On March 28th and 29th, join writer Jan Becker‘s bootcamp for queer writers, an intensive prompt-driven poetry and flash non-fiction workshop. (The term boot camp may sound intimidating, but the only real order is, “permission to write freely.”)

This two-day workshop is designed to free writers from their individual closets and get their words down on the page. The fast-paced writing prompts will help disengage writers from the nagging, negative voice that plagues and prevents us from accessing what poet Maria Mazziotti-Gillan calls “the wise person who lives within our bellies.”

Workshop participants will need to provide their own writing instruments and paper.

Join us Sunday after the workshop at the Hotel Gaythering Bar for cocktails and to read from your work.

“Part of the aim of Reading Queer is for everyone to get in touch with their own queer identity,” says Jan. “Even if it just means you feel you’ve been left out. No one gets left out. You can also just do one session if the two together is too much. I identify as queer because I grew up closeted about the abuse in my home. So I guess another way of looking at it is if you feel you’ve ever had to closet an aspect of your identity, you’re queer. And if you haven’t but like queerfolk, then you’re queer too. (Methinks you are queer as fuck, MJ). Hey, is the person [in the photo] wearing combat boots?” (He’s ready to get his bootcamp on!)

All writers–regardless of sexual orientation, writing experience, or how many push ups you can do–are welcome.

Materials: Participants will need a pen and paper to write on. Combat boots are optional.

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, March 28th and 29th from 2 pm – 5 pm.

WHERE: The LIBRARY of Hotel Gaythering, 1409 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida, FL 33139. Street parking or parking available at the Lincoln Road Garage on 17th Street between Meridian Avenue and Euclid Avenue.

Jan Becker is an MFA candidate at Florida International University. Her writing has appeared in Sliver of Stone, The Florida Book Review, The Circus Book, Brevity Poetry Review, and Emerge. She is a regular contributor to Selfies in Ink, an online writing and art project.