There are innumerable kinds of queer love stories. Some are romantic, of course, but some are about friendships, family bonds, or intergenerational connections. They all need to be shared.
This workshop will help you find both the point of view and the genre for the queer love story that only you can tell. We’ll begin by reading work from foundational queer authors like Audre Lorde, Edmund White, and Dorothy Allison. Then we’ll use a writing prompt to get you started on a queer love story of your own. We’ll end the day with personalized feedback on the draft you write in the room.
You’ll leave the class with the beginnings of a great story. You’ll also have an opportunity to pitch your idea for an upcoming edition of The Queer Love Project, a platform that features an online magazine, a print quarterly, and a podcast. No matter how you identify, you are encouraged to attend this workshop. This is the perfect time to share your perspective on queer love.
Jerry Portwood (he, him) has been working as a journalist for 25 years, getting his start in alt weeklies and community publications—most of which no longer exist. His short stories and essays have been published in various print and online journals (many of those also have vanished). He launched The Queer Love Project to create a platform where LGBTQ+ people could share stories and experiences. He’s been a top editor at Rolling Stone, Out magazine and New York Press and has been teaching essay writing and arts criticism at the New School for over 10 years. He has a novel, The Loneliest Boy in the World Saves Us All, that he’s working on publishing soon.
Mark Blankenship has been a journalist and critic for almost 25 years, specializing in theater, pop culture, and food. He’s contributed to The New York Times, Variety, NPR, and many others and he recently wrote official souvenir books for the Broadway shows Ragtime, Gypsy, and Oh, Mary!. Currently, he is the Nashville Bureau Chief at The Food Section, an award-winning magazine about Southern food and culture, and a lecturer in the Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism program at Yale’s David Geffen School of Drama. Mark has appeared on two game shows: Jeopardy! (where he didn’t win) and Name That Tune (where he did). BlankenshipProjects.com
Jerry and Mark are new to The Porch. Welcome!
