1 session, November 12th, 1:00 PM-4:00 PM PST / 4:00 PM-7:00 PM EST
online
$100
Enroll in this class.
Personal essays give queer writers the radical opportunity to reclaim their stories. They’re a chance to assert, in their own words, who they are, what they value, and how they see the world. Yet, in many workshops populated by predominantly cis, heterosexual folk, queer storytellers have additional burdens placed on them that can make writing anything at all seem impossible. Often they must ask themselves: Do my classmates know what I mean when I use a certain word or phrase? Do I need to translate, and why should I if the people I want to read this will know exactly what I’m talking about? Does my writing confirm stereotypes or subvert them, and is that my responsibility?
In this one-day, combination seminar/generative writing session, queer and trans students of any level will be provided a safe space to consider those questions without being bogged down by them. We will read excerpts by queer and trans writers who are currently navigating the literary landscape, dissecting them for elements of craft, and follow prompts to help you explore your authentic voice in an environment of like-minded individuals.
Student will leave with an expanded knowledge of craft tools you can apply to your work, such as structure, imagery, voice, and reflection; several model texts to guide your future writing from writers such as Janet Mock, Brontez Purnell, and T Kira Madden, and proof that you are not alone.
Enroll in this class.
About the Instructor
Edgar Gomez (all pronouns) is a Florida-born writer with roots in Nicaragua and Puerto Rico. A graduate of University of California, Riverside’s MFA program, their words have appeared in Poets & Writers, Narratively, Catapult, Lithub, The Rumpus, and elsewhere online and in print. Their memoir, High-Risk Homosexual, was called a “breath of fresh air” by The New York Times, named a Best Book of 2022 by Publisher’s Weekly, Buzzfeed, and Electric Literature, and received a 2023 Stonewall Honor Award and a Lammy Award for Best Gay Memoir/Biography. Their second book, a memoir about money, Florida, and surviving under capitalism titled Alligator Tears, will be out in 2025 from Crown.
Testimonial from a Former Student
“I really wasn’t sure of myself walking into the class. But Edgar’s encouragement really gave me the go-ahead to just get my ideas out on the page, in all their candid messiness, in a way that I haven’t been able to accomplish otherwise. I’ve been talking to all my friends about what a cool and exciting time I had writing about the topics I did and getting the chance to experiment in new forms and formats. Our discussions about stories, whether an established author’s or one another’s, really forced me to sit down and break things apart more meticulously than I’ve been accustomed to doing. I’m so excited to keep returning to the tools I picked up in class—I already know they’re gonna stick around for the long-haul!”
— Patrick Mullen-Coyoy