Mission
Statement
Queerative Writers' guiding philosophy: The world needs more queer stories! It’s impossible for any one queer story to stand in for every queer experience. This is why storytelling matters, and queer writers need a space to cultivate their talents and tell their stories.
Writing is a process of discovery. Everyone has a story, a unique, distinct voice waiting to be unearthed and shared with the world. It might take some time for one to discover how to find and tell their story, and Queerative Writers acts as a vehicle through which writers can explore the infinite possibilities that exist within the realms of their storytelling. Writing is also an inherently vulnerable act; sharing intimate stories is a show of bravery, and can sometimes feel raw. Opening oneself up to critique can be difficult. Queerative Writers is an encouraging safe space for aspiring writers to explore honesty and earnestness within their stories. Through encouragement, positive reinforcement, patience, and a lot of fun, our goal is to leave all writers better than we found them, with the tools needed to jumpstart their writing journeys.
Queerative Writers is a full-service author mentorship site that offers expert book coaching for writers at all levers, comprehensive editorial services for writers at all stages of the writing, querying, and publishing processes, sensitivity reads, and virtual workshop series taught by published authors of all backgrounds and genres for LGBTQ+ writers.
Write. Discover. Create. Explore.
If writing is a process of discovery, then what are you waiting for? Unleash your creativity.
Everyone has a story, a unique, distinct voice waiting to be unearthed and shared with the world. It might take some time for one to discover how to find and tell their story, and Queerative Writers acts as a vehicle through which writers can explore the infinite possibilities that exist within the realms of their storytelling.
Writing is also an inherently vulnerable act; sharing intimate stories is a show of bravery, and can sometimes feel raw. Opening oneself up to critique can be difficult.
Queerative Writers is an encouraging safe space for aspiring writers to explore honesty and earnestness within their stories.
Through encouragement, positive reinforcement, patience, and a lot of fun, our goal is to leave all writers better than we found them, with the tools needed to jumpstart their writing journeys.
Steven Salvatore studied undergraduate writing at Ithaca College before receiving their MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children from The New School. Formerly a full-time Assistant Professor of Composition and Director of the Writing Center at The College of New Rochelle (CNR), they oversaw the Freshman Writing Program, the writing center, and taught creative writing, literature, and academic writing. After CNR officially ceased academic operations in August of 2019, they began teaching part time.
As an educator, Steven is passionate about progressive activism on and off campus and advocating for young people. With over eleven years of experience in the education system, they know firsthand that access to the arts is limited and geared solely toward wealthy, straight, white, cisgender folks. Queerative Writers is a virtual writing workshop series that focuses on outreach to the LGBTQ community and fostering a creative safe space for queer writers of all backgrounds: Queer writing courses taught by established and traditionally published queer authors for queer writers.
Steven takes a holistic, individualized approach in assessing and understanding each student’s skills and backgrounds. Composition Theorist Donald M. Murray wrote: “What [students] do require is a teacher who will respect and respond to his student, not for what they have done, but for what they may do; not for what they have produced, but for what they may produce, if they are given an opportunity to see writing as a process, not a product.” The process, focusing on story and purpose allows students to see beyond conventions taught in traditional academic settings, which may be inaccessible to many, and instead encourages students to harness their voices, and tell their own stories.
Because your story matters.
Ideally, once we’re profitable, the goal is to create scholarships for those who don't have access, as well as to hold in-person writing retreats throughout the United States (and beyond!) Both of these potential offers would give aspiring writers all of backgrounds access to authors and new learning opportunities.
Who We Are, Where We're Going
Books by Steven Salvatore
No Perfect Places: A Novel
From lauded author Steven Salvatore comes a moving YA novel about twins whose incarcerated father dies and leaves behind a life-changing secret, perfect for fans of I'll Give You the Sun and Euphoria. No Perfect Places is a thought-provoking novel about grief, family secrets, and figuring out how to belong against the odds.
Publishes from Bloomsbury YA May 30, 2023
And They Lived...
From the author of Can't Take That Away comes a sex-positive, college-set, fairytale-inspired YA novel that celebrates first love and self-acceptance, perfect for fans of What If It's Us.
Can't Take That Away
An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.
