LITERARY FUTURES by The Word

Literary Futures invites writers of all levels are invited to join this cohort of local Denver-metro writers to find community connection and connection to their individual voices.

We invite interested writers across genres and experience levels to join this program to build:

Confidence - participants identify with the writing path that suits each of them best
Knowledge - participants gain insight into writing and publishing processes
Community - participants connect with other local writers, establishing a lasting network of support

UPCOMING SESSIONS

MAY 9, 2026 at ANYTHINK LIBRARY HURON

Saturday, May 9, 2026: Anythink Library - Huron Branch

12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

12:00 - 1:30 Part One - Connecting to your voice

Introduction to The Word
Local author Dino Enrique Piacenti on the process of finding and connecting with one’s writing journey
Break & 5-minute facilitator meet-ups (1-1 with individual participants) with the workshop facilitators to discuss questions from each writer on resources they are seeking

1:30 - 3:30 Part Two - Publishing goals:

Agent discussion with Maria Heater: Introduction to publishing
Prep for pitch discussion or exploratory conversation with agent*
- *Note you do not need to be ready to pitch a work during this discussion! You can use this time to learn more about the process, and explore your goals.
5 to 10-minute agent meet-ups (1-1 with individual participants)
Concurrent 1-hour writing session with a prompt provided by local author

3:30 - 5:00 Part Three - Connecting to community:

Local author discussion with Nancy Viera, sharing their writing and publishing journey
Community questions & sharing

Thank you to our partner Anythink Libraries

INSTRUCTORS

Dino Enrique Piacentini

Dino Enrique Piacentini’s stories and essays have appeared in One Story, Pembroke, Gulf Coast, Confrontation, The Masters’ Review, The Atticus Review, The Globe & Mail, and The Massachusetts Review, among other places. His debut novel, Invasion of the Daffodils, about a Mexican-American family living on an island off the coast of California during the Korean War, was just published by Astrophil Press in October 2024.

Currently, he lives in Denver, where he teaches creative writing at the University of Denver’s University College and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Before becoming a writer, he worked at various visual arts organizations throughout San Francisco, including Galería de la Raza, Yerba Buena Center, and The Mexican Museum.

Maria Heater

Maria joined NLA in 2018 after gaining experience at several other literary agencies. She is now Kristin Nelson’s administrative mastermind, handling all things queries, submissions, and foreign rights. She is an essential first reader, reporting to the agent team on requested manuscripts and providing developmental comments on client material.

As a citizen of the world, Maria is multilingual and lived in Latin America and Asia for several years. She has been a bookseller, a SFWA mentee, a PitchWars mentor, and occasional writer of speculative fiction. She is passionate about advocating for marginalized voices. When not reading submissions, Maria enjoys new motherhood, wrangling her two cats, and daydreaming about her next adventure abroad.

Nancy Viera

Nancy Viera is a Mexican American
author from Denver, Colorado. She is
the author of the memoir The Grief
and The Happiness, four poetry
collections, and the forthcoming
novel Flower Moon Runner. Her work
has been showcased at the Denver
Art Museum, and she has taught
writing workshops in schools and
colleges including Colorado College
and Regis University.

More sessions coming soon!