ANTHOLOGIES
Ctrl + B: The Girls Write Now 2019 Anthology
Girls Write Now is thrilled to be in partnership with Dutton who produced this year’s anthology. This collection was also made possible thanks to a charitable contribution from Amazon Literary Partnership. Thank you to The Feminist Press and Jisu Kim, their Senior Marketing and Sales Manager and Girls Write Now mentor, for partnering on the e-book for Ctrl + B.

The Girls Write Now 2019 class of mentees, and young people the world over, are coming of age in strange times; times when the powers that be are attempting to strip our control over our art, our livelihoods, our homes, and our bodies. But these young writers are bold. In this unique collection, mentees and mentors boldly take control of their own narratives, tackling topics such as inequity, love, belonging, ignorance, power, lineage, beauty, and so much more.
Introduction by
Foreword by
Read What's Inside
Browse our collection of stories from inside the book. Complete with notes from the author and anecdotes from our mentees and mentors.
Stories from Inside "CTRL + B" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "CTRL + B" Coming Soon!
Dear Friend
This piece is dedicated to my younger self who deserves the recognition for keeping her head high through all the downfalls presented throughout her life. With all my faults and mistakes, yesterday’s me is still me.
Brown Sugar
This piece is a fictional short story that tells the tale of a young African American girl who comes to the realization of who she is and what it means to her.
Weekends/Weekdays
I awake to my upstairs neighbors yelling and my mom shuffling to get my sister out the door for school. It’s 6:00 a.m. and my mom is shouting my name.
Serein: En Vida y En Muerte
This piece was inspired by a story my grandfather told me when I was younger about shape-shifting beasts in my home country of the Dominican Republic. I introduce you to both his world and a retelling of Mulan as we reach for a way to make our ancestors proud.
75 Years
I wrote this piece after visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site last summer and attending the United Nations Holocaust Memorial Ceremony on January 27, 2020. Seventy-five years have passed since the liberation of Auschwitz.
A False Home
We tend to cling to our past and the sense of familiarity because it reminds us of home. This prevents many of us from ever actually trying something new or finding who we’re meant to be. My story takes you on the journey of discovering why home isn’t always home.
Miss Manners Guide to Preventing Tragedy
I have always loved learning about different historical figures and trying to relate their experiences to my life, often with little success as I am not at a point in my life where I am a founding father or queen of any country; this piece is the fruit of that.
A Package of Cookies
This piece is about my relationship with my father, and my appreciation towards him for bringing our family to the United States. His sacrifice has given me the opportunity for a better future.
Becoming Manar the Star
I walked into Dunkin’ for one of our pair sessions, and I told my mentor Jaime that I wanted to run for school senate. But I needed a speech. The speech below is a result of our collaboration. This speech motivates me to pursue my dreams.
The Illusion Of Inclusion
I believe that as a leader you can do two things: either dig people deeper into their illusions and create false hope or free them of their social standards and stereotypes to reach their fullest potential.
Praise for Ctrl+B
From the Literary Community
Intersectional Voices in Editorial Print Committee
Every year, the Intersectional Voices in Editorial (IV Edit) Print Committee brings their talents to the task of editing, producing, and promoting this fresh collection of writing from today’s emerging voices. The committee is made up of mentors, mentees, and other volunteers who are passionate about diversifying the publishing landscape.