Once again, Lighthouse Writers Workshop put on another magical retreat. This time it was at the Hand Hotel in Fairplay, Colorado. Fairplay is located west of Konesha Pass and nestled in the Rocky Mountains.
Our instructors were Shari Caudron, William Haywood Henderson and Shana Kelly. Shari Caudron taught Analyzing Story Structure and Creating A Plan of Action. William Haywood Henderson taught Assessing the Fundamentals and Setting Yourself Apart. Shana Kelly taught the Do’s and Don’ts of the Submission Process. I found each of these classes pushed me to challenge my writing and showed me how to edit and critique my manuscript. I developed smart goals which means I have specific objectives and deadlines on critiquing and polishing my manuscript.
In the evening in front of a roaring fireplace at the Hand Hotel, we read the first 500 words of our manuscript and received feedback on our work. This type of workshop reveals whether we are communicating effectively to our readership.
I met a diverse group of novelists from romance writers to science fiction writers to literary writers. We formed a camaraderie and vowed to keep in touch to promote each others work.
If you have a chance, I strongly encourage you to participate in a retreat with Lighthouse. Their retreats are in July at Grand Lake, Colorado and in November in Fairplay, Colorado. You will find support and encourgement and honest critiques to propel you to a higher level of writing.
If you can not come to Colorado, look for a similar organization in your area that offers similar services. I have Lighthouse’s link on my website.