The purpose of this course is to help Black lesbian and queer women of color writers generate ideas for fiction writing, including long and short form stories. Writers will read and discuss at least two stories, as well as spend time generating ideas from writing prompts. Students will engage in at least one live workshop, and submit drafts of their story ideas for feedback.
What can our Black lesbian literary foremothers' writing reveal to us about the importance of creating stories that reflect the material reality of our lives? How can we avoid stereotypes and tired tropes in our work? Let me show you.
Your Instructor
Stephanie Andrea Allen, Ph.D., is a native southerner, writer, scholar, and educator. In 2014, she founded BLF Press, and recently co-founded the Black Lesbian Literary Collective. She co-edited Lez Talk: A Collection of Black Lesbian Short Fiction (BLF Press 2016), and Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color (BLF Press 2017). Her debut collection of short fiction and essays, A Failure to Communicate, was released on January 10, 2017. Her other writing credits include a book chapter on race and representation in the work of Tyler Perry, and scholarly articles on the topics of race, identity, and sexuality.
Stephanie holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from Purdue University, an M.A. in English from Auburn University, and a B.A. in English from Columbus State University. Her scholarship examines the marginalization of Black lesbian cultural productions and the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality that contribute to the invisibility of Black lesbians in popular and literary culture. She has been teaching writing and literature for over thirteen years.