Scheduled May 27 | Creating Believable Characters: Fiction Writing Workshop with Cheril Clarke (author of gay dating guide 'Love & Marriage')

Date: 27 May 2012 (1pm - 3pm)

Using a balance of lecture, exercise, and feedback on sample pages provided by the instructor, this workshop will focus on how to create dramatic characters that remain vivid in readers' imagination from the moment they "meet" them on the page.

This is a great introductory workshop for anyone who wants to understand what makes characters exceptional, unforgettable and the the driving force of short stories and novels. If you wish to learn about philosophical or symbolic characters then this workshop likely isn't for you. If you want to learn how to create three-dimensional characters that shatter stereotypes and are so real you (and your readers) feel as though you personally known them then this is definitely for you!

CHERIL N.’S CREDENTIALS

Award-winning playwright, novelist and producer, Cheril N. Clarke is the author of five works of fiction, including Intimate Chaos, Tainted Destiny, and Losing Control. She has penned three stage plays, including Intimate Chaos, which has been produced multiple times in various states and most recently translated to Spanish for a production in Puerto Rico. The Spanish production, Caos Intimo, was nominated for Best Play in the 6th annual festival del Tercer Amor. Another original play by Clarke, Asylum, was a featured production of the 2012 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival in New York City where it took home the Audience Award and was runner up for Best Play! In addition to novels and stage plays, she has written two erotic vignettes and one non-fiction ebook entitled Love and Marriage: The Gay and Lesbian Guide to Dating and Romance. Her latest work, The Beautiful People, is a short story series exclusively for ereaders.

Clarke has been featured in Curve Magazine, the nation's bestselling lesbian magazine, The Princeton Packet, Philadelphia Gay News (PGN), About.com, Out IN Jersey magazine, Burlington County Times, Phillyburbs.com as well as Crain's New York Business newspaper. Her opinion columns have been featured by the National Black Justice Coalition. Her editorial work has appeared in About Magazine, GayWired.com and on 247gay.com.

She resides in southern New Jersey with her wife, Monica Bey-Clarke, who is also her business partner for My Family!, a retail and publishing company geared toward LGBT-headed families.

Venue: Always by Design, 265 S. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Enroll here.

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Creative Writing Workshop for Cis, Trans Women and Queer Feminists (Feminist Brighton, UK)

Date: 23 May 2012

Join Feminist Brighton for the second in a series of workshops for cis and trans women and queer feminists:

Friends Meeting House
Wednesday 23rd May
6.30pm

A creative writing workshop that aims to engage everyone in exploring our inner and outer worlds through poems and personal accounts.

We will employ our creativity to express our views and aspects of our lives past and present. Using accessible writing techniques, we can engage questions such as: Who am I now? When have I felt lost or fearful or angry? What do I perceive in the world around me? Through our writing, we can find ways of shaping our ideas, thoughts, emotions, memories – reclaiming the power and strength of our own unique voice.

The workshop runs for three hours, 6.30-9.30 and there will be an opportunity for tea and biscuits. The workshop is open to women who identify as cis or trans and queer feminists. We ask for a donation of 2-3 pounds to cover the cost of the room hire.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: brightonfeminist@googlemail.com

Website: http://feministbrighton.wordpress.com

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Barefoot Wine Presents 'Books & Brunch' Literary Workshop (Orlando Black Pride)

Date: 5 June 2012

Join Kat Williamd from Sippin on Ink and feed your literary appetite as she talks with some of our best LGBTQ Authors on writing and how to get published. Guests will have the opportunity to chat with the authors and purchase books for signing before listening to author presentations over brunch.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.orlandoblackpride.eventbrite.com or www.orlandoblackpride.com. Please purchase in advance as space is limited.

Brunch items - Mimosa, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs, Home Fries, Texas Rice, Caesar Salad, Rolls, and Coffee

BOOKS AND BRUNCH
Sunday, June 5 · 11:00am - 2:00pm
Orlando Vista Hotel
12490 Apopka Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL
$20 Entry & Brunch
$10 Entry only

Once you purchase a ticket you are automatically entered in a raffle for a chance to win a gift basket containing a copy of all the authors involved in Books & Brunch latest release!

Featuring authors: Fiona Zedde, Cheril N Clarke, Spoken, Sherry Michelle, Otis Randolph, G. Winston James, Skyy and of course Anondra "Kat" Williams of Sippin' on Ink.



CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: http://www.orlandoblackpride.com/

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Creating Believable Characters: Fiction Writing Workshop with Cheril Clarke (author of gay/ lesbian dating guide 'Love and Marriage')

Date: 27 May 2012 (1pm - 3pm)

Using a balance of lecture, exercise, and feedback on sample pages provided by the instructor, this workshop will focus on how to create dramatic characters that remain vivid in readers' imagination from the moment they "meet" them on the page.

This is a great introductory workshop for anyone who wants to understand what makes characters exceptional, unforgettable and the the driving force of short stories and novels. If you wish to learn about philosophical or symbolic characters then this workshop likely isn't for you. If you want to learn how to create three-dimensional characters that shatter stereotypes and are so real you (and your readers) feel as though you personally known them then this is definitely for you!

CHERIL N.’S CREDENTIALS

Award-winning playwright, novelist and producer, Cheril N. Clarke is the author of five works of fiction, including Intimate Chaos, Tainted Destiny, and Losing Control. She has penned three stage plays, including Intimate Chaos, which has been produced multiple times in various states and most recently translated to Spanish for a production in Puerto Rico. The Spanish production, Caos Intimo, was nominated for Best Play in the 6th annual festival del Tercer Amor. Another original play by Clarke, Asylum, was a featured production of the 2012 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival in New York City where it took home the Audience Award and was runner up for Best Play! In addition to novels and stage plays, she has written two erotic vignettes and one non-fiction ebook entitled Love and Marriage: The Gay and Lesbian Guide to Dating and Romance. Her latest work, The Beautiful People, is a short story series exclusively for ereaders.

Clarke has been featured in Curve Magazine, the nation's bestselling lesbian magazine, The Princeton Packet, Philadelphia Gay News (PGN), About.com, Out IN Jersey magazine, Burlington County Times, Phillyburbs.com as well as Crain's New York Business newspaper. Her opinion columns have been featured by the National Black Justice Coalition. Her editorial work has appeared in About Magazine, GayWired.com and on 247gay.com.

She resides in southern New Jersey with her wife, Monica Bey-Clarke, who is also her business partner for My Family!, a retail and publishing company geared toward LGBT-headed families.

Venue: Always by Design, 265 S. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Enroll here.

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Brown & Out Writing Workshop at Casa 0101 Theater (LA)

Date: 3 May - 7 June, 2012 (Thursdays)

Miguel Garcia, founding producer of Brown & Out, will facilitate a six-week writing workshop for playwrights interested in submitting a 10-minute play for CASA 0101’s upcoming Brown & Out Theater Festival. The purpose of this workshop is to provide a creative and safe space for intermediate/advanced playwrights to present their work and receive constructive feedback in preparation for the show’s upcoming submission deadline: June 15, 2012. The course begins on Thursday, May 3 and will end with a staged reading of completed works.

Brown & Out’s mission is to present plays written by Latino/a LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) storytellers representing the rich, diverse, and evolving Latino/a and LGBT culture, community, and queer experiences.

LEVEL: Intermediate/Advanced playwriting workshop (all levels are welcome); LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Latino/a writers are encouraged to attend.

LOCATION: The New CASA 0101 Theater (2102 E. FIRST ST. LOS ANGELES, CA 90033)

TIME: 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm

TUITION: $10 suggested donation per class. No one turned away for lack of funds

ENROLLMENT: Call (323) 263-7684 or reserve a space in this workshop here.

INSTRUCTOR BIO: Miguel Garcia is a Producer/Playwright and Executive Producer of the upcoming Brown & Out Theater Festival running Sept 21 - Oct 14, 2012 at New CASA 0101 Theater. He graduated from Georgetown University where he earned a degree in English with honors. At Georgetown, his writing culminated in a staged reading of his play, Glory, at the John F. Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival in 2007. He produced Brown & Out, CASA 0101’s 1st annual play festival celebrating the Latino/a LGBT experience, which featured his short plays GayMex, Gay Cholo Charm School, Butch Juice, and Mayhem. He also produced CASA 0101’s Occupy the Heart, a play festival that explored the Occupy Wall Street movement and featured his short play Unoccupied Spaces. Most recently, his sketch Control Z was performed in the Pinche Mentirosa Sisters’ (P.M.S.) comedy show Girls Night Out at the New CASA 0101 Theater.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: call (323) 263-7684

Website: http://www.casa0101.org/

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Free Event: Literary Lesbians April Poetry Workshop (UK)

Deadline: 19 April 2012

The next meeting of the Literary Lesbians will be Thursday 19th April 2012 at 7pm. As always we'll start the group off by talking about what everyone is reading. We'll then move on to another fantastic poetry workshop run by Becca. The last couple of poetry workshops have been loads of fun, with March's even involving some arts and crafts so this group is great fun for everyone, no matter what you like to read or what your ability is! As always, brews and biscuits will be provided. This is a free event, and there's no need to book.

Lesbian Community Project
49-51 sidney street, M1 7HB Manchester, United Kingdom

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: email enquiries@lesbiancommunityproject.co.uk or call 0161 273 7128

Website: http://www.lesbiancommunityproject.co.uk/

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SOY Project Presents Pink Ink: A Space Dedicated to Queer and Trans Writers Under 29 (Canada)

Date: 7 April - 7 July 2012 (Saturdays)

A writing group for queer/trans youth. Pink Ink is a conscious, multi-disciplinary, for-youth-by-youth writing program for queer, transgender, Two Spirit and questioning youth writers in Toronto aged 14-29. Everybody's story is important. Nobody can tell your story but you.

Come MEET other queer and trans artists from Toronto and all over the country! Come LEARN solid writing, editing, performance and publication skills! Come have FUN, CREATE, WRITE, LEARN and CHILL!

Facilitator bio:

Vivek Shraya is a Toronto-based multimedia artist. Winner of the We Are Listening International Singer/Songwriter Award, Vivek has released albums ranging from acoustic folk-rock to electro synth-pop. God Loves Hair, his first collection of short stories, was a 2011 Lambda Literary Award finalist, won the Applied Arts Award for Illustration in 2010, and is currently being used as a textbook at several post-secondary institutions. Vivek also creates and delivers workshops and guest lectures about writing, art, gender, sexuality and homophobia. Vivek has performed and read at shows and festivals internationally, sharing the stage with Tegan and Sara, Dragonette, and Melissa Ferrick, and appearing at NXNE, CMW, and Word on the Street. His music has also been featured on the TV show Degrassi. Seeking Single White Male, his first short film, was screened at festivals throughout 2011. A second short, Ache in My Name, is available to watch online. Vivek’s sixth record, 1:1, was released last fall. He is currently working on his next short film and book.



CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: for information and registration, call (416) 324-5077 or email vpinkink@gmail.com

Website: http://www.soytoronto.org/

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Outrage Magazine LGBT Writers Workshop: Learn from Experienced Experts (MO)

Date: 20 April 2012

Learn from the experts on journalism, writing, graphic design, and photography - everything you want to know about getting into the industry. The workshop also covers blogging, marketing, and advertising. Volunteer and intern opportunities will be available for participants. Location will be in St. Louis. Details will be sent to each registered particpant.

Sign up here >>



CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: http://www.outragemagazine.com/

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Free to Attend - AFFINITY: An LGBTQ Writer’s Workshop for the Greater Phoenix Community

Date: every Sunday in April

AFFINITY: An LGBTQ Writer’s Workshop for the Greater Phoenix Community

When: Every Sunday in April, 11:30am to 1:30pm

Where: ASU Tempe Campus Memorial Union (café near Starbucks)

Who: LGBTQIA identified writers of Arizona

Hosted by: Avery Radclyffe (Cat) Klotsche

Affinity is a 4 week writer’s workshop that intends to document and share the experience of LGBTQIA writers. All readings and writing prompts will be specific to personal LGBTQIA issues and experiences.

Weeks One and Three (April 8th &April 22nd)

A forty-five minute long group discussion on selections of literature by LGBTQIA writers (chosen and provided by the facilitator).

Writing prompts for poems or creative non-fiction based on writer’s experience as an LGBTQIA identified person. We will have time to share our drafts and initial creative feedback.

Weeks Two & Four (April 15th & April 29th)

Sharing of revised drafts, further discussion of creative feedback for final drafts.

Friday, May 4th

Participants from both workshop sequences will showcase their final work at the First Friday reading in Heritage Square.

What to Bring: something to write with (pen, paper, laptop, etc.), creative enthusiasm, and their LGBTQIA wit and colorful nature! There is no cost to attend, and previous workshop or publishing experience is not required.

About the Facilitator: Avery (Cat) Radclyffe Klotsche is a transgendered writer who has resided in Arizona for ten years. His recent publications include Merge Magazine and TransAnthology, but he was once a member of the Mesa National Slam team. Over the years, he’s facilitated many writing workshops for high risk individuals including LGBTQIA youth. While Affinity is the product of Klotsche’s personal interests, it’s also part of his capstone project for his Bachelor’s Degree in English (Creative Writing) and Certificate in LGBT Studies at Arizona State University.

RSVP: If you’re interested in participating, you must RSVP via email to avery.radclyffe@gmail.com. In the email, please include a brief bio.

Via: superstitionreview

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: avery.radclyffe@gmail.com

For submissions: avery.radclyffe@gmail.com

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Free: Atlanta Queer LitFest/ Charis Books Queer Poetry Workshop

Deadline: 7 April 2012

The Atlanta Queer Literary Festival in conjunction with Charis Books and More, the Ponce de Leon Branch of the Fulton/Atlanta Public Library and Atlanta Pride will co-sponsor two poetry workshops and and an evening of poetry for the queer community to celebrate April as National Poetry Month.

The first workshop will be held on Saturday, April 7th in the conference room of the Ponce Library. The workshop is titled Poetic Catalyzation. Poets Don Perryman and Dustin Brookshire present a workshop and discussion to serve as a catalyst for new poems. Workshop attendees will participate in two generative exercises and leave the workshop feeling the words of Carl Sandburg, “Poetry is a packsack of invisible keepsakes.” The workshop will run from 1 to 2:30 and is free and open to all.

Please pre-register via email: dustinvbrookshire@gmail.com

The second workshop will be held on Saturday, April 14th also in the conference room of the Ponce Library from 1 to 2:30 (it is also free and open to all). Alice Teeter will lead the workshop and prepare participants to be part of an ensemble that will read at Charis Books and More on Friday evening, April 20th. Please pre-register via email: aliceteeter@mindspring.com.

It is suggested but not required that to be part of the ensemble that will read at Charis that you participate in both workshops. You must participate in the second to be part of the ensemble (and you can choose only to participate in workshops if you prefer).

Friday evening, April 20th Charis Books and More will host the first Atlanta Queer Poetry Ensemble reading featuring participants of the Ponce workshops and hosted by Franklin Abbott. The evening will begin at 7:30 and is free and open to all.

Location: 980 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Library Conference Room, Atlanta, Georgia 30306

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: aliceteeter@mindspring.com

For submissions: aliceteeter@mindspring.com

Website: http://www.atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com/

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LGBQ Narrative Workshop at VONA - University of Berkeley

Deadline: 9 April 2012

The Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation at the University of California-Berkeley invites applications from unpublished as well as published writers-of-color--anyone dreaming of writing as a serious pursuit.

The Voices Workshop is a special gathering of writers who spend 1 week working with authors of color. This workshop honors the literary traditions of heritage and culture and promotes the styles, voices, forms and concerns of writers-of-color and their connections to the literary world. All workshops are intimate gatherings of writers who take their writing seriously and are looking for an experience that will nurture them as writers; heighten their awareness of writing as a political, social and literary tool; and provide a community that supports each writer as they explore issues that require a profound sense of trust and professionalism.

LGBTQ NARRATIVE

Faculty: Randall Kenan

Writers exchange work and discuss the work’s presence in the literary world. Themes of culture, subculture, identity and literary strategies are discussed.

To be considered for admission to the VONA/Voices Writing Workshop please submit submit up to 15 pages of a non-fiction, novel, short fiction or 5-10 poems (not to exceed 20 pages)

All applicants should email their application manuscript (as an attachment) to apply apply@voicesatvona.org with your name and the workshop name and faculty in the title of the document. (please use .doc or .pdf)

For example: LouisaSmithmemoirAdiele.doc

Completed Application: Please provide contact information, history, experience, vital statistics and personal essay in response to the questions, including information on scholarships.

The application deadline is April 9, 2012. Only completed applications are eligible for review. Please contact us regarding late applications.

NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE

Participants are notified of their acceptance by May 4 and have ten days to confirm their attendance.

Send a non-refundable deposit of $100.00 by May 15. (Accepted participants will receive an invoice via email.)

Manuscripts to be used in the workshop must be uploaded to the virtual classroom site by May 25, 2012.

All fees are due by May 31, 2012.

Indicate if you will need residence in campus housing, so we may reserve a spot for you.

A limited number of partial tuition scholarships are available, based on need and availability. Resources are limited and requests are always greater than available funds.

Scholarship recipients will be notified of their award amount and balance due. All fees are due by May 31, 2012 and should be made through PayPal.

Apply here >>

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: apply@voicesatvona.org

For submissions: apply@voicesatvona.org

Website: http://voicesatvona.org

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Call for Workshop Proposals: Femme Conference 2012

Deadline: 15 April 2012

Femme2012: Pulling the Pieces Together is a multi-threaded conference and forum for those who think about, talk about, and create Femme as a queer gender and identity.

Following our Femme2006, 2008, and 2010 conferences in San Francisco, Chicago, and Oakland, where hundreds of femmes and allies gathered for workshops, panels, films, visual art galleries, and performances, we again invite femmes of all kinds and their allies to continue the conversation by participating in Femme 2012 as presenters and participants.

We are invested in having Femme2012 continue to reflect the diversity and complexity of femme gender, identity, and contributions. We hope for this conference to be a community-building event, as well as an exploration and celebration of what it means to build and live queer femme identities.

Submissions of all kinds are welcome, particularly submissions by femmes. We are committed to having our presenters reflect as many different voices from within our Femme community(ies) as possible. We aim to prioritize and centralize the experiences of historically marginalized groups, including but not limited to people of color, working-class people, fat folks, trans and gender-non-conforming people, elders, youth, previously incarcerated individuals, people without documentation, and people with dis/abilities. Femme2012 will continue the community dialogues from Femme2006, Femme2008, and Femme2010. In particular, we hope that the intersections of femme with race, region, class, access, dis/ability, privilege, oppression, and marginalization will be talked about, given space, meditated upon, constructed, and deconstructed.

In addition, we encourage submissions based on this year’s theme: Pulling the Pieces Together.

We began this conference in 2006 out of a desire to see femme explored and discussed from a variety of perspectives. We wanted a conference that held the complexities of Queer Femme as its central focus, while building community. Building on the dialogue and momentum of past conferences, in 2012 we hope to explore how femmes pull the pieces together. Through discussion and performance, we hope to explore both our individual and shared journeys to femme and how we honor femme in ourselves and others. How do we arrive at our femme/inine identities? How do we celebrate the joys and challenges along those journeys? Please join us in 2012 as we share our stories of pulling the pieces together.

We hope to draw participants from across disciplinary, medium, and social boundaries. We encourage submissions from anyone interested, regardless of gender or sexual identity. We are interested in solo submissions, as well as groups, panels, and collaborations. We are looking for well-thought-out, well-planned submissions that recognize and respect the array of Queer Femme experience, and we are interested in work that challenges systems of oppression.

We are soliciting contributions from anyone interested, including (but not limited to):

> workshops
> panel presentations
> performances
> research presentations
> skill shares
> activist & organizational topics
> visual art
> video or film (please see below for the film call for submissions)

NOTE: The submission deadline is April 15, 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: programming@femme2012.com

For submissions: submit online here

Website: http://www.femme2012.com

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WayGayU "What's Your Story?" Workshop With R. Eric Thomas (PA)

Registration Deadline: 14 April 2012

Date: 21 April - 12 May 2012

Where did you come from? Where are you going? What's your story?

Every person has a story to tell and this class will teach you how to construct and tell yours using the time-honored tradition of oral storytelling. Part memoir, part stand-up, part sitting around gabbing, storytelling unites and empowers. This workshop will explore what the best ways are to release our stories into the world. We're looking at the story as a moldable creation. We're talking about the exterior--shape--and the interior--content--and the decisions that go into composing it. Through readings, performance and discussion, we will examine structure, editing, word choice, timing and other tools of great storytellers.

Join celebrated performer R. Eric Thomas ("One of Philly's most talented queer storytellers" - Philadelphia Weekly) on a journey that anyone can and should embark on.

Tell us: Who are you? What have you done? Did you fly here or swim here? What's your story?

Saturdays, 2:00-4:00 pm (April 21, 28, May 5, 12)

$65 Members / $75 Non-Members • Min. registrants 5, Max. 10

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@waygay.org

Website: http://www.waygay.org/

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WayGayU Screenwriting/Stand-up Comedy Writing Workshop (PA)

Registration deadline: 27 March 2012

Date: 3 April - 22 May 2012

Students learn the basics of contemporary Hollywood Three-Act script-writing structure through lecture, simulated pitches, group discussion, the screenplay for Thelma & Louise, and accompanying text "Four Screenplays" by Syd Field. Students will also learn the basics of joke-telling in the context of stand-up comedy through lecture, class discussion of comedy clips and podcasts, improv exercises, and in-class critiques. Alejandro Morales co-hosts Camp Tabu, a monthly comedy showcase, and Rant-O-Wheel, a monthly improvised storytelling competition, and he co-produced the first-ever QComedy Fest in 2011.

Registrants are to bring a copy of "Four Screenplays" by Syd Field

Tuesdays, 6:00-8:00 pm (April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22)

$100 Members / $140 Non-Members; Min. registrants: 4, Max: 12

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@waygay.org

Website: http://www.waygay.org/

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LGBT Creative Writing Workshop at Metro Wellness and Community Center (FL)

Date: 28 February - 13 March 2012

Find and share your creative voice with fellow LGBT writers. Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoir. All genres welcome. Learn style and technique. Every Tuesday at 6:00pm - 7:00pm.. Call 727-321-3854 to attend.

Upcoming:

Tuesday, February 28
Tuesday, March 6
Tuesday, March 13

Venue: Metro Wellness and Community Centers, St Petersburg, 3251 3rd Ave N. Ste. 125, St Petersburg, FL 33713

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: all 727-321-3854

Website: http://www.metrotampabay.org/

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Apply Now: 2012 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices

Deadline: 16 April 2012

The Lambda Literary Foundation is proud to announce details for the 2012 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices, the only queer writers residency in the world. The Retreat will be held July 28 – August 4, 2012 on the campus of the American Jewish University (AJU) in Los Angeles.

Faculty include Dorothy Allison teaching the Fiction workshop, Cris Beam teaching the Nonfiction workshop, Jewelle Gomez teaching the Poetry workshop, and Alex Sanchez teaching LLF’s first ever workshop in Young Adult Fiction. See faculty bios below.

“We are thrilled with this year’s stellar lineup of faculty,” said LLF Executive Director, Tony Valenzuela. “They will mentor another gifted group of writers who will have their lives transformed by this Retreat. Lambda Fellows represent the future of LGBT literature.”

The Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices was established in 2007 as the newest program of the Lambda Literary Foundation and is the first of its kind ever offered to LGBT writers: a one-week intensive immersion in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. The retreat is an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the very best writers in the LGBT community.

Applicants of the Retreat submit twenty pages of fiction/nonfiction or 10 pages of poetry that are evaluated for craft, creativity and originality. Eight to twelve students per workshop are accepted into the competitive program where they spend the week working on their manuscripts and attending lectures by publishing industry professionals. Click here to apply. Ability to pay is in no way part of the decision-making process and scholarships are available. The LLF Writers Retreat Fellows have gone on to publish an impressive array of works.

MISSION

The Lambda Literary Foundation nurtures, celebrates, and preserves LGBT literature through programs that honor excellence, promote visibility and encourage development of emerging writers.

The Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices is the first program of its kind ever offered to LGBTQ writers: a one-week intensive workshop immersion in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. An unparalleled opportunity to learn from the very best writers in the LGBT community, LLF’s Writers’ Retreat is open to emerging LGBT writers of any age.

To insure the quality of the Lambda Literary Foundation Writers’ Retreat, applicants will be screened. Space is limited to approximately 9-12 students per workshop. Some publication history is desirable but not required. Ability to pay fees will in no way be part of the selection process. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

2012 FACULTY

• Dorothy Allison – Fiction workshop
• Cris Beam – Nonfiction workshop
• Jewelle Gomez – Poetry workshop
• Alex Sanchez – Young Adult Fiction workshop

Past faculty have included Claire Carmichael, Nicola Griffith, Ellen Bass, Bernard Cooper, Elana Dykewomon, Katherine V. Forrest, Rigoberto Gonzalez, Ellery Washington, Carla Trujillo, Eloise Klein Healy, Fenton Johnson, Michael Nava, D.A. Powell, and John Rechy, among others.

TUITION ($800): Covers workshops with faculty, all readings, lectures, and presentations by guest faculty.

ROOM & BOARD ($850): Housing and meals begin with dinner on Saturday, July 28, and conclude after breakfast on Saturday, August 4, 2012. Prices include three meals per day. We will make every effort to accommodate any dietary restrictions.

Rooms are double occupancy, air-conditioned with private bath. Single rooms are available on a limited basis and at an additional expense ($300). Scholarship recipients will have a roommate.

LOCATION: Founded in 1947, the American Jewish University (AJU) offers both undergraduate and graduate programs, including the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, the only independent rabbinical school west of the Mississippi. The Writers Retreat will take place in AJU’s state-of-the-art conference center and dormitories. The American Jewish University is a smoke-free environment. Wireless Internet is available throughout dormitories. Complete housing details will be provided upon acceptance.

TRANSPORTATION: You will be expected to provide your own transportation to Los Angeles and to the AJU campus. LLF will help facilitate ride-shares for those who arrive at the Los Angeles International airport (LAX) on Saturday, July 28 and leave on Saturday, August 4, 2012. If you drive, parking is available.

HOW TO APPLY: Complete the application form and submit 3 COPIES of all requested items by mail to:

Lambda Literary Foundation
Writers Retreat
5482 Wilshire Blvd. #1595
Los Angeles, CA 90036

KEY DATES IN 2012

April 16
All applications must be postmarked by or before April 16, 2012

June 1
Acceptances e-mailed on or before this date. Scholarship recipients are notified
Acceptance package includes full details on housing, transportation, & schedule

June 15
Nonrefundable deposit ($350) due

July 20
Final payment due

July 28
Writers Retreat begins

August 4
Writers Retreat ends

Download the 2012 Application (PDF) >>

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: admin@lambdaliterary.org

For submissions: Lambda Literary Foundation, Writers Retreat, 5482 Wilshire Blvd. #1595, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Website: http://www.lambdaliterary.org

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Free Queer Fiction Workshop at the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing (UK)

Date: 25 February 2012

Join Dr Carol Jones for this exciting day of talks, readings and discussion − a whistle-stop tour of the queerest fiction of the last one hundred years! Booking essential.

Date / time: Saturday 25th Feb, 11:00am

Venue: LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, Edinburgh EH3 6TE

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: Jules Barnes -0131 523 1104, jules@lgbthealth.org.uk

Website: http://lgbthealth.org.uk/

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A Queer Story: Author Reading and Writers' Workshop (Canada)

Deadline: 11 August 2011

Another Story Bookshop and Queer West Fest present an intimate evening of reading and writing with authors Farzana Doctor, Vivek Shraya, and Zoe Whittall

Thursday, August 11 at 7pm

Pay what you can. All proceeds go to the authors. Catering by Cardinal Rule

Farzana Doctor is a Toronto-based author and is the recipient of the Writers' Trust of Canada's prestigious Dayne Ogilvie Grant for an emerging gay Canadian author (2011). Her first novel, Stealing Nasreen, received critical acclaim and earned a devoted readership upon its release in 2007. She is currently touring her second book, Six Metres of Pavement (Dundurn 2011), which Publishers Weekly has praised as “..a paean to second chances.” In her spare time, she provides private practice consulting and psychotherapy services and is a co-curator of the Brockton Writers Series.

Vivek Shraya is a Toronto-based artist. Winner of the We Are Listening International Singer/Songwriter Award, Vivek has released albums ranging from acoustic folk-rock to electro synth pop, driven by powerful vocals, incisive lyrics, and tight pop hooks. God Loves Hair, his first collection of short stories, was a 2011 Lambda Literary Award finalist, won the Applied Arts Award for Illustration in 2010, and is currently being used as a textbook at several post-secondary institutions. Seeking Single White Male, his first short film, debuted in the fall of 2010, and is being screened at film festivals throughout 2011.

Zoe Whittall is the author of two literary novels - the Lambda award-winning Holding Still For As Long As Possible (House of Anansi, 09/10) and Bottle Rocket Hearts (Cormorant, 07) which was named a Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year, made the CBC Canada Reads Top Ten Essential Novels of the decade, translated into French and optioned for film. Holding Still for as Long as Possible was shortlisted for the Relit Award, and named an American Library Association Stonewall honor book. She has published one short novel for adults with low literacy skills called The Middle Ground (Orca Books, 2010.) She won the Writers' Trust of Canada's Dayne Ogilvie Award in 2008. Her poetry books include The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life (McG, 01) and The Emily Valentine Poems (Snare, 06) and Precordial Thump (Exile, 08). She edited the anthology Geeks, Misfits & Outlaws in 2003. She lives in Toronto.

Another Story Bookshop
315 Roncesvalles Avenue
Toronto, ON | M6R 2M6
tel: 416-462-1104

Contact Information:

Website: http://www.anotherstory.ca/

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"Writing for Our Lives" Writing Workshop at the Gay Community Center of Richmond

Dates: 27 July - 31 August 2011

Do you have a story to tell or words of wisdom to share? Save the date for our upcoming writing workshop, “Writing for OUR Lives” and get help putting your thoughts on paper or pixels. This six week seminar will be held on Wednesday nights from July 27 – August 31 from 7 pm – 9 pm.

This seminar will progress through readings of important LGBT figures of the 20th century in multiple genres (short stories, poetry, & essays) to an exploration of how the pages of our own lives might be written into the evolving (con)textual record of this diverse community. Participants should plan to produce a body of written work in the form of their choosing (3 to 6 poems; one story or essay) supported by in-class writing exercises and prompts as well as a series of peer workshops. This writing should respond in some way to the important themes being explored and discussed in the assigned reading as individual participants consider the diverse needs and desires that motivate us to reflect upon and share our unique life experiences. Ongoing revision and re-working of student drafts will, hopefully, yield publishable manuscripts. All skill levels welcome.

The cost for the seminar is $95. If you have questions or are interested in this workshop/seminar contact Randy Marshall at randymfa@hotmail.com or call him at his cell phone: 804-339-7578.

About Randy

Randy Marshall, earned his BA in Spanish from VCU in 1991 and his MFA in creative writing, also from VCU, in 1997. His poems, essays, and reviews have appeared in the Richmond Arts Magazine, GSU Review, Cream City Review, and Blackbird (an online journal of literature and the arts). Marshall was co-edited Larry Levis: The Gazer Within, which was published in 2001 by the University of Michigan Press as part of its Poets on Poetry series. Since 1999, he has been a featured contributor to Platform, a broadside published by New Virginia Review to promote Poetic Principles (an ongoing reading/lecture series that has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts). Selections of his poetry were finalists in the Frank O’Hara Award Chapbook Competitions for 2004 and 2005. He lives and works in Richmond and currently serves as a senior editor for Blackbird.

Wednesday evenings, July 27 – August 31 | GCCR Classroom | 7 pm – 9 pm | $95 for 6 Week Course. To register, contact Cindy Bray at Cindy.Bray@lgbtrichmond.net.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: randymfa@hotmail.com

For submissions: to register, email Cindy.Bray@lgbtrichmond.net

Website: http://www.gayrichmond.com

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Smudgy Notebook Gay City Writing Workshop (WA)

Date: 23 and 30 July 2011 (1-5pm)

Our lives are collections of short stories with characters, conflicts and plot points more riveting than the bestsellers in the supermarket check-out line. Unfortunately, many of us keep our stories quietly to ourselves. Not anymore! This 2-day writing workshop invites students to speak up, putting their stories down on paper in all their juicy detail. Participants will take the raw material of their pasts and - using fundamental literary tools like sensory details, narration and story structure - shape them into the powerful personal narratives where they were destined to be. All participants will have the opportunity to share and receive feedback on their work.

After completing her MFA in creative writing, Charity Burne spent several years teaching writing in New York City colleges. A professional writer and poet, her work has appeared in literary journals such as the Madison Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and West Branch. She is the poetry editor of the online literary journal Anderbo.com.

Cost: $25

No need to RSVP, just show up.

511 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122

For more information, please contact Susan Rees at (206) 388-1707 or susan@gaycity.org.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: susan@gaycity.org

Website: http://gaycity.org/

Educational Resource. Students earning an MFA do not keep their stories to themselves: www.mfadegree.net

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