Begins Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Tuesdays, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET

Now Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Bio

Instructor Syr Hayati Beker (they/them) is a writer and experience creator in search of the queer love language of climate change. Their BSFA-longlisted novella in mutated fairy tales, What A Fish Looks Like, was praised by Kate Folk as "fearlessly innovative… shattering the boundaries of climate fiction," and by Natalia Theodoridou as "unexpected and brilliant – a deeply queer and riotously joyful lament." Syr is the co-founder of Queer Cat Productions, an immersive theater company, and The Escapery Collective. Their work appears in Foglifter, Joyland, Fairy Tale Review, F(r)iction, Michigan Quarterly Review, Spunk, Gigantic Sequins, Home is Where You Queer Your Heart (Foglifter Press, 2021), and in theaters, pirate ships, galleries, and queer bars near you.

Meet the Teaching Artist: 

On Writing From Fairy Tales with Syr Beker

Who is this class for?

This is an all-levels, all-genres creative writing workshop, and fairy tales belong to all of us. Whether you're a novelist deep in a draft, a poet, a short story writer, a nonfiction writer, a game writer, a visual artist, or simply ready to explore, you're welcome here. No prior experience is required — only a willingness to wander into the woods and see what you find.

What to expect:

Fairy tales have been with us since the dawn of time. Across eras and borders, for thousands of years, they continue to enchant and entrance us — some say they are the world's oldest symbiotic life form: we nurture them, and they bring us joy and wonder. In this online writing class, we'll soak in their magic, exploring the imagery, psychology, practice, and even the spirituality of fairy tales and storytelling, and using that exploration as a launchpad for new work.

Together, we'll examine what makes a fairy tale image feel so alive, what makes a story feel satisfying and liberating, and how to recreate that magic across genres. We'll enter the woods as a group, tell stories, study other artists who write and create from fairy tales, and emerge with a repeatable method for writing from — and subverting — fairy tales, plus pages and pages of new writing.

Drawing on Syr's years of study and practice across the page, the stage, and immersive interactive theater, this generative workshop blends craft discussion with hands-on experimentation. You'll receive instructor writing feedback on submitted work and have weekly office hours available for anyone developing a longer project or seeking guidance on where to send work for publication. This is a creative writing workshop built for delight, discovery, and liberation.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will develop a method and process for writing from fairy tales — for inspiration, delight, and liberation. By the end of the four weeks, you'll produce a mid-sized draft (a short story, long poem, poetry cycle, chapter, or game outline), generate pages of new writing, and collect many new entry points into new worlds. Students will have two opportunities to submit work for written feedback (Weeks 2 and 4), returned within one week, plus access to weekly office hours.

Readings

Readings may include excerpts from: Lisel Mueller, "Why We Tell Stories"; Louise Bourgeois, Spiders; Helen Oyeyemi, "Is Your Blood as Red as This?"; Alison Bechdel, from Fun Home; and Sofia Samatar, "Fairy Tales for Robots."

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1: Why We Tell Stories / Setting Out — What is a fairy tale? Why do we tell stories? What is the magic of stories?

Week 2: A Red, Red Hood / I Wish — The fairy tale image and characters.

Week 3: The Woods — Places, structures, plots, and getting lost.

Week 4: Lost & Found — Experiments and celebrations.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A repeatable method and process for writing from fairy tales, for inspiration, delight, and liberation
• A mid-sized draft of your own: a short story, long poem, poetry cycle, chapter, or game outline
• Pages of new writing generated across all four weeks
• Many new entry points into new worlds and story ideas
• A toolkit for using and subverting fairy tale imagery, structure, and magic across genres

TESTIMONIALS:

"Throughout my time working with Syr, they supported me and my writing with extraordinary care, thoughtfulness, and enthusiasm. They are a brilliant and joyful human… I could not recommend Syr more highly." — C. H., Novelist

"I have spent many weeknights in Syr's workshops, feeling inspired to think less and write more. These welcoming, supportive classes have shown me how to unwind the creative process and see what pours out by engaging in creative experimentation. Their classes not only motivated me to take my work further by pursuing my MFA in creative writing, but also served as an artistic refuge when I needed a break from writing in academic settings. I'm so grateful this space exists and continues to grow as I know that as long as I write in San Francisco, I'll be at their workshops finding new possibilities for my art." — Kimberly Gomes

"I have participated in several workshops with Syr and am incredibly grateful for all of the generative exercises and thought-provoking discussions they entailed. These workshops have all influenced my evolution as a writer and contributed to my personal growth. I had not written much since completing my MFA, and provided the inspiration, guidance, and support I needed to restart and cultivate my writing practice. This empowered me to climb out of an existential depression, as well as to transition to the next stage of my career. As a QTPoC cross-genre writer with an interdisciplinary background in the arts and humanities, I often find myself in between (and/or part of multiple) conversations and communities. Syr's workshops offered an inclusive space where I was free to explore these intersectionalities (alongside my quirky and eclectic interests) through writing, which has informed my queer non-binary feminist sensibility." — Deni, PhD Student in Theatre and Performance Studies

"Syr's mode of reading is deeply generous and helps surface themes in my writing that I didn't even realize. Having that trust in my fellow readers helps me lean into drafting as early, messy, but still with kernels in it of something bigger, because I know it will be taken for what it is and will be, not what it isn't… Syr's care and attentiveness with my work makes me feel like a writer whose work matters." — V. U., Nonfiction Writer & Novelist

"Syr is like an artist's life raft — they will buoy you with empathy, encouragement, inspiration, and opportunity. If you have the chance to work with Syr, TAKE IT!" — Jordan Godwin

"After attending several of Syr's workshops over the years, I realized that some of my most powerful writing had emerged from those experiences. So when I faced what felt like the 10,000th rewrite of my novel, I knew in my heart that I needed to work with Syr. Their guidance wasn't just helpful — it felt essential to getting where I needed to go. And I was right. Syr provides unwavering, limitless support. As a writer overflowing with self-doubt, it meant everything to have someone care about my story as deeply as I did. They validated my ideas, made my wildest concepts feel possible, and believed in me in ways I didn't even realize I needed. Without Syr, my novel might still be stuck in rewrite purgatory. But with their insight and encouragement, I found the tools and confidence to push beyond what I thought was possible. If any writer asks me for a recommendation on a writing editor or coach, my answer will always be Syr. They helped me elevate my work in ways I never imagined, and I couldn't have asked for a better guide." — Eming Piansay

"Syr pushes writers to tear down their limiting beliefs about what they can and can't do, and shows them how to rebuild their creative cities to accommodate the new and wildly born being taking root inside. With Syr's help, writers don't just find their creative genius, they wrestle it to the ground and then learn how to make it fall in love with them." — Lauren Sapala, Writer and Writing Coach

"Syr is an incredible writing teacher, mentor and editor. There is absolutely no way I would have been able to complete a first draft of my memoir without their ongoing support, enthusiasm for my project, and creative generosity. Syr helps me stay accountable to myself and to my creative process by creating structure and realistic deadlines, yet is always flexible and positive and affirming when life happens. Our sessions are so dynamic and inspiring and I often leave having generated more work. Having Syr in my life is an invaluable lifeline as a creative." — M. S.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $330 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Syr Hayati Beker
• Begins Tuesday, August 4, 2026
• Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Tuesdays, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
• Tuition is $330 USD.