Check Out Fireside Ink Writers Workshop’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fireside Ink Writers Workshop

Hi Fireside Ink, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Fireside Ink Writers Workshop was born out of a simple but urgent need: a writing community in Boulder. We wanted a space where writers—whether just starting out or well into their careers—could experiment, grow, and connect.

Loie Rawding moved to Boulder from New York City in 2016 to pursue her MFA at the University of Colorado. She later taught in the creative writing department and mentored artists nationwide. For the last seven years, she lived in Nashville, working with nonprofit arts organizations to build support networks for writers outside the academic sphere. This past summer, Loie, her partner, and their eight-year-old twins returned to Boulder, eager to continue the work she started nearly a decade ago.

Brenda Kahn built her career in the legendary downtown New York City music scene, opening for artists like Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley. A critically acclaimed singer-songwriter with seven studio albums, her journey as an artist culminates in a music memoir about the defining moments that shaped how she moves through the world. Two years ago, she moved west and became the Arts Education Coordinator at The Dairy Arts Center, where she works to foster creativity and community in Boulder County.

In the fall of 2024, Loie cold-called Brenda, hoping to find an ally to create a formal writing community in Boulder. It turned out Brenda had been dreaming of the same thing. Fireside Ink was born over coffee and big ideas.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Partnering with The Dairy Arts Center gave us a critical first step: a home base. This partnership allows us to focus on building community with an organization long dedicated to promoting arts and culture in Boulder County.

Another challenge is accessibility. Writing workshops are often expensive, and while we believe in paying artists and educators fairly, we also know that financial barriers keep many writers from joining spaces like this. Equity is a priority for us, which is why we launched our free Wednesday Lunch Break Writing Sessions and our Monthly Draft Exchange as a pay-what-you-can event. Our goal is to cultivate a diverse, inclusive collective of writers, ensuring that anyone who wants to write has a place to do so.

Right now, we’re growing intentionally—steady and slow—to gauge the level of interest. So far, the response has been overwhelming. The hunger for a true writing community in Boulder is real, and we’re honored to be here to nurture it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Loie is a fiction writer, currently at work on her third novel. Her debut novel, Tight Little Vocal Cords, was a Lambda Literary Most Anticipated Book of 2020 and a Finalist for the Big Other Book Award. Loie’s writing explores themes of desire, multi-generational family dynamics, queer relationships, mental illness, and what it means to make art. She is teaching fiction and revision workshops this spring.

Brenda specializes in memoir and nonfiction, exploring the intersection of art, music and resilience. She’s actively querying her own memoir while creating opportunities for writers and artists through her work at The Dairy and Fireside Ink. This spring, she is teaching memoir and a parents’ writing workshop.

At Fireside Ink, our mission is twofold: to offer workshops that provide critical feedback to writers at all levels and to host events that build a deeper sense of community among writers in Boulder. We focus on small gatherings where each participant receives personal attention and professional guidance. We also bring in established writers for talks, performances, and mentorship opportunities.

What sets us apart? We’re not just another writing workshop. We believe in fostering creative momentum and making sure every writer, no matter their experience level, has a seat at the table.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
If you’re a writer in Boulder County—or just someone who feels the pull to put words to paper—you belong here. Join us for a workshop or event. You can find our current offerings on The Dairy’s website or follow us on Instagram, @firesideink.

Stories are how we make sense of this wild world and our place in it. We believe in the power of narrative, in its ability to shape and shift the way we see ourselves and each other. A creative fire burns in all of us, and we are excited to bring people together in this spirit.

Pricing:

• Free Lunch Break Writing Sessions
• Pay-What-You-Can Draft Exchange
• Workshops: Starting at $110
• Editorial Services: Starting at $150

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thedairy.org/writers-workshop/
• Instagram: @firesideinkwriters
• Other: https://www.firesideink.com

Image Credits
Abby Shepard