Frequently Asked Questions

Gift certificates are available in pre-paid amounts of $75, $130, $240, and $375. You can purchase a gift certificate here. If you'd like a gift certificate in a different amount, just give us a call at (303) 297-1185. 

We are a community devoted to the literary arts in Denver. We accomplish our mission through workshops, literary events, and a youth program, all of which support writers (and readers!) at any stage in their journey. Writers need writers, and we offer opportunities to connect with our tribe.

Yes. Many of our award-winning faculty members will consult with writers individually. However, private consultation can be costly. We recommend taking a workshop or two first, as this allows you to get to know the instructor and discover whether his/her style is a good fit with your own. All of our instructors are working writers and university-level teachers of writing, so their time is well worth the money, but it is an investment. To inquire about one-on-one work, email us at info@lighthousewriters.org.

The 8-week workshops are places to go for the full experience of the community and give-and-take of a writing workshop. That means, depending on the class, you’ll be submitting your own writing to the instructor and group for constructive feedback. Many 8-week workshops involve workshopping up to 60 pages of prose or 10 pages of poetry, as well as reading published works. A few 8-week workshops are designated as generative, meaning sharing your own work is limited, as you’ll focus instead on in-class writing and take-home exercises. The Experimental/Hybrid Forms course is an example of a generative workshop.

Our 4-week workshops focus on craft elements of writing and very rarely include a critique component. In these classes, you’ll either be generating new material or focusing together on a precise element of craft that will help you with current or future drafts. 

We offer intermediate and advanced classes in short story, novel, personal essay, memoir, and poetry, as well as The Book Project and Poetry Collective. All of the workshops are designed to do one thing: keep you writing and pushing yourself as a writer. The advanced courses are generally full of members who have been with Lighthouse for a long time, who have been studying through MFA programs, or have worked on their writing for years. Because space is limited in these workshops, we do require a submission to the instructor in order to apply. If the advanced courses are full or you don't get in right away, we recommend enrolling in the intermediate classes and generating as much new writing as possible while awaiting a spot in the advanced course. The Book Project and Poetry Collective are competitive programs requiring an application due each summer. Due to space limitations, we are generally able to accept a little less than half the applications we receive.

Not to worry: the technology is both basic and secure. We use a web-based program called Wet Ink. Take a look at the student guide for more details. The freedom is the real advantage here: You can check in according to your own schedule, anywhere that you have an Internet connection, keeping you connected to our literary community on your own time.

Every class is different—not only is the chemistry always changing based on the participants in the workshop, but every instructor at Lighthouse is encouraged to teach with their own signature, the way they think works best. So, if you try one class and it didn’t work for you, we encourage you to try another. One thing that keeps Lighthouse thriving is the wide spectrum of styles and voices on our faculty. Also, keep in mind that intro-level courses may have quite a variety of participants, from experienced writers trying a new genre to someone who hasn’t written seriously since high school. We want everyone to find a place at Lighthouse. As you move up to intermediate and advanced levels, you’ll see more focus and emphasis on craft.

Sure do. Check out our events page for details on upcoming dates for our free, community series, as well as special programs, partnerships, and collaborations. Or, if you want something more sustained, or a more structured environment, you might like our Reading as a Writer classes, four-week workshops that focus on reading great literary works.

Often, new password request emails end up in your spam/junk folder, so be sure to check there! If you still don’t see it, give us a call, and we can reset your password over the phone. Our number is 303-297-1185. 

We recommend going to the workshops page and entering a word from the title in the “Filter Keyword” box on the top right. For example, if you’re looking for “Advanced Short Story,” type “Advanced” in the filter keyword box and hit search. This will get you to where you want to be in no time. 

At Lighthouse, our goal is to foster excitement about writing. Our workshops encourage creativity and give students tools to build the kinds of stories that they often don’t have the opportunity to explore in academic settings. We want students to leave the workshops feeling positive about their writing, no matter their level, and with concrete methods for getting their stories on paper. 

The weeklong and weekend advanced workshops are designed for people who have been writing for a long time, who have experience in the writing workshop, and who want a little extra push to get them to the next level. This is a chance to work with some of the great writers and teachers working today. Advanced workshops at Lit Fest require an application, which is due in March.

The visiting authors and your fellow students need at least a month to review the material for workshop. See the Lit Fest advanced workshops page for specific deadlines, but typically, your work will be due about a month prior to the workshop’s start date. 

Use this link to view local discounted options at nearby hotels.

Lit Fest is an eight-day celebration of the art and craft of writing, and we bring in the agents and editors as part of the program. We are committed to first allowing participants who are engaged in this intensive learning experience the opportunity to meet with an agent or editor. There are ample opportunities to meet with agents throughout the year in various ways. You are also always free to query agents (for just the cost of postage or clicking “send” via e-mail!) and try to acquire them the old-fashioned way. There’s no reason you have to pay to be involved in a festival or conference to meet your agent. Most people meet them through queries, and you can find details on querying agents all over the web. While many people have found their agents at Lit Fest, we think of it more in terms of the possibility of learning from an agent, who usually doesn’t have time to respond to individual queries and manuscripts.

Please see the Business Info Packet for details on when and how to submit your materials for your meeting. Generally, the deadline will be sometime in mid-May, but submit your materials and preferences early to better guarantee a meeting with your preferred choice.