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Erik Fuhrer, trauma writing teacher, in a colorful shirt and red scarf the bio with flare
The Bio With Flare

Erik Fuhrer

they/them

Hey, I'm Erik—nonbinary poet, memoirist, playwright, scarf-tie aficionado, and lover of all things bold, queer, and glittery. Think Buffy Summers meets Blanche Devereux with a dash of the lion from The Wizard of Oz. When I'm not turning scarves into an art form, I'm writing about queer trauma, pop culture, and queer icons like Virginia Woolf and Sarah Michelle Gellar. My 2023 poetry collection, Gellar Studies, explores queer trauma through poetic reflections on Gellar's iconic characters and was praised by Addie Tsai as "exceptionally delectable and devastating."

My memoir, My Buffed Up Life, picks up where Gellar Studies left off, continuing the exploration of queer trauma with Buffy Summers as a touchstone. I have a Ph.D. in creative writing, but honestly, a Ph.D. in SMG Studies might be more accurate. A mix of My Little Pony and watching Gellar chew the scenery in All My Children (and her entire career since) solidified my queerness at a young age. And let's be real: I'm still obsessed with Tenderheart Bear. Icon.

I teach writing. I facilitate workshops and events for organizations. I build voices for mental health leaders whose public presence doesn't match the depth of their work. And I am building a writing and wellness community for people who carry something and want to write about it.

Writing Collective Team Workshops Narrative Strategy
I am here, and this body is starting to belong to me.
Erik Fuhrer, poet and trauma writing teacher, in a blazer and scarf the formal one
The Formal Bio

Erik Fuhrer, Ph.D., PMP

Erik Fuhrer (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary poet, playwright, and trauma writing teacher. They hold a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow, an MFA from the University of Notre Dame, and a PMP. They are the author of nine books, including Gellar Studies (Spuyten Duyvil, 2023) and the forthcoming hybrid memoir My Buffed Up Life (Spuyten Duyvil, 2026). They were the UCLA Extension Winter 2026 Writer in Residence.

As Assistant Director at the University of Iowa's Center for Teaching, Erik led the design and facilitation of institutional programming on inclusive communication, implicit bias, and conflict across six departments, from public health to theatre to chemistry. They partnered with the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature on public workshops and facilitated a session on sensitive topics for the Iowa Writers' Workshop. At Notre Dame, they designed and facilitated 24+ workshops on inclusive pedagogy and communication that earned a 90% positive feedback rating. 50+ workshops designed and facilitated across Iowa and Notre Dame.

Developmental editor on two published books: America's Morning: Night by Dr. Larry Ward (Lotus Institute) and Rutherford: Dare to Dream by Bernie Anderson. Additional editorial work on several other manuscripts.

Erik is the founding editor of Hushlit, a literary journal, where they have built the editorial pipeline and read hundreds of submissions over five years. They were an editorial assistant for ISLE, an Oxford University Press journal.

Their work has been featured in Psychology Today (twice), Drunk Monkeys, ANMLY, Bending Genres, Villain Era, Just Femme and Dandy, Channel Void, Sugar Sugar Salt, and two Edinburgh University Press essay collections on Virginia Woolf. They were the featured poet at the 32nd Annual Virginia Woolf Conference and a 2024 final judge for UCLA's Allegra Johnson Writing Contest. They serve on the advisory board of Chrysalis LA.

Books

My Buffed Up Life (Spuyten Duyvil, forthcoming 2026)
Gellar Studies (Spuyten Duyvil, 2023)
The Ocean and Its Movers (Free Lines Press)
Eye, Apocalypse (Spuyten Duyvil)
in which I take myself hostage (Spuyten Duyvil)
not human enough for the census (Vegetarian Alcoholic Press)
VOS (Yavanika Press)
every time you die (Alien Buddha Press)
At Root (Alien Buddha Press)

Selected Essays

"The Cost of Healing" and "Reach Out and Brush Faith" (Just Femme and Dandy)
"There She Is There They Are" (ANMLY; republished in Edinburgh University Virginia Woolf collection)
"Emmanuel" (Channel Void; republished in Sugar Sugar Salt)
"Riptides" (Bending Genres)

Work with Erik

Team Workshops Narrative Strategy Books
Poet Erik Fuhrer sitting on steps in pink pants and glitter Converse for when you need two sentences
The Short Bio

For When You Need Two Sentences

Erik Fuhrer (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary poet and author of nine books, including Gellar Studies and the forthcoming My Buffed Up Life. They hold a Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow and teach creative writing at UCLA Extension.

My Survival Kit

Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sarah Michelle Gellar's deep cuts. Elissa Washuta's My Body Is a Book of Rules. Jean Valentine's Collected Poems. Everything by Tori Amos. The Waves by Virginia Woolf. Everything by Toni Morrison. Everything by Janelle Monáe. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Tommy Pico's poetry. Scarves. Tenderheart Bear. National Treasure. Coffee. Wuthering Heights — both Emily Brontë's and Kate Bush's masterpieces. My partner Kim. My dog Moops.

Currently loving: Shrinking. The Pitt. Megan Milks. Mac Crane. Rax King. Twilight. Brené Brown. Chia seed pudding. PONIES. School Spirits. The Leftovers.

Moops the dog wrapped in a colorful scarf

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