Milo Todd firmly believes in creating learning environments where queer and/or intersectionally marginalized students feel safe sharing their work, feedback, worries, and goals. The publishing world is a difficult place at the best of times, starting with the individual workshop experience, and he believes information and community support can break down gatekeeping and help queer writers succeed in their goals.
Milo’s classes are places where students will be treated with respect, and he welcomes individuals of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, races, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, national origins, religious affiliations, sexual orientations, abilities—and other visible and nonvisible differences. All students of his classes are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment for every other member of the class. Disrespectful language or behavior toward any of the above groups will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the remainder of the course without refund.
Upcoming Classes:
QueerNoWriMo
8 Wednesdays starting June 7th, 2023 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm ET
Virtual via Zoom | 4 students maximum
Sliding scale: $2,500/$3,000/$3,500
Register for this class through my website.
This high-intensity course for 4 queer novelists provides two full reads of each student’s novel. Meet for 90 minutes once a week in June for workshopping, take July “off” to edit your work, and return in August to workshop your new draft. Workshops are non-silencing and will include at least 2 pages of written feedback per student. Due to the size and nature of this course, each student must show up to every class, must actively participate in both verbal and written feedback, must have workshop experience, must have a polished draft, and must have a novel shorter than 120,000 words. Class dates are: 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, and 8/23.
*This course is only available to LGBTQ+ writers.
History Reclaimed: Facts and Fictions
Friday, June 30th, 2023 from 10:30am to 1:30pm ET
Virtual via Zoom | 12 seat maximum
$85, scholarships available
Register for this session at GrubStreet.
The people who lived before us have made each of us who we are today. There can be a great pull to portray these lives and moments of history in fictional narrative. But what if an historical fact wrecks the plot we’ve concocted? What do we do if one’s lived experience messes with the purposes and points we want our story to make? How do we portray the history of marginalized communities when so much of it has been forsaken, co-opted, or destroyed? Using examples from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jordy Rosenberg, Doug Wright, Rebecca Makkai, and more, we’ll look at how to honor facts, forsake facts, and even turn history completely on its head—all while respecting the people who lived these lives. Students will walk away with a stronger knowledge of mindful research and plotting, pitfalls to avoid, and how to turn barriers of accuracy into deeply impactful moments.
We’ll look at the fictionalized representations of such people and events as Eliza Hamilton, Phillip DeVine, Brandon Teena, Dr. Alan L. Hart, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, “Honest Jack” Sheppard, Mark Read(e), the Underground Railroad, the AIDS epidemic, and the Stonewall Uprising.
*This class is open to all identities.
Novel Writing Workshop for Queer, Trans, and/or Nonbinary Writers
8 Mondays starting July 10th, 2023 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm ET
Virtual via Zoom | 12 students maximum
$530, scholarships available
Register for this class at GrubStreet.
This class is for queer, trans, and/or nonbinary novelists who have taken advanced workshops before, are well versed in matters of craft, and who have already made some progress on a first draft. Many queer, trans, and/or nonbinary writers may have experienced workshops in the past that were silencing, unhelpful, or damaging when being workshopped by a predominantly cisgender/heterosexual writing group, however well-intentioned the group may have been. This particular workshop course is designed to help create a more intimate and relatable space for queer, trans, and/or nonbinary writers to give and receive feedback on their works in progress, while also generating new material.
The goals of this course are to workshop at least 15 pages in eight weeks—minimum, depending on class size—as well as to identify and brainstorm any shortcomings in craft areas such as characterization, point of view, structure, plot, and scenes. Each class will include workshopping two students, with the final hour dedicated to accountability and generating new material. Feedback will be delivered using the novel-in-progress method: reading your pages (up to 15 pages, double-spaced, 12pt font) aloud in class at least once in the course—again minimum, dependent on class size—and receiving on-the-spot, non-silencing feedback from your fellow novelists and instructor.
*This class is intended for writers who identify as queer, trans, and/or nonbinary only. While novels that deal with queer, trans, and/or nonbinary themes are certainly welcome, they’re not required for this class.
*Previous students of this course are welcome to return and continue workshopping their pages.
Non-Toxic Masculinity in Fiction
Friday, July 14th, 2023 from 10:30am to 1:30pm ET
Virtual via Zoom | 12 seat maximum
$85, scholarships available
Register for this session at GrubStreet.
It’d be an understatement to say that mass media is riddled with harmful depictions of masculinity. To help turn the tide of damaging morals and inappropriate role models, we must not only understand the patterns of toxicity that are presented at large, but how we can better portray masculine-identified characters. It’s possible to create male characters that are neither damaging nor lifeless.
In this 3-hour class, we’ll engage in writing exercises and discussions to help us better pinpoint toxic versus non-toxic portrayals of masculinity—including sex, consent, violence, and humor—and look at non-toxic examples in both written and visual media from such fiction writers (and directors) as Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Kacen Callender, Barry Jenkins, Akwaeke Emezi, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, Daniel Kwan, and more. With this approach, we’ll learn how to create engaging, complex, and even messy male characters that are simultaneously helpful to society and the masculine identity.
*This class is open to all identities.
Past Classes:
Writing Group: Accountability Cafe for Queer, Trans, and/or Nonbinary Writers (6 Weeks)
May 2023
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane: The Basics (3 Hours)
April 2023
GrubStreet
Writing Messy Queer Characters (3 Hours)
April 2023
GrubStreet
Queer Writing Essentials (3 Hours)
April 2023
GrubStreet
Writing Group: Accountability Cafe for Queer, Trans, and/or Nonbinary Writers (6 Weeks)
March 2023
GrubStreet
Queery-ing: Navigating Agents and Publishers While Queer (3 Hours)
February 2023
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane: The Basics (3 Hours)
December 2022
GrubStreet
Queery-ing: Navigating Agents and Publishers While Queer (2 Hours)
December 2022
Independent
Effective Social Justice Storytelling (1 Hour)
November 2022
Independent
Inviting In Outside Readers (1 Hour)
November 2022
Independent
Writing Messy Queer Characters (3 Hours)
October 2022
GrubStreet
Jumpstart Your Novel (6 Weeks)
October 2022
GrubStreet
Writing Messy Queer Characters (3 Hours)
July 2022
GrubStreet
What Literary Journals Want You to Know (3 Hours)
June 2022
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane: The Basics (3 Hours)
May 2022
GrubStreet
Writing Transgender and Nonbinary Characters (90 Minutes)
April 2022
Clarion West
Writing Messy Queer Characters (2 Weeks)
March 2022
Lambda Literary
Novel Writing Workshop for Queer, Trans, and/or Nonbinary Writers (10 Weeks)
January 2022
GrubStreet
What Literary Journals Want You to Know (3 Hours)
November 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane: The Basics (3 Hours)
November 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Messy Queer Characters (3 Hours)
October 2021
GrubStreet
Novel Writing Workshop for Queer, Trans, and/or Nonbinary Writers (8 Weeks)
September 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane Series: Novel Writing Workshop (6 Weeks)
July 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane Series: The Basics (3 Hours)
July 2021
GrubStreet
Genre-Queer (4 Weeks)
May 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane Series: The Basics (3 Hours)
March 2021
GrubStreet
What Literary Journals Want You to Know (3 Hours)
March 2021
GrubStreet
Advanced Novel Workshop (10 Weeks)
January – March 2021
GrubStreet
Jumpstart Your Novel (6 Weeks)
January – February 2021
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane Series: The Basics (3 Hours)
December 2020
GrubStreet
Writing Outside of Your Lane Series: The Basics (3 Hours)
September 2020
GrubStreet
Jumpstart Your Novel (6 Weeks)
June – August 2020
GrubStreet
For Instructors: Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusion in the Writing Workshop (3 Hours)
October 2019
GrubStreet
Write on Fire: Turning Anger into Art (3 Hours)
September 2019
GrubStreet
Transgender Character Bootcamp (8 Hours)
July 2019
GrubStreet