Queer Writers Workshop: Memoir Is an Act of Resistance
Cost: $395
Class Size Limit: 10
Depictions of queer and trans stories in mainstream media rarely capture the unique range of our personal journeys — especially at a time when our voices are silenced and the LGBTQ+ community is the target of renewed hate. In this guided, generative class, you’ll dive into telling your own queer, gender-diverse or trans story, honing the confidence and candor to write your story and assert your right to be here. This intimate workshop-based class is designed for writers who want to feel emboldened, confident and strong in their first-person storytelling, and to get constructive feedback and critiques from a supportive community of peers.
Instructor Claire Rudy Foster, a nonbinary trans author with lived experience as an out, visibly trans person, has authored memoir pieces for The New York Times, bestselling nonfiction books about human rights and an acclaimed short story collection. Each week, the class will read relevant material for inspiration, discuss the issues we face in telling our stories and review each other’s work. You’ll be a part of a collaborative and productive writing community, as each member of the class provides and receives feedback on their writing.
All students enrolling should have at least a rough draft of a personal essay (up to 2,500 words) ready to share by the class start date. This is a workshop-based class and all students are required to read and critique two peers’ essays each week.
This is the right class for you if…
You’ve started writing personal essays and/or a memoir manuscript.
You’re looking for a supportive space to workshop your writing and receive constructive feedback from an instructor and peers.
You’ve primarily focused on other types of writing in the past and are ready to start sharing your personal story.
After this class you’ll have…
All the tools you need to push forward with writing and publishing articles, personal essays and a book-length memoir about your experience.
This five-week workshop takes place on Sundays from 12 to 1:30pm ET. Class starts on June 1 and ends on June 29. All Narratively Academy classes are conducted online and accessible to students anywhere in the world. This class will be recorded and shared with all enrolled students in case there are specific sessions you have to miss, but live attendance and participation at a majority of the live sessions is required.
Instructor Bio: Claire Rudy Foster’s debut short story collection, Shine of the Ever, was named as one of the best LGBTQ+ books of the year by O, The Oprah Magazine and was a finalist for the Foreword Indie Awards. The book was selected for the ALA 2021 Over the Rainbow Fiction and Poetry Longlist. Foster’s essays, articles and fiction have appeared in many places, including The New York Times, Black Static, LitHub, Narratively, Mic and Catapult. Their writing has been recognized with four Pushcart Prize nominations. Foster is the co-writer of the bestselling nonfiction book Unsettled: How the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Failed the Victims of the American Overdose Crisis, which was named the “best bankruptcy book in the world,” and one of Ralph Nader’s top picks of the year.
“I felt at ease immediately in Foster’s class. The piece I wrote for the class is now published. I now feel more confident about owning my story.” —Former student
More From This Instructor:
Registration Details: Seats in this class are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Prior to the start of your class you’ll receive an invitation to access the virtual classroom and view all class materials.
Cancellation Policy:
Full refund when canceling 7 or more days before the class start date.
50% refund when canceling less than 7 days before the class start date.
No cancellations after the class start date.
Questions? Email us at academy@narratively.com.
More: Check out all of our Narratively Academy online writing classes here.