Why creative writing?

Why creative writing? PLEASE WATCH OUR VIDEO ABOVE!

When schools shuttered in March and Colorado entered the stay-at-home period, Lighthouse's workshops came to an abrupt halt. But within weeks, Lighthouse and our community partners worked together to create ways to keep youth, including at-risk students, homeless and traumatized teens, and children coping with serious illnesses connected through creative writing. As the weeks went on, we've been thrilled to welcome youth from across the country, and even the world, into our workshops through our virtual Zoom workshops this spring, summer, and fall.

More kids writing means more workshops, so your donation today will help ensure that kids and teens across Colorado can experience the power of creative writing.

Why is creative writing so powerful? We asked our instructors and youth writers that question. WATCH OUR VIDEO ABOVE FOR THEIR ANSWERS! And throughout our campaign, we'll feature their replies in full. Here's what young writer Anora Otto shared:

For me, creative writing is a way to express myself in a beautiful way. It's a way I can bring my imagination to life and also express my feelings, usually when I'm feeling down. It helps me hope and bring out the best and, at times, worst in myself. It helps me to express what I can't explain and oftentimes, if you ask me what my poems are about or what a certain line means, I won't be able to explain it to you. We all view the world in a different light, from the wars we fight with ourselves to those moments we never want to let go of. When people read my poems, I hope they can find their own meaning in them and understand them in a way that tells their story, not mine! Although I do focus a lot on poetry, I love writing longer stories as well. I know what it feels like when you pick up a really good book and never want to put it down because it's just that good. My goal is to someday write something that fantastic!

Let us all find our sunrises and embrace yet let go of our sunsets.

From young writer Harper Sheldon:

I can't describe creative writing in just one word. Because how do you describe something that is your light, that flickers inside of you, that keeps you from entering the darkness? For many years of my life my bulb had no light. I tried to find my life preserver in the vast ocean of possibilities, but every time I drowned. Each time I tried again and again. But then one day I just started typing and slowly my light started to flicker.

From instructor Assetou Xango:

It transcends the lands we are used to
comes back from the unknown
to tell the tale

From instructor Franklin Cruz:

Why creative writing? It's the vehicle I never knew could fit everyone.

From instructor Andrea Bobotis:

Why creative writing? To connect in these disconnected times.

From instructor Connie Boyle:

Writing creatively allows you to immerse yourself in new places you create, as you uncover and express your feelings. You'll discover unexpected insights. You can luxuriously lose track of time for a little while. Writing creatively connects you with the world and people you live in and with, and beyond.

From instructor Alison Preston:

I'm shy, it takes me awhile to get words together. The page is patient.

I act calm, but I'm usually mad inside. The page is like, "Punch me. Harder."

I write dark stories that most people don't want to read. The page is a lady. She smokes & says, "I love dark stuff, sweetie."

From instructor Candace Kearns Read:

What I've learned from rafting down rivers is that sometimes you have to paddle as hard as you can to ride the rapids, while at other times you need to lay your paddle across your knees and rest. At these times, paddling would actually be dangerous. As it is on rivers, so it is in life. This is why creative writing. I believe that when we are able to create metaphors, and create sentences that convey big thoughts in just a few words, we can change the world, one word at a time.

From instructor Kellye Crocker:

Why creative writing? It allows you to walk in someone else's shoes.

From instructor Gail Waldstein:

Why creative writing? Because it's fun, exploratory, and encourages critical thinking! It allows you freedom to blurt and spew. It lets you get rid of all kinds of emotions and then hold a little ceremony and set them on fire! It's a safe, private place in the world be yourself. And be with yourself. And to argue both sides (or the many sides) of yourself.

From Kateri Kramer:

I was never particularly drawn to writing as a child. I was never a journaler or a story writer. It wasn't until my father died my senior year of college that a magnetic pull to the page began. I needed a way to process what I was feeling and what I was experiencing; creative writing did that for me. Since then it's turned into so much more for me...