Lighthouse Writers Workshop is a literary nonprofit center in Denver since 1997. Our mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education, support, and community for writers and readers in the Rocky Mountain Region and beyond. We strive to ensure that literature maintains its proper prominence in the culture, and that individuals achieve their fullest potential as artists and human beings.
The Lighthouse Summer Writing Intensive is led by published and award-winning writers, and each workshop is designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and excitement about writing. During camp week, young writers will work at length with a number of published instructors in a variety of genres and will leave camp with new knowledge about the craft of writing, at least one completed piece of work, and enthusiasm about pieces-to-come. Campers will be invited, but not required, to share a piece of writing in a public reading at the end of the week. Writers of all experience are welcome to apply; we look for campers who are excited to write and spend a week as part of a writing community.
This IN-PERSON camp is held at Lighthouse Writers Workshop at 3844 York Street, Denver, CO 80205. This is a NOT an overnight camp. Camp dates for 2025 are July 14-18 for middle school ages and July 21-25 for high school ages. Camp hours are 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
Our full day camps include a lunch hour for eating (please bring your lunch), free-writing, hanging out with new friends, and lawn-cartwheeling. The camp culminates each year in a public reading, where students have the opportunity to showcase their work.
Each camper will have the opportunity to submit their writing to the annual youth anthology, And We Created Worlds, to be published. Each student that submits to the anthology will receive a copy of the professionally published anthology in December of 2025.
ADMISSIONS POLICY
Lighthouse staff and faculty review each application, looking particularly at a student's expressed interest in writing and writing sample. Beginning in January 2025, we'll review and accept applications on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status within two weeks of submitting their application. If a camp fills, we'll create a waitlist. If any student declines or cancels their acceptance, we'll contact the next student on the waitlist. If a camp is full, we'll post that information on our website. Currently, space is available in all camps.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
We strive to fill our camp with students who show a passion for writing, a creative spark, a desire to explore new topics, and openness to discovering new things. Group dynamics are especially important in a camp as small as ours, so we expect that all applicants will be respectful of instructors and their peers, and motivated to write. We also welcome a diverse range of interests in our students—some are experienced writers with hundreds of pages under their belts, while others excel at sports, music, math, or science, but want to gain more experience in writing. We do not discriminate based on the need for financial aid.
PAYMENT POLICY
The cost of the camp is $575.00. This cost includes a copy of a professionally published book after the camp weeks are completed for campers who submit work to be published. Payment is required to secure a spot once you have received an acceptance. After you’ve received an acceptance letter, please register online, call with payment, or send us a check. For cancellations and refunds, see our cancellation policy.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Lighthouse believes that all young people should have an opportunity to explore the world through creative writing. Therefore, we offer a sliding scale to families who need financial aid. To request financial assistance, please fill out the appropriate sections of the application form. We'll contact you about financial aid at the time of your acceptance to our camp.
The Post-Grad Year is for graduates of the Book Project looking for additional writing structure, support, and inspiration. Join a cohort of five other writers and a new mentor for a streamlined, yearlong program aimed at polishing an existing manuscript or starting a new one.
Read more about the Post-Grad Year here.
Mentors so far:
- Tiffany Quay Tyson (novel, short stories)
- Natalie Hodges (memoir, fiction, NNF)
- Sarah Elizabeth Schantz (novel, short stories, NNF)
- Shana Kelly (publishing expert)
Additional mentors will be added based on the number of interested applicants.
Keep in mind these dates:
- The fall intensive is September 19–21 (keynote by George Saunders)
- The spring intensive is April 10–12
The Poetry Collective is a manuscript-focused curriculum for poets. It’s a flexible, affordable program aimed at helping you produce a finished, high-quality book of poems that reads as a cohesive collection, not just a bundle of singular works.
Please apply by 11:59 PM mountain time on June 21, 2025. Applicants will be contacted regarding spots by mid July.
For tuition information, curriculum, and information about mentors, see our website. You can find Poetry Collective mentor bios here:
We’re pleased with your interest in the Book Project. This is a two-year program for serious writers. With this in mind, please take your time with this application. Answer questions as fully and honestly as possible. We encourage you to apply early, but you have until 11:59 PM MDT on June 21, 2025. Applicants will be contacted regarding spots by mid July.
Just FYI:
- Orientation for new Book Projecteers: Saturday, August 23, 4:00 PM MDT
- The fall intensive is September 19–21 (keynote by George Saunders)
- The spring intensive is April 10–12
For program and tuition details, please see our website. Here's our latest brochure (pdf). And finally, a combination of our last two info sessions can be found here.
You can find mentor bios and information about the projects they're seeking here:
We’re pleased with your interest in the Portfolio Year. This is a yearlong (August–July) program for writers who know they work well with a mentor and small cohort. With this in mind, please take your time with this application. Answer questions as fully and honestly as possible. We encourage you to apply early, as we'll be grouping ideal cohorts as applications roll in. But you have until 11:59 PM MDT on July 1, 2025 to apply.
Applicants will be contacted regarding spots no later than mid-July.
If you're interested in this program but also in the Book Project, you should apply to the Book Project and you will be considered for this unless you opt out.
For program and tuition details, please see our website. We'll also be holding a Q&A session on all of our mentor-based programs on Friday, May 9, 6:00 to 7:00 PM mountain time. (This will be in-person and on Zoom.)