Welcome to Denver Writes

Summer Camps 2024

What is it like to attend a Denver Writes Summer Writing Camp?

These camps are for kids, like you, who like to write. You don’t have to be good at writing, you certainly don’t have to get good grades in writing, and we accept all kinds of handwriting, but you have to LIKE TO WRITE. Otherwise, things might be a drag.

This year our camps will be held at Second Star to the Right Books, 1455 S. Pearl Street, Denver, 80210 and The Bookies Bookstore, 2085 S Holly Street, Denver, 80222. We go on field trips to places around the neighborhood and throughout Denver to get inspired to express ourselves in positive ways with the best words we can find.

Also, we publish a summer camp anthology that you help author. We want you to see new things, think new thoughts, and then write new stories to share with the world.

Join us, if you dare. Space is limited!

Cost of each camp is $300 per student. Scholarships and partial scholarships are avaliable. Denver Public School Middle School students are eligible to use MySpark funds on Denver Writes Summer Camps and workshops. For information and eligibility for the MySpark Program click here: https://mysparkdenver.org/apply/


JUNE


June 10th – 14th

Write Your Destiny: A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story Expedition

10 am – 2 pm, with a reading last day of camp from 2 – 3 pm. Ages 7 – 12

Second Star to the Right Books, 1455 South Pearl Street, Denver, 80210

Join Denver Writes for a week of creating and plotting an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure (CYOA) story where the reader chooses their next move. Throughout the week, we will read examples of exemplary CYOA stories and study their craft moves to implement in our stories. We will then take each day to map out the potential moves a reader could choose, their benefits (or consequences), and connect it to the overall story. By the end of the week, writers should have a working CYOA story that can be developed further after the end of camp. 

Cost of this camp is $300. Scholarships and partial scholarships available email to inquire. MySpark Denver participants use Paypal to check out with your card as normal.

SIGN UP AT THE FORM TO THE RIGHT OR CLICK HERE!


JULY


July 8th – 12th

Sunkissed Stanzas: Summertime Poetry Exploration

10 am – 2 pm with a reading last day of camp from 2 – 3 pm, ages 12 and up

Second Star to the Right Books, 1455 S. Pearl Street Denver, 80210

Join Denver Writes for a week of writing poetry themed around summertime. We will read lovely summertime poetry, explore forms such as concrete, ode, free verse, and others, study craft moves, and then write (a lot!) to practice our hand at being poets. The goal will be to have one polished poem ready to read by the end of the week, but expect to come home with several poems “in motion” that you can work with during and after camp. 

Cost of this camp is $300. Scholarships and partial scholarships are available, email to inquire. MySpark Denver participants use Paypal to check out with your card as normal.

SIGN UP AT THE FORM TO THE RIGHT OR CLICK HERE!


July 15th – 19th

Fresh, Fun, Fantastic Fantasy & Sci-Fi

10 am – 2 pm with a reading last day of camp from 2 – 3 pm, ages 10 – 15

The Bookies Bookstore, 2085 S Holly St, Denver, CO 80222

What is it really like to chat with a robot or ride a dragon? How does a mermaid’s hair feel? Do gnomes’ shoes smell? In this workshop, J.E. Thomas, author of 2023’s Control Freaks and two novels-in-progress, will lead sessions on using all of your senses to bring your science fiction or fantasy novel to life. Each day will bring a mix of free-writing and exploration of a specific topic like work-building, character development or plot. There will also be plenty of time to share your work if you like. Hope to see you there!

Cost of this camp is $300. Scholarships and partial scholarships are available, email to inquire. MySpark Denver participants use Paypal to check out with your card as normal.

SIGN UP AT THE FORM TO THE RIGHT OR CLICK HERE!


2015 Camps

TALL TALES & FAIRY TALES

WIDE WORLD OF JOURNALISM

BOOKCAMP: WRITE. PUBLISH. PARTY (aka, write, publish and bind your very own book!)

2017 Camps

WRITE YOUR MEMOIR

ONE AND DONE: ONE ACT PLAYS

FANTASTIC FAIRY TALES AND HOW TO WRITE THEM

2018 Camps

NOVEL WRITING BOOT CAMP

WRITE YOUR NOVEL WITH AUTHOR MELISSA SAVAGE

2019 Camps

DIGGING DEEP: UNEARTHING THE HEART OF YOUR CHARACTER WITH AUTHOR INGRID PALMER

MARVOULOUS MYSTERIES

GROTESQUELY GOTHIC: HARROWING HORROR 101

HI-FI SCI-FI: SCIENCE FICTION WRITING

2020 Camps

NOVELING 101

STORY MAGIC!

SCI-FI AND STEAMPUNK

2022 Camps

FANTASTIC FANTASY

CRAFTING IRRESISTIBLE CHARACTERS

2023 Camps

WRITE YOUR NOVEL WITH JC PETERSON

STORYTELLING THROUGH ILLUSTRATION WITH LAUREN ZURCHER