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Mountain Words Festival 2024

Fri May 24th 2024, 9:00 am - Sun May 26th 2024, 11:00 pm MDT

Choose your tickets

 
Discount details
  1. Student/Educator/Senior Pass (educator, high school, undergrad, and graduate)
    Student/Educator/Senior Pass (educator, high school, undergrad, and graduate)

    ID Required

    ID Required

    $100.00 (+ Sales tax)
  2. Full Festival Pass
    Full Festival Pass
    $350.00 (+ Sales tax)
  3. Single-day Pass - Saturday, May 25
    Single-day Pass - Saturday, May 25
    $150.00 (+ Sales tax)
  4. Single-day Pass - Sunday, May 26
    Single-day Pass - Sunday, May 26
    $150.00 (+ Sales tax)
  5. May 24 | 1-3 pm - Workshop: A Play in Two Hours
    May 24 | 1-3 pm - Workshop: A Play in Two Hours

    Yes, you can write a complete, short play...in two hours! Acclaimed playwright, actor, and Western Colorado University Theater Director, Steven Cole Hughes guides you in the basics of playwriting, dialogue, history, and writing exercises.

    Yes, you can write a complete, short play...in two hours! Acclaimed playwright, actor, and Western Colorado University Theater Director, Steven Cole Hughes guides you in the basics of playwriting, dialogue, history, and writing exercises.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  6. May 24 | 3:30-5 pm - Workshop: The Poems for Which We Are Grateful
    May 24 | 3:30-5 pm - Workshop: The Poems for Which We Are Grateful

    With Aaron Abeyta Each poem, those personal gestures of honesty, compassion, healing, and joy, are our attempts to enter a temporal and sacred space – where the universal and the personal meet at the confluence of our lives shared with those of our readers. It was W.H. Auden who said that there were only a handful of poems for which he was truly grateful. What is the stuff – the magical, technique, the myths, the scars, the many homes of our hearts – that occupies the page in a poem that we can point to as being truly grateful for? This session will be our examination of the techniques, the leaps, and the consistent work of what makes a poem, not just a keeper but timeless and therefore human in a way that only a poem can be. What are the elements of a poem for which we are truly grateful – that work which creates its own mythology while simultaneously examining the daily work of living – bold, accessible and brave for having been written? Each of us is carrying that poem within us. We have contemplated it for years, decades, some of us since before we can remember. We will seek that poem. Our workshop will explore the multiple and complex emotions, those which seem disparate and difficult to tether to one another in a meaningful way, and we will write, write again, navigate the dangerous and safe places that poem will take us. Together, we will craft the poem we have always wanted to write, surrendering ourselves to the places, people and the voice the poem dictates, not us…the poem will guide us into its existence (that’s the hope).

    With Aaron Abeyta Each poem, those personal gestures of honesty, compassion, healing, and joy, are our attempts to enter a temporal and sacred space – where the universal and the personal meet at the confluence of our lives shared with those of our readers. It was W.H. Auden who said that there were only a handful of poems for which he was truly grateful. What is the stuff – the magical, technique, the myths, the scars, the many homes of our hearts – that occupies the page in a poem that we can point to as being truly grateful for? This session will be our examination of the techniques, the leaps, and the consistent work of what makes a poem, not just a keeper but timeless and therefore human in a way that only a poem can be. What are the elements of a poem for which we are truly grateful – that work which creates its own mythology while simultaneously examining the daily work of living – bold, accessible and brave for having been written? Each of us is carrying that poem within us. We have contemplated it for years, decades, some of us since before we can remember. We will seek that poem. Our workshop will explore the multiple and complex emotions, those which seem disparate and difficult to tether to one another in a meaningful way, and we will write, write again, navigate the dangerous and safe places that poem will take us. Together, we will craft the poem we have always wanted to write, surrendering ourselves to the places, people and the voice the poem dictates, not us…the poem will guide us into its existence (that’s the hope).

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)
  7. May 24 | 3:30-5 pm - Workshop: How to Turn Your Narrative Nonfiction Project into a Documentary Film
    May 24 | 3:30-5 pm - Workshop: How to Turn Your Narrative Nonfiction Project into a Documentary Film

    Join award-winning author and documentary filmmaker Julian Rubinstein for a master class on how to use your narrative skills to turn a compelling print-based story into a gripping visual story. You will learn what you need to get started in documentary film, the pitfalls that can sink your attempts to do so, and how to re-think your assumptions of what makes a story work. (Suggested reading and/or viewing: The Holly book and documentary).

    Join award-winning author and documentary filmmaker Julian Rubinstein for a master class on how to use your narrative skills to turn a compelling print-based story into a gripping visual story. You will learn what you need to get started in documentary film, the pitfalls that can sink your attempts to do so, and how to re-think your assumptions of what makes a story work. (Suggested reading and/or viewing: The Holly book and documentary).

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)
  8. May 24 | 6:30-8 pm - Discussion: A Walk in the Park
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Join us for a riveting discussion and multi-media presentation with explorer, journalist, and author Kevin Fedarko on his brand new work, A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon. The session will close with a discussion and audience Q&A with American Rivers Communications Director and Executive Producer, Sinjin Eberle.

    May 24 | 6:30-8 pm - Discussion: A Walk in the Park
    May 24 | 6:30-8 pm - Discussion: A Walk in the Park

    Join us for a riveting discussion and multi-media presentation with explorer, journalist, and author Kevin Fedarko on his brand new work, A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon. The session will close with a discussion and audience Q&A with American Rivers Communications Director and Executive Producer, Sinjin Eberle.

    Join us for a riveting discussion and multi-media presentation with explorer, journalist, and author Kevin Fedarko on his brand new work, A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon. The session will close with a discussion and audience Q&A with American Rivers Communications Director and Executive Producer, Sinjin Eberle.

    Flexible price
  9. May 25 | 9-10 am - Panel: Writing the River
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Join us for a discussion of Scott Graham's latest thriller, Death Valley Duel and Zak Podmore's Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River. Pairing Zak's investigative reporting on water in the West with Scott's ecology-focused fiction series, don’t miss this absorbing and educational discussion. Chaired by Torrey House Press Co-Executive Director, Will Neville-Rehbehn

    May 25 | 9-10 am - Panel: Writing the River
    May 25 | 9-10 am - Panel: Writing the River

    Join us for a discussion of Scott Graham's latest thriller, Death Valley Duel and Zak Podmore's Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River. Pairing Zak's investigative reporting on water in the West with Scott's ecology-focused fiction series, don’t miss this absorbing and educational discussion. Chaired by Torrey House Press Co-Executive Director, Will Neville-Rehbehn

    Join us for a discussion of Scott Graham's latest thriller, Death Valley Duel and Zak Podmore's Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River. Pairing Zak's investigative reporting on water in the West with Scott's ecology-focused fiction series, don’t miss this absorbing and educational discussion. Chaired by Torrey House Press Co-Executive Director, Will Neville-Rehbehn

    Flexible price
  10. May 25 | 9-10 am - Workshop: Using a Lens to Tell a Story
    May 25 | 9-10 am - Workshop: Using a Lens to Tell a Story

    Presented by Manuel Aragon. Applying filmmaking techniques to writing is a proven way to inject life into your prose. Participants will talk about how camera work and shot composition are used to create mood, scene, character details, and more, as well as how they can apply these cinematic tools to their writing process.

    Presented by Manuel Aragon. Applying filmmaking techniques to writing is a proven way to inject life into your prose. Participants will talk about how camera work and shot composition are used to create mood, scene, character details, and more, as well as how they can apply these cinematic tools to their writing process.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  11. May 25 | 9-10:30 am - Passing the Gourd with Art Goodtimes
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Inspired by the wisdom of late teacher Dolores LaChapelle, we form a peer-to-peer sharing circle. The person holding the gourd speaks and everyone else listens. We ask people to bring a poem or story or song to share (their own or someone else's).

    May 25 | 9-10:30 am - Passing the Gourd with Art Goodtimes
    May 25 | 9-10:30 am - Passing the Gourd with Art Goodtimes

    Inspired by the wisdom of late teacher Dolores LaChapelle, we form a peer-to-peer sharing circle. The person holding the gourd speaks and everyone else listens. We ask people to bring a poem or story or song to share (their own or someone else's).

    Inspired by the wisdom of late teacher Dolores LaChapelle, we form a peer-to-peer sharing circle. The person holding the gourd speaks and everyone else listens. We ask people to bring a poem or story or song to share (their own or someone else's).

    Flexible price
  12. May 25 | 9-10:30 am - Workshop: Wild Power with Words
    May 25 | 9-10:30 am - Workshop: Wild Power with Words

    Join award-winning author and documentary filmmaker Julian Rubinstein for a master class on how to use your narrative skills to turn a compelling print-based story into a gripping visual story. You will learn what you need to get started in documentary film, the pitfalls that can sink your attempts to do so, and how to re-think your assumptions of what makes a story work. (Suggested reading and/or viewing: The Holly book and documentary).

    Join award-winning author and documentary filmmaker Julian Rubinstein for a master class on how to use your narrative skills to turn a compelling print-based story into a gripping visual story. You will learn what you need to get started in documentary film, the pitfalls that can sink your attempts to do so, and how to re-think your assumptions of what makes a story work. (Suggested reading and/or viewing: The Holly book and documentary).

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)
  13. May 25 | 10-11 am - Discussion: Finding the Path
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Long-time friends Michelle Nijhuis and Paolo Bacigalupi discuss their artistic paths, from their early attempts and struggles to their eventual award-winning careers in fiction and narrative journalism.

    May 25 | 10-11 am - Discussion: Finding the Path
    May 25 | 10-11 am - Discussion: Finding the Path

    Long-time friends Michelle Nijhuis and Paolo Bacigalupi discuss their artistic paths, from their early attempts and struggles to their eventual award-winning careers in fiction and narrative journalism.

    Long-time friends Michelle Nijhuis and Paolo Bacigalupi discuss their artistic paths, from their early attempts and struggles to their eventual award-winning careers in fiction and narrative journalism.

    Flexible price
  14. May 25 | 10:30-11:30 am - Discussion: David Quammen in Conversation with Hampton Sides
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    David Quammen has written 18 books, the latest being The Heartbeat of the Wild which is drawn from his 20 years writing about wild creatures and wild places on assignments for National Geographic Magazine. In this talk with Hampton Sides, Quammen discusses his career and physical journeys, amid some of the most spectacular wild creatures and wild places on planet Earth.

    May 25 | 10:30-11:30 am - Discussion: David Quammen in Conversation with Hampton Sides
    May 25 | 10:30-11:30 am - Discussion: David Quammen in Conversation with Hampton Sides

    David Quammen has written 18 books, the latest being The Heartbeat of the Wild which is drawn from his 20 years writing about wild creatures and wild places on assignments for National Geographic Magazine. In this talk with Hampton Sides, Quammen discusses his career and physical journeys, amid some of the most spectacular wild creatures and wild places on planet Earth.

    David Quammen has written 18 books, the latest being The Heartbeat of the Wild which is drawn from his 20 years writing about wild creatures and wild places on assignments for National Geographic Magazine. In this talk with Hampton Sides, Quammen discusses his career and physical journeys, amid some of the most spectacular wild creatures and wild places on planet Earth.

    Flexible price
  15. May 25 | 11 am - 12 pm - Panel: The Vastness of Space
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    In the words of Douglas Adams, author of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is.” Among the billions of light-years across space, humans have only traveled a very small fraction. In this panel discussion, science writers Rebecca Boyle, Laura Krantz, and Sarah Scoles discuss their research into the vastness of space — astronomy, the cosmos, anomalous phenomena, and more.

    May 25 | 11 am - 12 pm - Panel: The Vastness of Space
    May 25 | 11 am - 12 pm - Panel: The Vastness of Space

    In the words of Douglas Adams, author of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is.” Among the billions of light-years across space, humans have only traveled a very small fraction. In this panel discussion, science writers Rebecca Boyle, Laura Krantz, and Sarah Scoles discuss their research into the vastness of space — astronomy, the cosmos, anomalous phenomena, and more.

    In the words of Douglas Adams, author of A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is.” Among the billions of light-years across space, humans have only traveled a very small fraction. In this panel discussion, science writers Rebecca Boyle, Laura Krantz, and Sarah Scoles discuss their research into the vastness of space — astronomy, the cosmos, anomalous phenomena, and more.

    Flexible price
  16. May 25 | 11 am - 12 pm - Workshop: Observation and the Daily Practice
    May 25 | 11 am - 12 pm - Workshop: Observation and the Daily Practice

    Silence and observation are essential to the creative process, particularly writing. This workshop with Chris La Tray will discuss the dedicated practice of keen attention and transferring it to the journal ... even if only one sentence a day.

    Silence and observation are essential to the creative process, particularly writing. This workshop with Chris La Tray will discuss the dedicated practice of keen attention and transferring it to the journal ... even if only one sentence a day.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  17. May 25 | 12-1 pm - Readings: Writers in Residence Read + Karen Chamberlain Award
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Okwudili Nebeolisa, Amanda Rizkalla, Charlie Sorrenson, Phil Coleman, Anna Fenerty

    May 25 | 12-1 pm - Readings: Writers in Residence Read + Karen Chamberlain Award
    May 25 | 12-1 pm - Readings: Writers in Residence Read + Karen Chamberlain Award

    Okwudili Nebeolisa, Amanda Rizkalla, Charlie Sorrenson, Phil Coleman, Anna Fenerty

    Okwudili Nebeolisa, Amanda Rizkalla, Charlie Sorrenson, Phil Coleman, Anna Fenerty

    Flexible price
  18. May 25 | 1-2:30 pm - Workshop: The Whole and Holy List
    May 25 | 1-2:30 pm - Workshop: The Whole and Holy List

    Hosted by Leath Tonino - The late great Montana writer William Kittredge once wrote: "Listings are attempts to make existence whole and holy in the naming." What does he mean? How do lists function in literature? Might they jump-start our own attempts at creative writing? In this workshop, we will look at various lists — drawn from poems, novels, essays, advertisements, religious texts, etc. -- and also put pencil to paper and play around with our own lists.

    Hosted by Leath Tonino - The late great Montana writer William Kittredge once wrote: "Listings are attempts to make existence whole and holy in the naming." What does he mean? How do lists function in literature? Might they jump-start our own attempts at creative writing? In this workshop, we will look at various lists — drawn from poems, novels, essays, advertisements, religious texts, etc. -- and also put pencil to paper and play around with our own lists.

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)
  19. May 25 | 1:30-2:30 pm - Discussion: Hampton Sides in Conversation with Kevin Fedarko
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Join us for a conversation with Hampton Sides, best known for his gripping non-fiction adventure stories set in war or depicting epic expeditions of discovery and exploration. Hampton Sides is an acclaimed journalist and the author of best-selling histories, including, most recently, including, most recently, The Wide Wide Sea. With Kevin Fedarko.

    May 25 | 1:30-2:30 pm - Discussion: Hampton Sides in Conversation with Kevin Fedarko
    May 25 | 1:30-2:30 pm - Discussion: Hampton Sides in Conversation with Kevin Fedarko

    Join us for a conversation with Hampton Sides, best known for his gripping non-fiction adventure stories set in war or depicting epic expeditions of discovery and exploration. Hampton Sides is an acclaimed journalist and the author of best-selling histories, including, most recently, including, most recently, The Wide Wide Sea. With Kevin Fedarko.

    Join us for a conversation with Hampton Sides, best known for his gripping non-fiction adventure stories set in war or depicting epic expeditions of discovery and exploration. Hampton Sides is an acclaimed journalist and the author of best-selling histories, including, most recently, including, most recently, The Wide Wide Sea. With Kevin Fedarko.

    Flexible price
  20. May 25 | 1:30-2:30 pm - Workshop: Stories from the Road: Research for Historical Fiction
    May 25 | 1:30-2:30 pm - Workshop: Stories from the Road: Research for Historical Fiction

    Learn the process of beginning a research project and learning how to take the steps that follow with Buzzy Jackson. From note-taking to productive reading, to visiting archives and doing interviews. We’ll also discuss the subject of historical fiction more broadly, looking at the many different approaches to the genre, and the highs, lows, and ethical considerations involved in turning true stories into art.

    Learn the process of beginning a research project and learning how to take the steps that follow with Buzzy Jackson. From note-taking to productive reading, to visiting archives and doing interviews. We’ll also discuss the subject of historical fiction more broadly, looking at the many different approaches to the genre, and the highs, lows, and ethical considerations involved in turning true stories into art.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  21. May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: The Future of Ski Towns
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    The ski-bum dream is changing. The elements that make ski towns and mountain communities unique and alluring are the same ingredients that are accelerating disproportionate growth and economic inequities. Join Professor of Sociology at Yale University and author of Billionaire Wilderness, Justin Farrell, in conversation with investigative reporter for High Country News and Harpers, Nick Bowlin, as they discuss the current realities ski towns face, and where they’re headed.

    May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: The Future of Ski Towns
    May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: The Future of Ski Towns

    The ski-bum dream is changing. The elements that make ski towns and mountain communities unique and alluring are the same ingredients that are accelerating disproportionate growth and economic inequities. Join Professor of Sociology at Yale University and author of Billionaire Wilderness, Justin Farrell, in conversation with investigative reporter for High Country News and Harpers, Nick Bowlin, as they discuss the current realities ski towns face, and where they’re headed.

    The ski-bum dream is changing. The elements that make ski towns and mountain communities unique and alluring are the same ingredients that are accelerating disproportionate growth and economic inequities. Join Professor of Sociology at Yale University and author of Billionaire Wilderness, Justin Farrell, in conversation with investigative reporter for High Country News and Harpers, Nick Bowlin, as they discuss the current realities ski towns face, and where they’re headed.

    Flexible price
  22. May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: Behind the Cinderella Story: What Success Looks Like from the Inside
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    From strivey hustle to making it and maintaining success, award-winning writers discuss their paths and the many twists and turns their authorial arc has taken. With Shelley Read, Claire Boyles, Anne Hillerman, Olivia Chadha and Manuel Aragon.

    May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: Behind the Cinderella Story: What Success Looks Like from the Inside
    May 25 | 3-4 pm - Panel: Behind the Cinderella Story: What Success Looks Like from the Inside

    From strivey hustle to making it and maintaining success, award-winning writers discuss their paths and the many twists and turns their authorial arc has taken. With Shelley Read, Claire Boyles, Anne Hillerman, Olivia Chadha and Manuel Aragon.

    From strivey hustle to making it and maintaining success, award-winning writers discuss their paths and the many twists and turns their authorial arc has taken. With Shelley Read, Claire Boyles, Anne Hillerman, Olivia Chadha and Manuel Aragon.

    Flexible price
  23. May 25 | 3-4 pm - Workshop: The Memoir Toolkit
    May 25 | 3-4 pm - Workshop: The Memoir Toolkit

    This nuts and bolts seminar with Karen Auvinen provides essential tools for new and experienced memoir writers that take your personal story and make it something shareable and universal.

    This nuts and bolts seminar with Karen Auvinen provides essential tools for new and experienced memoir writers that take your personal story and make it something shareable and universal.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  24. May 25 | 3:30-4:30 pm - Discussion: When Marvel Studios Ruled Hollywood
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most successful interconnected film series to ever exist, but at the turn of the century, they were crawling their way back from bankruptcy. Dave Gonzales, co-author of MCU The Reign of Marvel Studios, outlines how Marvel Studios cracked the formula for turning seemingly lackluster intellectual property into profitable blockbuster movies, and speculates on whether Marvel can ever recapture the cultural influence they had from 2012 - 2019.

    May 25 | 3:30-4:30 pm - Discussion: When Marvel Studios Ruled Hollywood
    May 25 | 3:30-4:30 pm - Discussion: When Marvel Studios Ruled Hollywood

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most successful interconnected film series to ever exist, but at the turn of the century, they were crawling their way back from bankruptcy. Dave Gonzales, co-author of MCU The Reign of Marvel Studios, outlines how Marvel Studios cracked the formula for turning seemingly lackluster intellectual property into profitable blockbuster movies, and speculates on whether Marvel can ever recapture the cultural influence they had from 2012 - 2019.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is the most successful interconnected film series to ever exist, but at the turn of the century, they were crawling their way back from bankruptcy. Dave Gonzales, co-author of MCU The Reign of Marvel Studios, outlines how Marvel Studios cracked the formula for turning seemingly lackluster intellectual property into profitable blockbuster movies, and speculates on whether Marvel can ever recapture the cultural influence they had from 2012 - 2019.

    Flexible price
  25. May 25 | 4:30-6 pm - Discussion: Timothy Egan in Conversation
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan is the author of ten books, including his most recent, A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won a National Book Award for nonfiction.

    May 25 | 4:30-6 pm - Discussion: Timothy Egan in Conversation
    May 25 | 4:30-6 pm - Discussion: Timothy Egan in Conversation

    Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan is the author of ten books, including his most recent, A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won a National Book Award for nonfiction.

    Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan is the author of ten books, including his most recent, A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. His book on the Dust Bowl, The Worst Hard Time, won a National Book Award for nonfiction.

    Flexible price
  26. May 25 | 7-7:30 pm - Meet + Greet with Timothy Egan
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    A private meet and greet with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan. Admission is by donation, and all donations support the Mountain Words Festival.

    May 25 | 7-7:30 pm - Meet + Greet with Timothy Egan
    May 25 | 7-7:30 pm - Meet + Greet with Timothy Egan

    A private meet and greet with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan. Admission is by donation, and all donations support the Mountain Words Festival.

    A private meet and greet with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Timothy Egan. Admission is by donation, and all donations support the Mountain Words Festival.

    Flexible price
  27. May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Public Lands and Future Threats
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    A look at the future of public lands with a panel of thought leaders on the topic, including Betsy Gains Quammen, Kevin Fedarko, Justin Farrell, and Scott Graham. Chaired by High Country Citizen’s Alliance’s Public Lands Advocacy Dir. Jon Hare.

    May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Public Lands and Future Threats
    May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Public Lands and Future Threats

    A look at the future of public lands with a panel of thought leaders on the topic, including Betsy Gains Quammen, Kevin Fedarko, Justin Farrell, and Scott Graham. Chaired by High Country Citizen’s Alliance’s Public Lands Advocacy Dir. Jon Hare.

    A look at the future of public lands with a panel of thought leaders on the topic, including Betsy Gains Quammen, Kevin Fedarko, Justin Farrell, and Scott Graham. Chaired by High Country Citizen’s Alliance’s Public Lands Advocacy Dir. Jon Hare.

    Flexible price
  28. May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Strange New World(building) in Science Fiction and Fantasy
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Worldbuilding is crucial to science fiction and fantasy writing, setting these genres apart from others. By constructing a well-developed and believable world, writers create a rich and engaging setting that enable readers to fully immerse themselves in the story, characters, and plot. Join science fiction and fantasy writer and winner of the Hugo, and Nebula awards, Paolo Bacigalupi, in conversation with Colorado Book Award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and comic book writer, Olivia Chadha as they discuss the wonders of worldbuilding in science fiction and fantasy.

    May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Strange New World(building) in Science Fiction and Fantasy
    May 26 | 9-10 am - Panel: Strange New World(building) in Science Fiction and Fantasy

    Worldbuilding is crucial to science fiction and fantasy writing, setting these genres apart from others. By constructing a well-developed and believable world, writers create a rich and engaging setting that enable readers to fully immerse themselves in the story, characters, and plot. Join science fiction and fantasy writer and winner of the Hugo, and Nebula awards, Paolo Bacigalupi, in conversation with Colorado Book Award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and comic book writer, Olivia Chadha as they discuss the wonders of worldbuilding in science fiction and fantasy.

    Worldbuilding is crucial to science fiction and fantasy writing, setting these genres apart from others. By constructing a well-developed and believable world, writers create a rich and engaging setting that enable readers to fully immerse themselves in the story, characters, and plot. Join science fiction and fantasy writer and winner of the Hugo, and Nebula awards, Paolo Bacigalupi, in conversation with Colorado Book Award-winning science fiction, fantasy, and comic book writer, Olivia Chadha as they discuss the wonders of worldbuilding in science fiction and fantasy.

    Flexible price
  29. May 26 | 9-10 am - Workshop: Communicating Science in Today's World
    May 26 | 9-10 am - Workshop: Communicating Science in Today's World

    Think about your favorite novels, or even bedtime stories. What’s the first line? Odds are it is a scene, maybe a bit of dialogue, and not a statement of facts. As writers, we should keep this in mind, especially as we try to explain complicated and sometimes controversial subjects like science. In an age of misinformation, disinformation, mistrust in authority, and distrust in expertise, writers have a responsibility to tell true stories and to tell them compellingly. We want people to understand what we’re trying to tell them, but we also want them to engage with our material, whether it’s an essay about wildlife corridors, a news article about new COVID-19 research, or a nonfiction book. This workshop with Rebecca Boyle will introduce attendees with strategies for effective nonfiction storytelling. We’ll learn about story mapping techniques, borrow some tricks about pacing and structure from fiction, and learn how narrative writing can bring readers along with us.

    Think about your favorite novels, or even bedtime stories. What’s the first line? Odds are it is a scene, maybe a bit of dialogue, and not a statement of facts. As writers, we should keep this in mind, especially as we try to explain complicated and sometimes controversial subjects like science. In an age of misinformation, disinformation, mistrust in authority, and distrust in expertise, writers have a responsibility to tell true stories and to tell them compellingly. We want people to understand what we’re trying to tell them, but we also want them to engage with our material, whether it’s an essay about wildlife corridors, a news article about new COVID-19 research, or a nonfiction book. This workshop with Rebecca Boyle will introduce attendees with strategies for effective nonfiction storytelling. We’ll learn about story mapping techniques, borrow some tricks about pacing and structure from fiction, and learn how narrative writing can bring readers along with us.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  30. May 26 | 10-11 am - Panel: Apocalypse Now? Writing About Climate Change Today
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Join writers Michelle Nijuis, Claire Boyles, Paige Blankenbuehler, and others as they discuss writing about climate change within their genres. In partnership with High Country News.

    May 26 | 10-11 am - Panel: Apocalypse Now? Writing About Climate Change Today
    May 26 | 10-11 am - Panel: Apocalypse Now? Writing About Climate Change Today

    Join writers Michelle Nijuis, Claire Boyles, Paige Blankenbuehler, and others as they discuss writing about climate change within their genres. In partnership with High Country News.

    Join writers Michelle Nijuis, Claire Boyles, Paige Blankenbuehler, and others as they discuss writing about climate change within their genres. In partnership with High Country News.

    Flexible price
  31. May 26 | 10-11 am - Workshop: Place, Perception, and Process
    May 26 | 10-11 am - Workshop: Place, Perception, and Process

    Learn the many ways that intimate knowledge of place can meaningfully enhance your narrative and, yes, your life. In this interactive discussion, novelist Shelley Read will share her thoughts on the joys of authentic, intentional place-based writing, how to achieve it, and what she has discovered about why readers so broadly and genuinely crave it.

    Learn the many ways that intimate knowledge of place can meaningfully enhance your narrative and, yes, your life. In this interactive discussion, novelist Shelley Read will share her thoughts on the joys of authentic, intentional place-based writing, how to achieve it, and what she has discovered about why readers so broadly and genuinely crave it.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  32. May 26 | 10:30-11:30 am - Workshop: Sit. Feast on Your Life: Writing Ourselves Love Poems
    May 26 | 10:30-11:30 am - Workshop: Sit. Feast on Your Life: Writing Ourselves Love Poems

    In the spirit of Derek Walcott’s “love after love”: In this generative workshop, we will read poems that encourage a new or renewed sense of devotion to self love and care. We will discuss and consider our rituals of care, our self-language, and our most immediate intimate relationship. Participants will write from prompts and then, depending on time, share some of their writing. Appropriate for all levels of experience. With Suzi Q. Smith.

    In the spirit of Derek Walcott’s “love after love”: In this generative workshop, we will read poems that encourage a new or renewed sense of devotion to self love and care. We will discuss and consider our rituals of care, our self-language, and our most immediate intimate relationship. Participants will write from prompts and then, depending on time, share some of their writing. Appropriate for all levels of experience. With Suzi Q. Smith.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  33. May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Live Recording: Turn the Page
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner invites you to a live discussion and Q&A with the author Sarah Scoles on her new book Countdown; The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons.

    May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Live Recording: Turn the Page
    May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Live Recording: Turn the Page

    Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner invites you to a live discussion and Q&A with the author Sarah Scoles on her new book Countdown; The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons.

    Colorado Matters host Ryan Warner invites you to a live discussion and Q&A with the author Sarah Scoles on her new book Countdown; The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons.

    Flexible price
  34. May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Discussion: Quammens in Conversation
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Betsy Gaines Quammen and David Quammen reflect on man, nature, and the modern world.

    May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Discussion: Quammens in Conversation
    May 26 | 11:30 am-12:30 pm - Discussion: Quammens in Conversation

    Betsy Gaines Quammen and David Quammen reflect on man, nature, and the modern world.

    Betsy Gaines Quammen and David Quammen reflect on man, nature, and the modern world.

    Flexible price
  35. May 26 | 12:30-1:30 pm - Readings: Bard's Lunchtime Readings
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Grab lunch and unwind while being read to by festival poets including Suzi Q. Smith. Additional readers to be announced soon.

    May 26 | 12:30-1:30 pm - Readings: Bard's Lunchtime Readings
    May 26 | 12:30-1:30 pm - Readings: Bard's Lunchtime Readings

    Grab lunch and unwind while being read to by festival poets including Suzi Q. Smith. Additional readers to be announced soon.

    Grab lunch and unwind while being read to by festival poets including Suzi Q. Smith. Additional readers to be announced soon.

    Flexible price
  36. May 26 | 1-2 pm - Workshop: "Worldbuilding in a Hurry" with Olivia Chada
    May 26 | 1-2 pm - Workshop: "Worldbuilding in a Hurry" with Olivia Chada

    The worldbuilding master J.R.R. Tolkien took nearly 17 years to create the world of the Lord of the Rings and write the novel. Most writers, thankfully, spend a lot less time on pre-writing. But worldbuilding can be endless unless you manage your process. How do you create a world that avoids common info-dumps and over explanation? How do you avoid cliché and stereotypes regarding identity and culture of the world? Borrowing from N.K. Jemisin’s “Growing Your Iceberg” and "Writing the Other" by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward, this session will explore techniques that will allow you to make your world and write your book. We’ll talk about pitfalls of unconscious bias and how to flesh out the world with awareness. We will identify worldbuilding methods that will feel intuitive and effective without taking forever. This course would be craft talk with reading assignments, writing exercises, and hands on work on your current manuscript. Suitable for ages 12+ to adults.

    The worldbuilding master J.R.R. Tolkien took nearly 17 years to create the world of the Lord of the Rings and write the novel. Most writers, thankfully, spend a lot less time on pre-writing. But worldbuilding can be endless unless you manage your process. How do you create a world that avoids common info-dumps and over explanation? How do you avoid cliché and stereotypes regarding identity and culture of the world? Borrowing from N.K. Jemisin’s “Growing Your Iceberg” and "Writing the Other" by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward, this session will explore techniques that will allow you to make your world and write your book. We’ll talk about pitfalls of unconscious bias and how to flesh out the world with awareness. We will identify worldbuilding methods that will feel intuitive and effective without taking forever. This course would be craft talk with reading assignments, writing exercises, and hands on work on your current manuscript. Suitable for ages 12+ to adults.

    $40.00 (+ Sales tax)
  37. May 26 | 1-2:30 pm - Workshop: Mountain Metaphors
    May 26 | 1-2:30 pm - Workshop: Mountain Metaphors

    What do the mountains mean to you? In this outdoor workshop with science journalist and author Michelle Nijhuis and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory director Ian Billick, we’ll share new and old writings about the high country by scientists, poets, and other mountain dwellers, reflecting on the evolution of human perceptions over time. With an epic view of the Elk Mountains as inspiration, you’ll have the chance to contemplate your own attitude(s) toward the mountains and, if you wish, contribute to a collective poem.

    What do the mountains mean to you? In this outdoor workshop with science journalist and author Michelle Nijhuis and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory director Ian Billick, we’ll share new and old writings about the high country by scientists, poets, and other mountain dwellers, reflecting on the evolution of human perceptions over time. With an epic view of the Elk Mountains as inspiration, you’ll have the chance to contemplate your own attitude(s) toward the mountains and, if you wish, contribute to a collective poem.

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)
  38. May 26 | 2-3 pm - Discussion: Playing with (Wild)Fire
    Flexible price
    $
     

    Details

    Playing with (Wild)Fire discussion with Laura Pritchett celebrating the power of wildfire, community, and experimental form. Gunnison County Libraries Community Read Book and in collaboration with Western Colorado University.

    May 26 | 2-3 pm - Discussion: Playing with (Wild)Fire
    May 26 | 2-3 pm - Discussion: Playing with (Wild)Fire

    Playing with (Wild)Fire discussion with Laura Pritchett celebrating the power of wildfire, community, and experimental form. Gunnison County Libraries Community Read Book and in collaboration with Western Colorado University.

    Playing with (Wild)Fire discussion with Laura Pritchett celebrating the power of wildfire, community, and experimental form. Gunnison County Libraries Community Read Book and in collaboration with Western Colorado University.

    Flexible price
  39. May 26 | 2-3:30 pm - Workshop: The Magic of Collaborative Writing
    May 26 | 2-3:30 pm - Workshop: The Magic of Collaborative Writing

    Steven Dunn and Manuel Aragon guide participants through a series of individual and group prompts that uncover new possibilities, stories, and storytelling strategies. Join them for a fun workshop that will give you new ideas, new connections, and re-invigorate your existing work.

    Steven Dunn and Manuel Aragon guide participants through a series of individual and group prompts that uncover new possibilities, stories, and storytelling strategies. Join them for a fun workshop that will give you new ideas, new connections, and re-invigorate your existing work.

    $50.00 (+ Sales tax)

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Support more literary arts programming throughout the year at the Center for the Arts!

Literary Arts

Support more literary arts programming throughout the year at the Center for the Arts!

Support more literary arts programming throughout the year at the Center for the Arts!

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Mountain Words Festival 2024
Fri May 24th 2024, 9:00 am - Sun May 26th 2024, 11:00 pm MDT

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