Western Colorado Writer’s Forum is a non-profit organization designed to establish a local writing community. The group helps writers get published and offers various classes and readings. Volunteer mentors assist students, displaced women, homeless, incarcerated teens, and other needy populations in developing writing skills.

This organization will host a writing conference on Oct. 7-9. The conference features eleven writers and speakers who will be giving presentations and conducting workshops.

Many events will take place for writers. Presentations, workshops, readings, a banquet, Sunday morning breakfast, and scholarships will be available for those who pay the conference fee.

On Friday, Oct. 7 at 1 p.m., the first three workshops of the convention will begin. One of these workshops will be free and open to the public. “Totem Poems and the Subconscious Muse” will be directed by local poet and artist Wendy Videlock. This workshop focuses on how music, intuition, and instinct can turn an idea into a poem.

“Entering and Departing the Poem” is a private workshop for those who have paid a conference fee, and will be led by David Mason. Mason has published several books, including a memoir and several poetry novels. His workshop will focus on the importance of having a strong opening and closing to a poem.

“Working with Memoir: Creative Forms of the Vignette” also begins at 1 p.m. and will be led by Janice Gould, assistant professor in Women’s and Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

Saturday, Oct. 8 will begin at 9 a.m. with “Digging for Diamonds,” led by award-winning author Laura Hendrie of Salida, Colorado. This workshop will assist writers with techniques on how to write a lively story once you have a great idea of what to write about. David Mason and a Colorado National Monument naturalist will also be leading a free public workshop called “The Land as Literal and as Metaphor.” Participants will explore the Monument, learn about geology, wildlife, and plant life. Author Will Hobbs, who has published 18 children’s and young adult’s books, will also speak. The last event of the day will be a banquet dinner and book signing that all of the authors will attend.

The final day of the conference is Sunday, Oct. 9. From 10 a.m. to noon, “The Language of this Land” is free and open to the public. This will be for storytellers sharing readings about Ute, Basque, Spanish, Greek, African-American, and Anglo origins. A free breakfast with the authors will also be served at this time.

For more information about the conference and about Western Colorado Writers’ Forum, call 970-256-4662 or visit their website at westerncoloradowriters.org.

lpratt@mavs.coloradomesa.edu