Welcome to Michael Stoneburner’s Writing Workshop. I’m a Non-Binary (They/Them) gay author currently living in Sydney, Australia. I was born in America, though, more specifically Phoenix, Arizona, but most of my life I lived in Michigan. I’ve written a couple of books about it and still working on the third and final book: He Was A Boy Who Smiled. I’ve written a Short Story Anthology: Shorts and recently released my first book of a fantasy trilogy, Silver, where I have a gay main character. (Spoilers: There will also be a variety of other LBGT+ characters throughout the series!)

This is a safe space. No hate. This is not a space to see if you’ll approve of LBGT+ or a place to tell me why you don’t approve. Being an ally is important. Being a positive community member not only improves your life but others around you.

This workshop is exploring the importance of having your Own Voice. Sometimes that voice can be loud. I’ve found for my, it’s the quiet voice still. Find the quiet voice. It’s the one that compliments you. Loves you. Supports you. It usually comes with love and compassion. Repeat that voice when you hear it. Make it loud. Be proud of it. After all, June is pride month.

To write in our own voices, sometimes we have to filter out the noise so when writing I think it’s important to get rid of any Mental Constipation. Dump that load. That’s right. I said what I said. Take 10 minutes, no more than 20 minutes, to write down everything you’re thinking about. It can be anything. It could be about the breakfast you ate. It could be about the absurdity of me calling it Mental Constipation and the audacity of following it up with the word Dump. It could be something you’re anxious about. Scared. Happy. Angry. It could be all of this and more. It doesn’t matter. Don’t overthink it. Just write.

I want us to explore your own voice for a moment. I have no idea who you are. In fact, right now, you know more about me than I do you. This can really be a vulnerable place and that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong about being vulnerable. In fact, to be willingly vulnerable, you need to be brave and strong. So tell me about your Own Voice. Describe it to me. (Hint: You’ll end up describing yourself (not physically, but what you think and feel and believe). Has there ever been a time in your life where your voice was silenced? Tell me about that. Take about 20 minutes, no more than 30. This is where you can really think about it and hopefully be free of that Mental Constipation. Yep, I said it again.

Now that you’ve opened your mind and explored your own voice, what does that voice what to write about? What’s your stories? Are they short, long, poetic? This is your time to shine and really show the world what you’ve got inside of you. Be brave and be strong. And notice at no point have I said check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. In fact, DON’T. Just write.