Aspen Summer Words (ASW) is a festival of words, stories and ideas held each June in Aspen, Colorado. It is the flagship program of Aspen Words, a literary arts non-profit and program of the Aspen Institute. Until 2015, Aspen Words was known as the Aspen Writers' Foundation.

History

For 40 years, Aspen Summer Words has hosted over 300 writers who have read, taught and performed for 20,000+ audience members and students. ASW literati have included an international cast of authors — Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Awardees, and many other notable and bestselling writers — who each year transform Aspen into the Rocky Mountain gateway to the literary world. Established in 1976, Aspen Summer Words (ASW) is a festival of words, stories and ideas held each June in Aspen, Colorado. The six-day event celebrates authors in all their guises (novelists, poets, memoirists, journalists, songwriters, filmmakers, comedians, editors, literary agents, and more) during a jam-packed schedule of events designed to spark the imaginations of readers and writers alike. The flagship program of the Aspen Words, ASW has been hailed as one of the nation's "Top Ten Literary Gatherings" (USA Today) and included in "The Best of Aspen" (5280 Magazine). ''O: The Oprah Magazine'' said, "Bringing new meaning to the idea of escaping into literature, Aspen Summer Words akesover the Colorado town, giving booklovers the chance to mingle with some of the biggest names in storytelling."

Overview

ASW is one part laboratory and one part theater. Its two programs — the Writing Retreat and Literary Festival — approach the written word from different, yet complementary angles. The Retreat is designed for writing students, featuring introductory and intensive workshops with some of the nation's most notable faculty members; a literature appreciation course; and professional consultations with literary agents and editors. The Writing Retreat supports writers in developing their craft by providing a winning combination of inspiration, skills, community, and opportunity. Each year workshops are held in a variety of genres including fiction, memoir, novel editing, and poetry.

Writing retreat

There are two types of writing workshops: *The five-day juried workshops are for students seeking intensive instruction and individualized critique to polish a manuscript they have in development. Daily writing exercises, reading assignments and discussion of student work are the basis for the classes. A manuscript submission is required for admission. Writing classes are limited to 12 students. *The five-day non-juried workshops include workshops for writers of all levels who wish to get their feet wet in the world of writing.

Literary festival/Public events

The literary festival consists of readings and conversations with the award-winning faculty and publishing experts of Aspen Summer Words. These events are open to workshop participants as well as to the general public. Topics include the craft of writing, the writing life, the business of writing, and many others. Between 2005 and 2013, each edition of the Literary Festival showcased the literary heritage of a new culture by using the stories and storytellers of a particular region, including The West, The American South, Ireland, India, Africa, and the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Consultations

Consultations are private meetings with guest editors and agents that offer the chance to pitch an idea, receive feedback on a manuscript and network with professionals from the top publishing houses and literary agencies in the country, including Simon & Schuster, Henry Holt & Co., Tin House, Carnicelli Literary Management, Penguin Random House, and other prestigious literary organizations.

Aspen Prize For Literature

The Aspen Prize for Literature ceremony was a part of the Aspen Summer Words week until 2013. The annual Prize was presented by the Aspen Writers' Foundation to recognize outstanding achievement in literature and was established to encourage cultural, political, economic, spiritual, and intellectual change toward a world of great human kindness. Past recipients include

Wole Soyinka Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...

Ngugi wa Thiong'o Ngugi or Ngũgĩ is a name of Kikuyu origin that may refer to: *Ngugi wa Mirii (1951–2008), Kenyan playwright *Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (born 1938), Kenyan writer *David Mwaniki Ngugi, Kenyan politician and member of the National Assembly of Kenya *Jo ...

N. Scott Momaday Navarre Scott Momaday (born February 27, 1934) is a Kiowa novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. His novel ''House Made of Dawn'' was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1969, and is considered the first major work of the Native ...

, Paul Muldoon, Edna O'Brien,

Salman Rushdie Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie (; born 19 June 1947) is an Indian-born British-American novelist. His work often combines magic realism with historical fiction and primarily deals with connections, disruptions, and migrations between Eastern and Wes ...

, Ron Carlson,

Ernest Gaines Ernest is a given name derived from Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious". Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor *Ernest, M ...

, Colum McCann,

Edwidge Danticat Edwidge Danticat (; born January 19, 1969) is a Haitian-American novelist and short story writer. Her first novel, ''Breath, Eyes, Memory'', was published in 1994 and went on to become an Oprah's Book Club selection. Danticat has since written or ...

, and Luis Urrea.

Past authors

2015 *

Dani Shapiro Dani Shapiro is an American writer, the author of six novels including ''Family History'' (2003), ''Black & White'' (2007) and most recently ''Signal Fires'' (2022) and the best-selling memoirs ''Slow Motion'' (1998), ''Devotion'' (2010), ''Hour ...

Andre Dubus III Andre Dubus III (born September 11, 1959) is an American novelist and short story writer. He is a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Early life and education Born in Oceanside, California, to Patricia (née Lowe) an ...

Richard Russo Richard Russo (July 15, 1949) is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. Early life and education Russo was born in Johnstown, New York, and raised in nearby Gloversville. He earned a bachelor's degree, a Master o ...

* Akhil Sharma *

Hannah Tinti Hannah Tinti (born 1973) is an American writer and the co-founder of ''One Story'' magazine. She received the PEN/Nora Magid Award for Magazine Editing in 2009 for ''One Story'', as well as the Alex Awards. Personal life Tinti was born in 1973 ...

*Liz Van Hoose *James Bohnen 2014 *Billy Collins *Meg Wolitzer *Meghan Daum *Bernard Cooper *Mary Beth Keane *Melissa Bank *Julia Glass *Andre Dubus III 2012 *

Erin Belieu Erin Belieu (born September 25, 1965) is an American poet. Early life Belieu was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, graduating from Central High School. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where she lear ...

*Darrell Bourque *Laura Fraser * Francisco Goldman *Derek Green *Scott Lasser *Andrew Sean Greer *Randall Kenan *William Loizeaux *Benjamin Percy *Mona Simpson *Luis Alberto Urrea *Daniel Alarcón *Gioconda Belli *

Orlando Patterson Horace Orlando Patterson (born 5 June 1940) is a Jamaican historical and cultural sociologist known for his work regarding issues of race and slavery in the United States and Jamaica, as well as the sociology of development. He is the John Cowl ...

---- 2011 *

Mona Eltahawy Mona Eltahawy ( ar, منى الطحاوى, ; born August 1, 1967) is a freelance Egyptian-American journalist and social commentator based in New York City. She has written essays and op-eds for publications worldwide on Egypt and the Islamic worl ...

*Nikky Finney *Derek Green *

Erica Jong Erica Jong (née Mann; born March 26, 1942) is an American novelist, satirist, and poet, known particularly for her 1973 novel ''Fear of Flying''. The book became famously controversial for its attitudes towards female sexuality and figured pro ...

* Randall Kenan *Elinor Lipman * Colum McCann *Ron Rash *Rabin Alameddine *Reza Aslan *Peter Cole *Firoozeh Dumas *Assaf Gavron *Khaled Hosseini *Daniyal Mueenuddin 2010 *Edward Carey *Richard Bausch *Dana Gioia *Randall Kenan *Scott Lasser *William Loizeaux *Elizabeth McCracken *Dorothy Allison *Nikky Finney *

*Ron Rash *Kathryn Stockett 2009 *Ron Carlson *Pamela Painter *Bill Loizeaux *Chris Merrill *Hallie Ephron *Nic Pizzolatto *Gary Ferguson *Allison Berkley *David Davidar *Dana Gioia 2008 *Ishmael Beah *Colum McCann *David Davidar *Dana Gioia *Sue Miller *Richard Buasch *Pamela Painter *Bill Loizeaux *Robert Pinsky *Nic Pizzolatto *Doug Bauer *Jan Greenburg *Chimamanda Adichie ---- 2007 *Robert Bausch *Pam Houston * Percival Everett *Gary Ferguson *Dorianne Laux *Terry Curtis Fox *Danzy Senna *

Bharti Kirchner Bharti Kirchner is an American author. She is the author of thirteen books—nine novels and four cookbooks—and has been publishing since 1992. She has written numerous articles and essays on food, travel, fitness, and lifestyle. She has won two ...

2006 *Amy Bloom *Ron Carlson *Pam Houston *Ted Conover *Christopher Merrill *Laura Fraser 2005 *John Romano *Gary Ferguson *David Leite *Robert Bausch *Robert Boswell *Elinor Lipman *Joyce Maynard *Marie Ponsot 2004 *Jan Greenburg *Fentor Johnson *Madeline Blais *Ron Carlson *Jane Hirsfield *Elinor Lipman ---- 2003 *Amy Bloom *Ron Carlson *James Houston *Pam Houston *Christopher Merrill *David Peterson 2002 *Ted Conover *Gretel Ehrlich *Pam Houston *Chip Kidd *Scott Lasser *Mary Jo Salter *Mark Salzman *Larry Watson 2001 *Madeleine Blais *Peter Fromm *Pam Houston *Ted Conover *Ursula Hegi *Mark Salzman 2000 *Judith Barnard *Chris Merrill *Fenton *Kent Haruf *Pam Houston *Rachel Jacobsohn *Betsy Lerner *Lois Lowry *Skip Press *Alex Amin

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aspen Summer Words 1976 establishments in Colorado Aspen, Colorado Festivals established in 1976 Literary festivals in the United States