Calling All Queer Writers

Last Updated on June 5, 2023 by ThoughtsStained

Hello, loves! It’s June 1st, so we know what that means: IT’S PRIDE MONTH. 🏳‍🌈 As an openly out cis bisexual woman, discovering my sexuality was a slow journey. It was also complicated, as I realized I was bi while dating my partner (who is a cis straight man), due to falling in love with a video game character. (Hello, Kassandra.) Yet, embracing this part of me has made so much sense of so many “signs” I’d missed throughout my life. I absolutely love embracing who I am in this way. Now, it’s part of almost every aspect of my life. So, today, I’m sending out a call to all queer writers: a call for affirmation, a call for connection and a chance for extra support!

This post is for you. 🖤

A Few Affirmations

Right now, it’s not easy to be openly queer, particularly in America. Especially if you’re trans. We go into Pride this year not just with celebration, but with trepidation, fear and anger. As queer writers, our stories are being attacked, our books banned and our identities policed.

In light of all of that, I wanted to share a few reminders today.

1. Your queerness is valid. No one can tell you you aren’t queer enough. There is no checklist, no access pass, no special card. Only you can know what your queerness is like.
2. I‘m happy you’re still here. Mental health is hard to take care of in the best of circumstances. If you’re queer, it’s getting harder. Still being here, whether out or not, is an act of resistance. I’m proud of you. And I’m glad you’re here.
3. You do not have to out yourself for the sake of publishing. Remember when publishing started to use our queerness as a marketing tool? Or when it expected authors to out ourselves, in order to be “allowed” to tell our stories? How about when they assumed every queer experience was a monolith and limited the number of authors who could write about it? Fuck all that noise.
4. Your stories deserve to be told. No matter what, always remember this: your stories matter. Your perspective matters. Don’t be afraid to be weird with your stories. Take risks. Push the boundaries of what you were told was “acceptable”. Tell the stories of your heart, with queer characters at the center, in queernorm worlds, writing the range of our experiences, from pure joy to tragedy. You deserve it.
5. Readers will call you their favorite author one day. They ban our books because they fear us and the power we hold. You do hold power. Never forget that.

I know it’s hard. The world has not made our lives easy. Especially the more intersectional your identity is, the harder our society has tried to control your life, take away your rights, or erase it entirely. You deserve better. We all do.

I love you. And I’m glad you’re still here, despite it all. I can’t wait to read your stories, one day.

A Call For Connection

As a queer writer, I’m always looking for other queer writers to connect with! I’m not always the best with staying connected, to be honest! So, I wanted to be upfront about that. Especially since I’ve been battling a depression more intense than I realized for the past, ah, few years, that I’m only now starting to take steps to address.

BUT.

I’d love to try and connect with–and support–more queer writers. So, feel free to follow me on Twitter or Instagram or via this blog! I’d really, really love to not only have more queer stories to read, but more queer writers to support. I want to share your stuff! To cheerlead when things feel hard. Remind you that you got this! Also, feel free to plug your socials in the comments of this post, too!

So please, pretty please? Let’s be friends? 🥺

If you’d like to support me as a queer writer (special call to action to all allies here!), you can follow me on those platforms aforementioned, but you can also support me through: Patreon (with tiers starting at $2 a month), signing up for my newsletter or sharing my editorial services!

Speaking of…

A Special Offer

As a queer writer AND editor, making sure to help break barriers in publishing for fellow queer writers is super important to me. That’s why, last month, I announced that, going forward, all queer writers will receive 10% off any full manuscript edit, forever and always, for all books they write and work with me on.

But, since it’s Pride, we can do better than that.

So, for the month of June 2023, if you book a full manuscript edit with me, you’ll receive 20% off your full edit. 🎉

A few finer details:

• Full manuscript means you can choose between three services: a developmental edit (what I’m best at!), line edit or proofreading.
• You’ll book in June and pay a down payment to secure your spot, but our actual edit can be anytime between now and May 2024. That way, I can be as available for as many queer writers as possible!
• Even with this discount, you can still take advantage of my payment plans!

As always, I will never ask you to disclose or prove how you’re queer (nor will I share it). Simply tell me you’d like to take advantage of my pride month discount and I’ll take it at your word!

In Sum

This post was a blend of affirming queer writers, self-promotion and announcing my editorial discount in honor of Pride Month! Frankly, it was a bit of a hodgepodge, so thanks for reading it. I really hope it’ll help me connect with more queer writers and even work with some to bring more queer books into the world.

Regardless, always remember, every month, not just Pride: your stories matter. You matter. Please, never forget it.

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