First dispatch from 2010 Writers’ Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices

Author: Tony Valenzuela

August 10, 2010

Dear Friends,
When the attendees and Faculty arrived the first evening, they all got together to introduce themselves to the large group. Each answered the question “Why am I here?” I jotted down some notes as they spoke.

“To find community.”
“This is a time/space to write.”
“So that I don’t have to explain myself”
“This is queer time”
“To get feedback”
“For gay writers’ camp!”
“Because writers have something to say”
“To work on craft”
“Because I love to teach”
“Queer writers have to be so much better than everyone else.”
“Writing is lonely. This is not!”
“To finish my book!”
“Because writing is a rush.”
“To reaffirm the power of LGBT literature.”

Come back for more updates, photos and video in the coming days and weeks!

Tony Valenzuela
Executive Director