The Inqueery Story
Workshops
I facilitate professional workshops about becoming a sensitivity reader and how to work with sensitivity readers and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility workshops for businesses, organizations, and individuals. I also teach writing workshops for youth and adults. Register for upcoming workshops below!
SENSITIVITY READING WORKSHOPS
The (W)rites of Passage Guest Author Workshop Series
AUTHENTICITY MATTERS:
THE ROLE OF SENSITIVITY READERS IN WRITING AND PUBLISHING
April 29th, 2023 | 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. MST on Zoom
Sensitivity Readers (also called authenticity, diversity, or targeted beta readers) use their lived experiences to help writers of all genres create more authentic and respectful portrayals of marginalized identities and communities. When done well, hiring a sensitivity reader can be a meaningful investment in underrepresented communities. In this workshop, we will deepen our understanding of sensitivity reading 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 projects and identities through exercises and discuss the importance of telling stories with intentionality and respect. Participants will leave with strategies for finding readers appropriate for their works in progress and guidance for how to prepare for sensitivity reader services.
Cost: $60-$90 sliding scale (please email us at writesofpassage13@gmail.com to register)
ACTIVISM FOR INTROVERTS?
A CONVERSATION ABOUT BECOMING A SENSITIVITY READER
May 6th, 2023 | 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. MST on Zoom
Sensitivity Reading can be an accessible and financially lucrative field which emphasizes lived experience over formal or academic training. Further, it presents a rare opportunity to get paid to help create more authentic media through the lens of underrepresented experiences. However, there are few places to learn how to get started or to discuss challenges and build community.
In this workshop, we will discuss sensitivity reading from the ground up including how to determine rates, where to find clients, and how to assess a project fit. We will cover client expectations and the ways you can customize your services. We will emphasize the emotional and intellectual labor inherent in the work and the necessity of establishing clear boundaries. We will reflect on ways sensitivity reading can help create more diverse stories while investing in the lives of marginalized communities. We will expand the conversation beyond books into opportunities for projects across all forms of media. Along the way, we will cover some of the challenges you may face as a sensitivity reader and how to protect yourself in vulnerable situations. Participants will leave with knowledge of how to get started in the field, a resource list, and direction for completing projects.
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 learning more about the industry. Participants must have attended the previous workshop, Authenticity Matters: The Role of Sensitivity Readers in Writing and Publishing.
Cost: $30-$60 sliding scale in addition to the price of the first workshop, Authenticity Matters (please email us at writesofpassage13@gmail.com to register)
WRITING WORKSHOPS
In addition to Sensitivity / Authenticity Reading, I facilitate writing workshops for youth and adults hosted through Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, CO. Keep reading for information about upcoming online and in-person workshops.
Writerships are available and no youth will be turned away for lack of funds. You can apply for funds on the registration page.
Wild, Weird and Supernatural: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writing Club
Dates: First four Mondays each month
Time: 5:00pm - 6:30pm Mountain Time
Location: Online (Zoom)
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 master writers and apply their ideas to our own writing. No matter where you are in the writing process, you'll leave each session with new insights and most importantly, words on the page.
Register for monthly sessions using the links below:
Summer Camps:
Half-Day Camp: Wild, Weird, And Supernatural - Sci-Fi and Fantasy Camp
Dates: Monday, June 26, 2023 - Friday, June 30, 2023
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm Mountain Time
Location: Denver, Colorado
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. Throughout the week, we'll play with prompts designed 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. Students will complete one short story and/or multiple chapters of a novel-length piece in addition to some visual art.This camp is designed to be a supportive space for young writers to build community and sharpen their writing practice. No matter where we are in our writing process, we’ll leave each session with new tools and inspiration to enhance our work and most importantly, words on the page.
Half-Day Camp: Wild, Weird, And Supernatural - Sci-Fi and Fantasy Camp
Dates: Monday, July 10, 2023 - Friday, July 14, 2023
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm Mountain Time
Location: Denver, Colorado
SAMPLE OF PAST WORKSHOPS
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.
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!
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!