Resources
Craft Book Recs.
As an avid reader of books on craft, creativity, and living life as an artist I have curated collections of books that I have found useful in my own journey and that I recommend often.
You can check out these books at my affiliate store with Bookshop.org with descriptions as to what I recommend them for.
Lighthouse has a wide variety of hybrid classes, and workshops regularly in their schedule ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. Classes are reasonably priced.
If you thrive in the more traditional semester model but don’t want the high tuition costs or degree I recommend looking here for longer term classes.
If you are looking to dig deeper into who you are as a writer, hone your voice, find your conviction and your community then this one is for you. Keep an eye out the workshop is 4 weeks long and only opens twice a year.
2024 Conference Recs.
Held in Denver every June Lit Fest is an 8 day celebration of writers and readers with writers intensives, workshops, seminars, salons, panels, parties, and agents to pitch. It is lead but the amazing Lighthouse Writers community and holds an energy unlike anything else. This conference is heavily focused on craft and traditional publishing routes but celebrates that there are many different ways to get there.
I am looking forward to attending this summer.
Currently in person only.
Note: You must apply and submit work to be considered for any of the master classes.
Craft development and building a community of writers in your life are both instrumental for surviving this wild life of writing. I make it a priority in my year to not only attend conferences but teach at them and the ones below are the few I attend regularly and trust.
Each of them is a gem in it’s own right and I encourage you to attend one or find one in a city near you. Being in a space with other writers outside your world where you can learn and absorb the energy in the rooms is one of the most powerful and rejuvenating experiences you can find.
These are the people who get it! As I expand my attendance wider I will continue to add to this list.
Writing Heights is held in Fort Collins every July and is heavily focused on the indy publishing scene, writing as a hobby, and craft for beginners.
If you are looking for a place to start or striving to publish indy this is a wonderful community to join overall and this conference is a great place to start. It was where I started when I first decided to prioritize my writing and I have enjoyed attending many times.
This conference is Hybrid!
Note: There are no agent pitches or panels as there is no traditional publishing component
Held in Denver every September and run entirely by volunteers this conference has its own unique flavor. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is one of the largest and most welcoming organizations I have ever been a part of. The conference is the culmination of that every year with many attendees (myself included) seeing it as a highlight of their fall. There are craft, business, marketing, and master classes. You can pitch agents, get group critiques, have someone blue line your work and so much more.
If you have a book written or close to finished and are looking to move into the next phase with it I highly recommend this conference as a place to find CP’s, Critique Groups, and learn about the possible next steps both in indy and traditional paths.
Currently in person only.
Note: I routinely teach community building and social media strategy at this conference.
Virtual Options
As an avid fan of professional development I am constantly looking for new places to learn, expand, and strengthen my writing skills. Here are some places I recommend checking out if you are looking for paid classes and workshops to hone your skills, build your writer community, or really hone in on who you are ass a writer.