Chris Outzen, MFA
@queeryingcommprof.bsky.social
Queer and Querying | Teaching Professor | Director of Forensics | Voracious Bookworm | Purveyor of Bad Jokes |
(He/Him/His)
(He/Him/His)
Pinned
New platform, new intro!
I'm Chris, a teaching professor focused mostly in competitive forensics, intercultural communication, and communication and gender.
My scholarship sits at the intersection of competitive forensics culture and coaching, critical pedagogy, and queer identity performance.
I'm Chris, a teaching professor focused mostly in competitive forensics, intercultural communication, and communication and gender.
My scholarship sits at the intersection of competitive forensics culture and coaching, critical pedagogy, and queer identity performance.
Again I've been bad about posting. But here are three books I've finished so far in August! Shaping up to be a good reading month.
#BookSky
#BookSky
August 12, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Again I've been bad about posting. But here are three books I've finished so far in August! Shaping up to be a good reading month.
#BookSky
#BookSky
Poetry, A Poem(?)
Lately I've been writing poetry.
Or, I think I've been writing poetry.
How does one know when the frenetic free verse achieves poetry?
How does one assess the assemblage of symbols assumed as poetry?
Lately I've been writing poetry.
I still don't think I get poetry.
#writingsky
Lately I've been writing poetry.
Or, I think I've been writing poetry.
How does one know when the frenetic free verse achieves poetry?
How does one assess the assemblage of symbols assumed as poetry?
Lately I've been writing poetry.
I still don't think I get poetry.
#writingsky
July 12, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Poetry, A Poem(?)
Lately I've been writing poetry.
Or, I think I've been writing poetry.
How does one know when the frenetic free verse achieves poetry?
How does one assess the assemblage of symbols assumed as poetry?
Lately I've been writing poetry.
I still don't think I get poetry.
#writingsky
Lately I've been writing poetry.
Or, I think I've been writing poetry.
How does one know when the frenetic free verse achieves poetry?
How does one assess the assemblage of symbols assumed as poetry?
Lately I've been writing poetry.
I still don't think I get poetry.
#writingsky
Disappointment: A Haiku
Reading student work
Sources which do not exist
A.I. strikes again
#teaching #professorlife
Reading student work
Sources which do not exist
A.I. strikes again
#teaching #professorlife
July 12, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Disappointment: A Haiku
Reading student work
Sources which do not exist
A.I. strikes again
#teaching #professorlife
Reading student work
Sources which do not exist
A.I. strikes again
#teaching #professorlife
Nancy Foley's debut novel "I Am Agatha" is a really excellent read. Highly recommend and I'll be watching with hope for more work from her!
#BookSky
#BookSky
July 4, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Nancy Foley's debut novel "I Am Agatha" is a really excellent read. Highly recommend and I'll be watching with hope for more work from her!
#BookSky
#BookSky
I did it. I submitted my short fiction to @electricliterature.com Emerging Writers contest, plus a creative nonfiction essay to a different contest. I've never submitted creative writing (or completed any) but the chance that Alexander Chee could read my work was too good to pass up.
#writingsky
#writingsky
July 1, 2026 at 9:18 PM
I did it. I submitted my short fiction to @electricliterature.com Emerging Writers contest, plus a creative nonfiction essay to a different contest. I've never submitted creative writing (or completed any) but the chance that Alexander Chee could read my work was too good to pass up.
#writingsky
#writingsky
My writing had taken a surprising turn this summer to the creative. I somehow have finished two small literary projects. Now, I need my next step for them. I want to submit to emerging writer contests but I also feel like an imposter who got lost and is just rolling with it.
#writingsky
#writingsky
June 30, 2026 at 11:40 PM
My writing had taken a surprising turn this summer to the creative. I somehow have finished two small literary projects. Now, I need my next step for them. I want to submit to emerging writer contests but I also feel like an imposter who got lost and is just rolling with it.
#writingsky
#writingsky
June 25, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Finished this gem yesterday and now I can't stop thinking about it. Such a beautiful narrative with some incredible writing choices.
#BookSky
#BookSky
June 15, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Finished this gem yesterday and now I can't stop thinking about it. Such a beautiful narrative with some incredible writing choices.
#BookSky
#BookSky
"Forest Euphoria" by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian is easily one of my favorite books I have read in 2026 and one of my favorite memoirs period. Will be recommending to everyone I can think of.
#BookSky #queerbooks
#BookSky #queerbooks
June 10, 2026 at 5:55 PM
"Forest Euphoria" by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian is easily one of my favorite books I have read in 2026 and one of my favorite memoirs period. Will be recommending to everyone I can think of.
#BookSky #queerbooks
#BookSky #queerbooks
Finally wrote the last word on a short story I started last summer. Usually I’m a research writer, so to have a full draft of a fiction work is a special kind of glow.
Next goals: Revise and cut, try for publishing, but regardless of next steps I’m proud of myself for finishing.
#writingsky
Next goals: Revise and cut, try for publishing, but regardless of next steps I’m proud of myself for finishing.
#writingsky
June 7, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Finally wrote the last word on a short story I started last summer. Usually I’m a research writer, so to have a full draft of a fiction work is a special kind of glow.
Next goals: Revise and cut, try for publishing, but regardless of next steps I’m proud of myself for finishing.
#writingsky
Next goals: Revise and cut, try for publishing, but regardless of next steps I’m proud of myself for finishing.
#writingsky
Today I found myself with three writing projects at end stage (one recently accepted, one under review, one with a collaborator). I've never before cleared my "active" projects and still had a desire to keep writing. Any advice for deciding on next directions?
#WritingSky #academicsky
#WritingSky #academicsky
June 5, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Today I found myself with three writing projects at end stage (one recently accepted, one under review, one with a collaborator). I've never before cleared my "active" projects and still had a desire to keep writing. Any advice for deciding on next directions?
#WritingSky #academicsky
#WritingSky #academicsky
May Reading Wrap-Up
Lots of great reads in May. Honorable mention to Rebecca Solnit, Ann Patchett, and Rachel Khong for amazing books but my favorite by a long shot was Virginia Evans "The Correspondent." Very probably the best book I will read this year.
#BookSky
Lots of great reads in May. Honorable mention to Rebecca Solnit, Ann Patchett, and Rachel Khong for amazing books but my favorite by a long shot was Virginia Evans "The Correspondent." Very probably the best book I will read this year.
#BookSky
June 1, 2026 at 11:36 PM
May Reading Wrap-Up
Lots of great reads in May. Honorable mention to Rebecca Solnit, Ann Patchett, and Rachel Khong for amazing books but my favorite by a long shot was Virginia Evans "The Correspondent." Very probably the best book I will read this year.
#BookSky
Lots of great reads in May. Honorable mention to Rebecca Solnit, Ann Patchett, and Rachel Khong for amazing books but my favorite by a long shot was Virginia Evans "The Correspondent." Very probably the best book I will read this year.
#BookSky
May 30, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Celebrating small moments: Managed to finish a draft I've been stewing with since 2024. Still lots to edit and format, but I'm proud of myself for managing to develop almost 7500 words on what started from an idle observation.
#writingsky #academicsky
#writingsky #academicsky
May 29, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Celebrating small moments: Managed to finish a draft I've been stewing with since 2024. Still lots to edit and format, but I'm proud of myself for managing to develop almost 7500 words on what started from an idle observation.
#writingsky #academicsky
#writingsky #academicsky
Today I wrote, across two projects, almost 2000 words. I know that for some that's not much, but for me that is a lot. It's a nice reminder that I am a writer at heart. I just need to make the time and space for it to be a practice.
#writingsky
#writingsky
May 26, 2026 at 3:04 AM
Today I wrote, across two projects, almost 2000 words. I know that for some that's not much, but for me that is a lot. It's a nice reminder that I am a writer at heart. I just need to make the time and space for it to be a practice.
#writingsky
#writingsky
Reading Rebecca Solnit is always an insightful experience. Her latest book is no exception.
Full Review on Storygraph: app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/5117...
#BookSky #academicsky
Full Review on Storygraph: app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/5117...
#BookSky #academicsky
May 24, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Reading Rebecca Solnit is always an insightful experience. Her latest book is no exception.
Full Review on Storygraph: app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/5117...
#BookSky #academicsky
Full Review on Storygraph: app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/5117...
#BookSky #academicsky
Among all the incisive observations in @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social latest book, a simple three word phrase stands out. On Black civil rights influencing other rights movements, she says:
"Liberation is contagious..."
A hopeful heralding call if I've ever read one.
#BookSky #academicsky
"Liberation is contagious..."
A hopeful heralding call if I've ever read one.
#BookSky #academicsky
May 23, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Among all the incisive observations in @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social latest book, a simple three word phrase stands out. On Black civil rights influencing other rights movements, she says:
"Liberation is contagious..."
A hopeful heralding call if I've ever read one.
#BookSky #academicsky
"Liberation is contagious..."
A hopeful heralding call if I've ever read one.
#BookSky #academicsky
With summer break upon us, my reading is on the rise again. Three books finished in the last 48 hours means three new reviews. Full reviews on my Storygraph app.thestorygraph.com/profile/read...
#BookSky
#BookSky
May 22, 2026 at 10:17 PM
With summer break upon us, my reading is on the rise again. Three books finished in the last 48 hours means three new reviews. Full reviews on my Storygraph app.thestorygraph.com/profile/read...
#BookSky
#BookSky
I woke up this morning and immediately a to-do list of five work tasks came to mind. It took 10 minutes of wakefulness to set it aside.
A world where the first thing I do every morning is think about work is exactly why a recharge period is necessary.
#academicsky
A world where the first thing I do every morning is think about work is exactly why a recharge period is necessary.
#academicsky
May 20, 2026 at 1:42 PM
I woke up this morning and immediately a to-do list of five work tasks came to mind. It took 10 minutes of wakefulness to set it aside.
A world where the first thing I do every morning is think about work is exactly why a recharge period is necessary.
#academicsky
A world where the first thing I do every morning is think about work is exactly why a recharge period is necessary.
#academicsky
I closed uo my office today for the first day of my annual five-day retreat from work at the end of the semester. And I celebrated by buying four books...Oops.
#BookSky #academicsky
#BookSky #academicsky
May 19, 2026 at 11:24 PM
I closed uo my office today for the first day of my annual five-day retreat from work at the end of the semester. And I celebrated by buying four books...Oops.
#BookSky #academicsky
#BookSky #academicsky
Started a book 4 days ago where a key plot mechanism is magical doors. The started an audiobook I knew nothing about where I discovered the key plot mechanism is...magical doors.
Weird thing for my May reading to hinge on.
#BookSky
Weird thing for my May reading to hinge on.
#BookSky
May 17, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Started a book 4 days ago where a key plot mechanism is magical doors. The started an audiobook I knew nothing about where I discovered the key plot mechanism is...magical doors.
Weird thing for my May reading to hinge on.
#BookSky
Weird thing for my May reading to hinge on.
#BookSky