In every community, there are quiet creatives those who scribble ideas in notebooks, draft poems in the margins of work schedules, or dream of writing a book “someday.” In Fond du Lac County, that someday has finally found a home.
Welcome to Lake Literary Center, a small but mighty literary arts center serving writers and readers across South-Central and Southeastern Wisconsin. Built with intention, curiosity, and a deep belief in the power of stories, Lake Lit is a space where both new and seasoned writers can learn, grow, and create side by side.
Where Stories Take Shape
Lake Literary Center offers far more than writing workshops. It’s a hub for creativity, connection, and community involvement, featuring:
- Creative Writing Workshops – fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and even business writing
- Literary-Themed Events – craft talks, book discussions, and immersive gatherings for book lovers
- Author Readings & Book Signings – bringing local and national voices closer to home
- Free Open Mics – a welcoming space for writers and readers to share their words aloud
- Community-Building Programs – events designed to foster inspiration, support, and belonging
Whether you’re writing your first story or your fiftieth, Lake Lit offers a seat at the table.
The Story Behind the Center
At the heart of Lake Literary Center is its founder, Erica Floyd – a writer, editor, marketing professional, and lifelong creative with deep roots in Fond du Lac.
Erica holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and has built an impressive career around words. Her writing has been published in Electric Literature, The Rumpus, Lunch Ticket, Litbreak Magazine, Reservoir Journal, BusinessWeek, and more. Her work has even been cited in several nonfiction books.
Her professional experience spans journalism, marketing, communications, supply chain, and human resources. Locally, she served as Director of Marketing for Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts and formerly worked as Editor-in-Chief of Equipment Today Magazine and blog editor for Lunch Ticket, a renowned literary journal.
And she’s not just supporting the writing community she’s actively contributing to it. Erica is currently working on her second novel, a flash fiction collection, personal essays, critical essays, interviews, and translations.
When she’s not writing or teaching, Erica lives in rural Fond du Lac, where she co-owns and helps run Gourmet’s Delight Mushrooms, a second-generation, certified organic family mushroom farm.
Her life is rooted in creativity, hard work, and community the same values that shape Lake Literary Center.
Why Lake Lit Exists
Erica created Lake Literary Center because she knew this region deserved a home for writers. A place where:
- creativity is encouraged,
- aspiring authors feel supported,
- community is built around shared stories,
- and readers can meet the writers who move them.
She is passionate about helping people discover “the writerly life,” whether that means finishing a novel, starting a journaling practice, or simply finding joy in words again.
Guiding Principles of Lake Literary Center
Community Building
Lake Lit is committed to creating spaces where individuals can gather, learn, and feel seen-through book-themed events, pop-up literary experiences, and inclusive spoken-word open mics.
Writing Education
Through workshops taught with compassion and expertise, participants explore fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and practical writing skills. These sessions are designed to grow confidence, refine craft, and help writers find their authentic voice.
Find Your Writing Path
Whether you’re a beginning writer wanting structure, an established storyteller craving community, or a reader who simply loves being close to the literary world – Lake Literary Center welcomes you.
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to take your writing seriously… this is it.
Explore workshops, events, and ways to get involved.
Discover how Lake Literary Center can help you live the writerly life.
And most importantly: step into the story you’ve been wanting to tell.
Your path starts here.
Learn more About Lake Literary Center
Website: https://www.lakeliterary.org/
Email: CEO@lakeliterary.org
