir/Journalist:

Emily Rapp Black (https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/emily-rapp-black )

Fiction/Essayists:

Leslie Jamison

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/leslie-jamison)

Charles D’Ambrosio

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/charles-dambrosio)

Robin Black

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/robin-black)

Maggie Shipstead

(https://www.lighthousewriters.org/users/maggie-shipstead)

More details about Lit Fest & its calendar of Events can be found here:

https://lighthousewriters.org/content/lit-fest

Hope to see you there!

Bianca Glinskas

Bianca Glinskas hails from sunny Southern California, where she studied English and Creative Writing at California State University of Long Beach.  Bianca's work has appeared in literary magazines including Knock Your Socks Off, Ordinary Madness, and Glass Mountain Magazine. Bianca's column arose as a natural attempt to answer the call of Denver's lively, pulsating literary scene. When she isn't reading or writing, Bianca enjoys doing yoga, playing viola, exploring the outdoors, drinking at breweries, and holing up in coffee shops for hours on end. For any inquiries regarding Bianca's coverage of Denver's literary scene, please do not hesitate to contact her directly at bglinskas@gmail.com.