Created by CreativeWritingEDU.org Contributor
There’s the old stereotype about writers enjoying the bottle, and maybe the lower levels of oxygen in Colorado’s higher elevation have a similar effect.
The home of Karouac’s beatnik School of Disembodied Poetics, and for a time Hunter S. Thompson, Colorado has established itself as a safe space for strong and eclectic personalities. It’s a perfect place for creative writers, many with a reputation for finding their own path and challenging existing societal norms.
Anne Waldman, author of dozens of books, pamphlets, and numerous poetry collaborations, co-founded a creative writing school in Boulder in just such a philosophical vein; a unique spirit she called “outrider” that has since contributed to the establishment of a new poetic style:
Colorado – The Counterculture Capital
Does Colorado really have anything on Haight Street? The answer is yes, starting with beatniks.
If hippies were a cultural response to the Vietnam War, beatniks came first as a 1950s cultural response to societal rigidity begotten by the Great Depression and World War Two.
With an etymology tracing back to Jack Kerouac and his phrase, “beat generation,” beatniks were all about individuality, freedom, and expression. This kind of atmosphere was a natural incubator for writers and poets, with notable names in addition to Kerouac including Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Joanne Kyger, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Ken Kesey, Gregory Corso and many more.
All those names except Kerouac himself, due to his untimely death, were celebrated poets and novelists, and fixture faculty at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics located in Boulder as part of Naropa University.
Founded by Ginsberg and beat-associated poet Anne Waldman, the acclaimed school is going strong to this day, offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in creative writing, taught by a star-studded staff.
The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics was founded in a cultural tradition that produced classic works like On the Road, “Howl,” Naked Lunch, and, “Bomb.”
The school exemplifies the tradition found in many creative writing programs of older experienced artists giving back to the next generation’s authors and poets.
It’s the perfect illustration of the guidance and inspiration you can get out of a creative writing degree program that matches your goals with its strengths.
Colorado’s Creative Writing Classes, Courses, and Workshops Can Prepare You for a Creative Writing Degree
As with any art form, practice makes perfect. Fortunately, Colorado offers many opportunities for you to gain experience in your craft.
The Colorado Writers’ Café specializes in community building among writers throughout the state. Its unique approach involves contacting various Colorado writing groups and arranging for Café members to sit in on a meeting. This ensures maximum networking, with members experiencing a smorgasbord of writing personalities.
Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers promotes member books, organizes an annual writing conference, sponsors contests and awards, is a hub for writing resources, and is an all-around fun organization to be a part of. As its name implies its main focus is on fiction with the goal of helping its members get published.
If you live in Douglas County then check out Castle Rock Writers. In addition to sponsoring an annual conference that features prominent speakers and awards, this group also puts on monthly workshops where authors give talks on all kinds of topics. The most recent workshop was on the theme of transitioning from blogging to writing a memoir.
There’s also the Colorado Authors League based in Denver and serving its members throughout the state. You need to be published before you can apply for membership with this organization. It’s dedicated to promoting its member writers through strategies like publicity events, advertising, and social media networking.
Speaking of being published, when you’re ready for this there’s no shortage of venues in Colorado.
The Colorado Review is an annual literary journal put out by Colorado State University, but you don’t need to be a student to have your work considered for publication. It accepts submissions for non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and book reviews.
WildBlue Press in Denver has a knack for identifying talent. It publishes in a range of categories including true crime, sci-fi/fantasy, memoir, and mystery.
If the material you write is moving, beautiful, surprising, and has a rich literary quality, then contact Unbridled Books in Lakewood. They’re behind several bestsellers and up-and-coming authors you might have heard of.
Writing Colleges in Colorado Offering Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing Provide a Path to Becoming a Writer
As you gain experience in local writing groups you’ll encounter lifers. Similar to those in purgatory as described by Dante, these are aspiring authors that can’t cross the Rubicon into the realm of the published. They are a living demonstration of why it’s important to avail yourself of every opportunity to hone your skills.
A degree in creative writing can do wonders for your inspiration, motivation, abilities, and professional network. Your professors have been there and done that. As people who care about the power of the written word, they also want to see this field thrive and pass on the flame to the next generation. You must decide if you’re ready to pick up the torch.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Other Bachelor’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Colorado
Adams State University
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Public School
- English-Creative Writing emphasis
Colorado College
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Private School
- English-Creative Writing track
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Public School
- English-Creative Writing concentration
Naropa University
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Private School
- Creative Writing and Literature
University of Colorado Boulder
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Public School
- English-Creative Writing concentration
University of Denver
COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Private School
- English and Literary Arts-Creative Writing concentration
Western Colorado University
COMMUNICATION ARTS, LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (CALL) DEPARTMENT
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Bachelor – BA
Public School
- English-Creative Writing emphasis
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Other Master’s Degrees in Creative Writing in Colorado
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MFA
Public School
- Creative Writing
Naropa University
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MFA
Private School
- Creative Writing and Poetics
Regis University
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MFA
Private School
- Creative Writing, optional specializations in (Dual-Genre, Creative Writing Pedagogy)
University of Colorado Boulder
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MFA
Public School
- Creative Writing
University of Denver
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MA
Private School
- Professional Creative Writing (Nonfiction Writing, Dramatic Writing, Fiction Writing, Poetry Writing)
Western Colorado University
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN CREATIVE WRITING
Accreditation: HLC
Degree: Master – MFA, MA
Public School
- Creative Writing (Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, Publishing, Screenwriting)