Queer Book App
InQ.
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InQ.
🏳️🌈
InQ. 📖 InQ. 🏳️🌈
MY ROLEResearch, User Interviews, Wireframing, Branding, UI, Prototyping, Usability Testing
DELIVERABLESDesign an End-to-End Mobile Application for a MVP
TIME FRAME2 Months (2025)
About InQ.
InQ. is a community-driven book discovery app designed to center queer voices.
Built for LGBTQ+ readers who are tired of mainstream platforms overlooking authentic representation, InQ. helps users explore indie queer literature, engage in meaningful discussion, and connect through shared identities and tropes. With features like identity-based filters, safe discussion spaces, and thoughtful reviews, InQ. offers an inclusive alternative where readers feel seen, supported, and inspired.
Research Methods
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I interviewed:
6 Participants
Avid readers
Queer readers of Queer books
Book tracking app users
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Findings:
Desire for authentic Queer representation of specific LGBTQ+ identities in books
Need for safe and inclusive community spaces—Users want a space where they can discuss queer lit without explaining or defending their identities
Difficulty finding indie or lesser-known queer books because search functions on mainstream platforms prioritize bestsellers, not indie gems or authors
Broad "LGBTQ" tags feel insufficient
Readers want to review books, suggest titles, and support queer authors
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I analyzed 4 direct/indirect competitors:
Goodreads
Fable
Storygraph
Reddit
There’s no dedicated platform for queer readers that combines intentional discovery (by identity/trope/mood) with safe, community-driven discussion. Most competitors either prioritize mainstream popularity or lack the safeguards and specificity queer users are looking for.
Interview Quote
“Queer books are often all lumped together and overwhelming romantic. Its hard to find literary pieces about queer themes.”
Interview Quote
“I think the groups aspect on Goodreads is strong on their website, but heavily lacking on the app. I also think they're falling short on actually making it easier to discuss books with people outside of DMs. There is no way to directly reply to comments and loading large threads on the mobile app is downright impossible.”
Interview Quote
“I really do think it would be great if it was easier to find the specific types of representation in queer books!”
User Persona
Name | Jordan (He/They)
Age | 35
Occupation | Writer & Author
Salary | $45,000
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Writing & Storytelling
Queer Rights — LGBTQ+ activism
Book Communities — Interacting with readers and other writers
Genres — Fantasy and Romance genres
Supporting marginalized voices
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A platform that increases visibility for indie queer authors
A way to connect directly with readers and fellow writers
More robust search and tagging systems to help books reach the right audience
Opportunities to promote their work without relying solely on social media
A space where queer books are valued beyond just Pride Month
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Expand their readership and reach more queer readers
Find a supportive community of authors and book lovers
Make their books more discoverable without excessive self-promotion
Foster deeper discussions about queer narratives and storytelling
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Queer Representation — Passion for authentic queer representation in literature
Fill the Gaps — Desire to create the kind of books they wish they had growing up
Equity — A belief that indie authors should have equal opportunities for success
Accessibility — A commitment to making queer stories more accessible and celebrated
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Queer books often get buried under mainstream titles or lumped together with little nuance
Discovery algorithms favor traditionally published authors over indie creators
Marketing queer books is exhausting and requires constant effort
Book platforms focus more on reviews than on fostering meaningful reader-writer engagement
Limited opportunities for indie authors to be featured or spotlighted
The Problem
Jordan needs a way to engage in meaningful discussions about queer literature because mainstream book platforms do not prioritize inclusivity, often leading to misrepresentation.
Feature Set
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Feature Set *
Book Discussions
Users can explore and join tag-based discussions directly on a book’s profile page.
Search by Tags & Tropes
Users can discover books based on specific queer identities, tropes, and themes by selecting their search preferences.
Design
LOW-FIDELITY WIREFRAMEHIGH-FIDELITY WIREFRAMEIn the early stages, the book discussion page began as a discussion threads that included tags. However, during usability testing and feedback sessions, it became clear that discussion threads could be grouped by tags to make them easily searchable by users.
To address this, the design evolved into a tag-based discussion system, allowing conversations to be organized around specific themes, tropes, identities, or even emotional tones. This not only made discussions more discoverable and relevant, but also aligned with user feedback expressing a desire for safer, more focused, and identity-conscious conversations.
Search By Tags & Tropes
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The user starts on the Discover page and they want to find a new book to read but aren’t sure which book yet.
They decide they would like to search by specific tags, so they tap on Search by Tags & Tropes.
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On the new modal sheet, the user browses through the genres and chooses one they like. The accordion opens and they choose a tag they are interested in. The user saves and searches.
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A new page opens with the user’s search results displaying titles under the tag(s) they chose.
The user can further filter the results to their liking by criteria such as “Most Popular”.
Book Discussion
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The user begins in the Discover page where they find a book they might be interested in from their recommendations.
They want to look at the book discussions to get a good idea of the themes in the book. The user taps on the book.
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The user lands on the book’s profile page. They tap on the Discussion tab.
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The Discussion tab displays the tagged discussion threads. The user chooses the topic they would like to read about.
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The user lands on their chosen discussion thread page where they can read about the topic and user comments.
Usability Testing & Findings
Positive Feedback
Usability participants loved the inclusive touch — pronouns, gender, and representation options
Layout feels clean
The option to filter even further is amazing and a game-changer for searching
Jumping into a book discussion is easy and intuitive
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Add a ‘Skip’ option during onboarding for pronoun and genre selection to respect user comfort and privacy.
Users would like to see their selected genres/representations reflected on the ‘Discover’ page after onboarding.
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The selected state of the profile picture icon in the first flow is not obvious enough—needs clearer visual feedback or interaction.
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In the Tags & Tropes results, users want to:
Filter and sort results for a more refined search experience.
See the number of results returned for better context and usability.
IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS & FEEDBACKProject Reflection
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Designing for niche communities requires depth, not just aesthetics
Having limited time and scope forced me to focus on solving one meaningful problem really well. That sharpened my prioritization skills and helped me define what actually matters
Queer readers don’t just want to find books, they want to connect over them. Building space for dialogue is just as valuable as building discovery tools.
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With unlimited resources, I would have continued building this application. However, for the sake of timing, I had to limit what I could realistically design. I settled on creating a profile, joining a discussion and searching by tags.
Some features I would love to design and add to this app would be:
Following & connecting with other users
Book clubs
Gamified rewards system for participating in reviews & discussions
Q&As with authors
Reading challenges
Mystery book picks based on themes
Exclusive early access to new indie books
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I learned how to balance big ideas with real-world constraints, making intentional choices about which features to prioritize and which could wait. It taught me to embrace "done over perfect". I gained a deeper appreciation for inclusive design. Creating a space specifically for the queer reading community made me consider accessibility, emotional safety, and representation.