Only 5% of published authors are Black, and even less are Black and Queer. Is getting a book or poem published on your bucket list? Do you want to put your work out there but you don’t know whether you’ve written something good, and need some encouragement and friendly editing? Every Sunday, a group of Queer, Black Writers (like you!) will get together to build community, share works, and learn how to get published!

This virtual workshop series caters to Queer Black people, but all ages, gender expressions and sexualities in the spectrum are welcomed. If you’re a poet, come on! If you’re a novelist, come on! If you’re an essayist, come on! The prompts and discussions are meant to help you stretch all those writing muscles and get feedback on your talent.

Access to a laptop is recommended for this workshop.

Schedule:

Session I - Writing prompts flash fiction intros. Practice short sentences

Session II - Pick an interesting newspaper article and write a story about it. Practice brainstorming

Session III - Write a story from the POV of an inanimate object. Practice perspective

Session IV - Discussion about creating characters. How the f*ck do I build a person?

Session V - Roundtable Editing. Choose one of your works to bring in for a roundtable editing workshop

Session VI - write a poem about yourself in a past life. Practice perspective shifts

Session VII - write a poem describing a dark place. Practice setting a scene

Session VIII - write a story about a strained relationship. Why can’t it be fixed? Practice unhappy endings

Session IX - Discussion about publishing. What are my options? Find at least one publication source

Session X - write a poem about something that happened at work. Make it funny. Practice humor in writing

Reading Material Examples:

Flash Fiction - Ogbewe Amadin

Newspaper Inspo - Curtis Sittenfield

Inanimate Object POV - various

Reincarnation poetry - Aimee Nezhukmatathil

Dark Places Poetry- Yusef Komunyakaa

Strained relationships - Camille U. Adams

Work Comedy - Robyn Ryle