DENVER WRITERS FORUM: Ernest Hemingway's Rules of Writing

"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way." — Ernest Hemingway

Join us for a deep dive into the "Iceberg Theory" and the legendary writing discipline of Ernest Hemingway. Whether you’re a fan of his "lean and mean" prose or find his style a challenge to replicate, this session is designed to help you sharpen your own narrative toolkit.
Hemingway’s rules weren’t just about brevity; they were about the architecture of truth in fiction. We’ll be breaking down his core principles—from his early days at the Kansas City Star to his Nobel Prize-winning novels—and discussing how to apply them to modern storytelling.

What We’ll Discuss:

• The Iceberg Theory: How to strengthen your prose by what you leave out.
• The "Star" Rules: Why short sentences, vigorous English, and being positive (not negative) still matter in 2026.
• Dialogue & Subtext: How to say everything while saying very little.
• The Discipline of "One True Sentence": How to overcome writer's block using Hemingway’s starting ritual.

Whether you're finishing a novel or just starting a short story, come ready to workshop your sentences and strip away the "scrollwork" until only the story remains.

Our forum meets every fourth Thursday. It’s an open discussion of writing, editing, and publishing issues that participants bring to the table. We are currently scheduled to meet at The Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut Street, but our location may change. Please check this posting for our venue before attending.

Note: The Walnut Room has a free adjacent parking lot.

(Be sure to join the Denver Writers Workshop on Meetup and Facebook for more information on those activities.)