This blog post was written by Program Manager Naomi Solomon about mid-year Pair Check-Ins, in which each mentor-mentee pair meets individually with program leadership to discuss challenges, successes, and goals for their writing and their relationships.
“Girls Write Now is a loving community that not only teaches you to write better but also opens your mind to new things! I feel like I’m going to come out as a better person overall after my GWN experience is over.” – 2015-16 mentee
“I love being a part of a community that empowers women and encourages them to be fearless.” – 2015-16 mentor
Every evening for two weeks, the Girls Write Now offices were abuzz as mentor-mentee pairs caught up with staff and volunteers, photographers snapped one beautiful pair portrait after another, and everyone discussed their “(r)evolutions” large and small.
“Because of Girls Write Now, I know my mentee who I’ve learned so much from! I now think about the world differently and get to write more!” – 2015-16 mentor
We learned so much over our evenings of pair check-ins, and had the chance to discuss everything from favorite meeting spots (did you know that two pairs, unbeknownst to each other, have had inspired writing sessions at the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Gowanus?!) to the proudest moments of the year so far (spoiler alert: a lot of mentees were very excited about their big Scholastic wins, and a lot of seniors were VERY glad to have submitted all their college applications!).
We learned about the different types of writing that have moved mentees and mentors alike this year, from learning to love poetry to writing stronger, more professional emails. And, of course, we got excited talking about everything that’s coming up, including CHAPTERS, QWERTY, and the anthology, but also seeing those college acceptances roll in, finishing passion projects from blogs to novels, and continuing to build the amazing relationships that make being a mentor or mentee at Girls Write Now so special.
“I am so proud of myself for starting to grow not only as a writer but as an individual, for taking part in the opportunity of my dreams, and for sharing my passion with other amazing ladies.” – 2015-16 mentee
The Girls Write Now staff also had the chance to hear directly from the people who matter most to understand what makes our programs great and where we should plan to grow next year and beyond. We owe a huge thank you to the many pairs who scratched their heads and searched their memories to give us examples of what’s working, and what changes and additions would benefit generations of mentors and mentees to come. As always, our community inspires us to keep evolving! We love finding new ways to support the next generation of writers as they tip the scales in the next literary revolution.
“[Girls Write Now is] a great community of talented writers who are going to change the world!” – 2015-16 mentee