QUEER THE PAGE.STYLE MIRRORS CONTENT.SAT 22 NOVEMBER, 1-3 PM. QUAKERS, L1 3BT
Details
OUR REGULAR FOURTH SATURDAY OF THE MONTH WRITING GROUP
(NB NO MEET DECEMBER)
WORKSHOP ON WRITING QUEERLY/OTHERWISE IN A STYLE THAT MIRRORS CONTENT. BY STEVEN BENSON
## A MERSEYSIDE LGBTQ(18+)SAFER-SPACE LGBTQ (18+) Group: for writers at ANY stage/any genre: beginners to advanced.
*THIS GROUP IS TRANS-AFFIRMATIVE. ANY GENDER-CRITICAL VIEWS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.*
*LGBTQ(18+) writers ONLY.*.
PLEASE NOTE: it can be a bit nerve-wracking to attend a group for the first time; but we are very friendly:)
*The group is suitable/welcoming to LGBTQ(18+) people who have just come out/just arrived in the area(as well as regular attenders!)*
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ALL LGBTQ(18+)-identifying writers (any genre) welcome; new writers, via intermediate, to experienced:)
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THIS MONTH
Our facilitator is the published writer(in various anthologies), and author of " The Gaiety Symphony":Steven Benson.
STRUCTURE OF THE MEETING
FOR PART ONE(PREPARED WRITING):
Please prepare a short (reading time= 2 minutes ish) piece on CONTENT/THEME:="MEMORY",eg. childhood memories generally, coming out as lgbtq, any life-stage(memoir/autobiog/auto-fiction); OR memory of an incident in a character's life; or, it may be a poem; or hybrid genre.
WRITE IN A STYLE (eg formal/INformal poetry, prose, hybrid prose-poetry, dialogue) you are already (fairly) comfortable in
This can be read out in the first part of the meet(but NO PRESSURE to read if you are new!).
This prepared writing will be the catalyst for the workshop in PART TWO: so pease try and write something, to work on in Part 2.
SHORT BREAK
PART TWO:
WORKSHOP
Steve will provide verbal and visual PROMPTS; and you will also have your Part One piece to develop!
THE PREMISE OF THE WORKSHOP:
Things to think about: Life is complex, and, sometimes, eg if you are lgbtq, involves resistance to, mediation of "norms".
This may be reflected in writing which is non-linear/unconventional : eg. a thought-WITHIN -a-thought could be in ordinary, curly or square brackets; or in a long sub-clause: OR you could write one long winding(literarily and/or metaphorically!) sentence; you could mash/mix up your genres in the same piece; go off on tangents; add footnotes....
OR you could write in a FORM you are not usually comfortable with (eg prose instead of poetry/dialogue).
Steve will give loads of examples; and feedback (plus group feedback; see feedback model later in post)
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VENUE:
QUAKER (FRIENDS') MEETING HOUSE),22 SCHOOL LANE,Liverpool L1 3BT.
Pls read directions section.
*WE MEET BETWEEN 12.45 AND 1 PM, in the FOYER of the Friends Meeting House(entrance School Lane)*
ONE OF OUR HOSTS/FACILITATORS(see our profile pics at the top of the RSVP list) WILL BE IN THE FOYER TO GREET YOU:)
NB If you arrive after 1 pm , ask their Receptionist what room we are in, and knock on the door!
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COST:
£5 PER ATTENDEE: covers room rental cost;no profit is made;we are wholly unfunded.
*Payable to STEVE at start of the event, preferably CASH; but a bank transfer is fine too; Steve will give his bank details on the day*
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OUR GROUP'S FEEDBACK MODEL:
CONSTRUCTIVE, DEVELOPMENTAL FEEDBACK.
so ENCOURAGEMENT; but ALSO, the way FORWARD for your peer writers, eg "you could DEVELOP a character /image further, perhaps".
YOU can also request the kind of feedback(or NO feedback) you want!
PLEASE REMEMBER ALL CRITIQUE/FEEDBACK IS SUBJECTIVE; and that writing is a very subjective and personal thing.
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*OUR GROUP'S TRIGGER WARNING SUBJECTS:
ANY sexual or physical abuse.
LARGE amounts of violence generally
ANY references to suicide,including THOUGHTS of suicide(ideation)
ANY references to self-harm.*
PLEASE INFORM STEVE IF YOUR WRITING CONTAINS ANY OF THE ABOVE, AND A BRIEF CONTENT-INDICATOR; then you can leave the room-temporarily- and one of the hosts will come and get you after the particular reading is ended.
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FACILITIES:
We can use one of the venue's kitchens(there is one on each floor;some rooms have one attached!)
Coffee(instant)/tea/milk(cows only) and sugar is also provided by our regulars:)
Venue kitchen has crockery cups cutlery.
U can bring take -out drinks and food.
If you want NON-cows milk, please bring ur own(there is a fridge)
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ACCESSIBILITY AND TOILETS:
THE VENUE IS COMPLETELY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE: lift 2 all floors, room for wheelchairs in all rooms
THERE ARE TWO SELF-CONTAINED TOILETS-FOR-ALL in the building
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LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING NEWCOMERS AND REGULARS:)