Editor's note: Annalise attended our Young Writers Program's elementary school summer camp this summer. Here's what she thought!
By Annalise French
As with any good book, the Lighthouse Young Writers Program's summer camp has interesting characters, surprises and action.
The Lighthouse building is a place where you can find your own space and climb into your head and find what you put on paper. You can get inspiration from the history and memorabilia that surround you, a portrait, a tapestry, or a character that you find from a picture on the wall, or a book sitting on a shelf. Inspiration also comes from the outdoors and the surrounding city.
Within, instructors lead the way. The instructors give us ideas and feedback. They get you to think about other types of writing and different sides of every story, so that you can hone your divergent talents. You can specialize in one type of writing, but Lighthouse allows you to get tastes of many various types. Lighthouse instructors know what it is like to be a good author from their own experience. They are helpful, as writing is their specialty.
My fellow writers are fun, diverse, and bring many different opinions. It’s rare to meet people who like to do the same types of things that you do. In our final presentations, we can take ownership for what we’ve created. People can know me for what I do, what I write, and who I really am. Lighthouse gives me self- expression and the ability to show my strength with words.
At Lighthouse I have freedom and can write from the heart. It isn’t strict, where you have to follow certain rules and everything has to be perfect. Lighthouse is all about writing and reading and creativity, where you are surrounded by history. It is a comforting, warm place for all those that enter and I highly recommend Lighthouse as an inspiration for imagination and thought, just as a good book would give you.
This post is part of our annual Lit Counts series, in which writers and readers express why supporting and elevating literary arts—the mission of Lighthouse Writers Workshop— is important to them. If you agree, consider supporting Lighthouse on Colorado Gives Day. Mark your calendar for December 6 or schedule your gift now. Thank you!
