Inqueery, LLC. 

​​​​​​​​​ADULT WORKSHOPS

Writing with Tarot and Oracle Cards

Sunday, March 22 from 11-1:30 PM

In-person at Petals and Pages Bookstore (register here)

Writers and diviners of all levels are invited into our genre-fluid workshop. Guided by archetypes, imagery, and intuition, we’ll take risks and explore innovative ways divination can empower our creative processes. Participants will leave with starts, deepenings, or drafts of 1-2 poems, scenes, essays, or journal entries and tips for designing custom spreads. Participants are welcome to bring personal divination cards or borrow some from the instructor.  

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The Intuitive Page: Crafting Characters with Tarot and Oracle Cards

6-7:30 PM MT March, 20th

Queer Creatives Meetup (register here)

In-person at Petals and Pages Bookstore

We often hope to gain creative freedom by trying to “‘silence” our inner critics, but this month in Queer Creatives, we’ll listen to what our inner voices are telling us! Working with images from Tarot and Oracle cards, we’ll craft and deepen our understanding of characters in our creative projects. In this generative, playful, hands‑on session, we’ll explore character strengths and relationships, introduce unlikely allies and accomplices, and practice intuitive storytelling. Creatives of all backgrounds are welcome in our genre‑fluid space as we take risks guided by archetypes, imagery, and intuition. Bring your own divination cards or borrow a deck from the instructor.

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6-Week Worldbuilding in Speculative Fiction​

New and seasoned Speculative Fiction writers are welcome in this generative workshop focused on creating immersive Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and supernatural worlds. Our goal is to center play, experimentation, and community as we work on a new short story, novel, or develop a work in progress.

Through low-pressure in-class and take-home world-building prompts and craft lessons, we’ll create multi-layered settings that will help us understand our character’s culture, motivation, and desire, craft magic and technology systems, write non-human perspectives, and bring the wild and weird to life. We will read Adult and Young Adult short and long Fiction from writers like, N.K. Jemisin, Jeff VanderMeer, Aidan Thomas, Haley Chewins, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Everyone will have the option to submit up to 1,000 words for verbal feedback from the instructor and fellow participants.

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Authenticity Matters: Sensitivity Readers in Writing and Publishing

Sensitivity Readers (also called authenticity, diversity, or targeted beta readers) use our lived experience to help writers of all genres create more authentic and respectful portrayals of marginalized identities and communities. Hiring a sensitivity reader can be a meaningful investment in your work. In this workshop, we will deepen our understanding of sensitivity reading as developmental editing beyond public relations and into the complex intersections of craft and activism. We will draw distinctions between sensitivity reading and censorship and address other misconceptions about the profession. We will reflect on our writing projects and identities through interactive exercises and discuss how to tell stories with intentionality and respect. Participants will leave with resources for finding readers appropriate for their works in progress and guidance for how to prepare for sensitivity reader services.

 

How To Start or Build Your Sensitivity Reader Business

This workshop is for folks with experiences and identities underrepresented in media who are interested in either becoming a sensitivity reader or for sensitivity readers interested in growing their business and building community. Sensitivity Readers use our lived experience to help writers of all genres create more authentic and respectful portrayals of marginalized identities and communities. Sensitivity Reading can be an accessible and financially lucrative field which emphasizes lived experience over formal or academic training. In this workshop, we will discuss working as a sensitivity reader from the ground up including determining rates, finding clients, and assessing project fit. We will cover client expectations and the ways we can customize our services. We will articulate clear boundaries in acknowledgement of the emotional and intellectual labor inherent in this work. We will expand the conversation beyond books into opportunities for projects across all forms of media. Participants will leave with an action plan for starting or building their business and a resource list. 

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It is Better to Speak: Authentic Voice in Workshops and Sensitivity Reading

Presented at [margins.] 2023 Conference in Denver Colorado, Co-presenter Joe Ponce

When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” ― Audre Lorde Marginalized writers often struggle to find their voice in the workshop and their place in the publishing industry. We will use antiracist workshop theory, Critical Race Theory, and personal narratives to explore how lived experience provides a unique perspective in writing workshops. Participants will also leave with insights into how to use your voice to create more authentic and respectful portrayals of marginalized people in media as a sensitivity reader.

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Collaborative Storytelling in Tabletop Role Playing Games

Presented at [margins.] 2024 Virtual Conference, Co-presenter Joe Ponce

Participants will learn about the diverse world of indie Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPG) and how when combined with consent-focused negotiation, this medium can foster inclusive collaborative storytelling. We will challenge the assumption that writing is a solitary form which centers individual artists working in isolation. We will draw on anti-racist workshopping principles and relationship consent-negotiation tactics to develop a toolkit for creating a kind and welcoming environment where people can express themselves and feel seen in a community. Participants will recognize that collaborative storytelling IS writing, learn about the usefulness of community agreements and practice establishing a consent-based container for play and creation. Ultimately, it is our hope that participants see the potential of TTRPGs as a joyful and empowering form of collaborative storytelling. 

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Map Making and Story Creation 

A map can be as broad as continents on a planet or as specific as the contents of a school locker. No matter their size, maps can help us expand and understand our character's worlds. We will look at a range of maps from books and other media and create three of our own maps using drawing shortcuts. Also, we'll share our maps and discuss what making maps teaches us about our story worlds, plots, and characters. Join us for a week of maps and new stories!

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Let's Make a Zine! 

Zines are DIY publications designed to celebrate underrepresented voices. They are as wonderfully diverse as their creators and often combine poetry, illustrations, short stories, essays, personal reflections, photographs and more. Together, we will explore the wonderfully weird world of zine making. We will learn about their roots in early fan-fiction and punk rock and look at a cornucopia’s worth of examples to get an idea of the endless style, layout, and content options. Most importantly, we will talk about how people with oppressed identities and less access to the publishing world tell their stories through zines. Throughout the week, students will create two or more zines of their own and gain the knowledge to keep making zines in the future!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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​​​​​​​​YOUTH WORKSHOPS AND SUMMER CAMPS

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​​4-Week Wild, Weird and Supernatural: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writing Club

Ages: 10-14

Let’s see how far our imaginations can take us! This workshop is for students interested in the speculative fiction umbrella, which includes science fiction, fantasy, supernatural, horror, dystopian fiction, and surrealism. Together we'll learn craft elements like building magic and technology systems, writing superhuman and non-human characters, and constructing compelling themes like identity, justice, love, and friendship. We'll use prompts designed to build atypical characters and create inventive worlds. We'll study stories from skilled and diverse writers and apply what we learn from them to our own writing. No matter where you are in the writing process, you'll leave each session with new tools and most importantly, words on the page.

 

Writing Studio: Dragons and Fantasy Creatures

Ages: 10+

From the heart of the mountain to the vastness of space; dragons are powerful creatures who capture our imaginations. Join us for a special session all about writing dragons and other magical and mythical creatures. Come read and talk about diverse representations of dragons from across the world. Practice writing non-human fantasy characters who can fly, breathe fire, control the elements, grant luck, and use other special abilities. Slip into the minds of friendly and malevolent monsters and imagine the world from their point of view. Participants will craft at least one magical poem, develop or begin writing a Fantasy novel or short story and will have time to share. Everyone who loves or is curious about magical creatures is welcome, no fantasy writing experience necessary!

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Summer Camps:

Half-Day Camp: Wild, Weird, And Supernatural - Sci-Fi and Fantasy Camp

Ages: 11-13 and Ages 14-18

Let’s see how far our imaginations can take us! This workshop is for writers interested in genres within the speculative fiction umbrella. Genres that ask “what if?” are all welcome including sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, horror, dystopian fiction, and surrealism. We'll play with prompts to help us build complex and atypical characters and invent fascinating new worlds. We'll also read stories from skilled and diverse writers and apply what we learn from them to our own writing. By week's end writers will complete one short story and/or multiple chapters of a novel-length piece in addition to some visual art.

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Full-Day Camp: Middle School Intensive Fiction

Characters are the heart of storytelling. In this intensive we will explore techniques to
develop our characters and their relationships. We will look at character identity,
personality, and emotion, discover how goals can increase tension, and experiment with
non-human and superhuman characters. Along the way we will focus on building
authentic and complex character relationships from friends to family to enemies with an
emphasis on shifting relationship dynamics. Ultimately, we will combine these tools to
create stories that hold a readers’ attention from page one to “the end”.
Students can choose to work on a new short story or novel or a work in progress. All
genres of fiction are welcome.