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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.

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Ctrl B Anthology
Ctrl B Anthology

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.

Support Young Writers

Get a copy of the Girls Write Now 2019 Anthology: “CTRL + B” to support our mission to champion writers to break down the barriers of gender, age, race, and poverty to mentor, teach, and connect writers and leaders across disciplines and around the nation. With a focus on those historically disempowered due to their gender and gender identity, we harness the power of stories to shape culture, impact industries, and bridge worlds.
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Reading from the 2024 Anthology Launch Party

Introduction by

Tomi Adeyemi

Honoree

Named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people, Tomi Adeyemi is a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Nigerian-American writer and storyteller based in Los Angeles, CA. After graduating from Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she studied West African mythology, religion, and culture in Salvador, Brazil. Her first novel, Children of Blood and Bone, debuted at #1 on The New York Times Bestseller list and is being developed into a movie by Disney’s Fox & Lucasfilm. Its highly anticipated sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance, also debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. When she’s not working or playing with puppies, Tomi can be found teaching creative writing on her website. In 2020, she was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media, and her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

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Foreword by

Phoebe Robinson

Honoree, Special Guest

Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comedian, writer, producer, actress, and publisher. In addition to writing national best selling essay collections “You Can’t Touch My Hair,” “Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay,” and “Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes,” she launched her own imprint Tiny Reparations Books in 2020. Robinson is also the co-creator and co-star of the podcast “2 Dope Queens” and HBO series of the same name. Other onscreen work includes the TV adaptation of “Everything’s Trash,” and standup special “Sorry, Harriet Tubman,” both of which are produced by her company, Tiny Reparations.

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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.

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CTRL+B: The Girls Write Now 2019 Anthology

Read Collection

Stories from Inside "CTRL + B" Coming Soon!

Stories from Inside "CTRL + B" Coming Soon!

Eli Kowar Eli Kowar .
Eli Kowar Eli Kowar .

An Ode to Wanderlust

Have you ever traveled the world through words alone? Exploring each place not as someone who wants great pictures or a story to show off, but someone who truly wants to feel the core of what it represents? I have—I've traveled and written about the emotions and the memories I haven't really made. Using Google Maps, I wrote poems about select countries I've never been to, and used it as a way to travel the globe. Though difficult, using elements of each country, I've managed to paint a picture of how I view them and their importance to me.

TravelCultureA Traveler's Tale 8 min read
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Faith Destiny Faith Destiny .
Faith Destiny Faith Destiny .

anxiety

At one time or another, we've all experienced loneliness and/or anxiety. Now more than ever, teenagers are constantly being mentally attacked and feel like there is no way out. I want to show that although times get rough and people leave, you will always be permanent in your own life and battles against anxiety, loneliness, and any other mental disease. The only way out is through. Fight for your happiness because you deserve it.

Mental HealthCourage & ResilienceBlack Art & Writing 2 min read
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Ilana Drake Ilana Drake .
Ilana Drake Ilana Drake .

You NEED to Listen

Last spring, the New York Times was flooded with articles about abortion and how some states were trying to undermine Roe v. Wade. After reading these headlines, I became scared for myself, the girls around me, and any person who has a uterus. However, I have learned that if you are scared, you must stand up and fight for change. I am fighting back with my words.

Feminism & Gender EquityActivismTaking Our Place in History… 3 min read
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Angely Morel Angely Morel .
Angely Morel Angely Morel .

Sex in the City 2.0

Who wouldn't want to see a modern version of Sex in the City in just a few slides? This collage is a visual representation of the things I have done as a young woman of color living in New York City. You can see not only the things I have achieved, the places I've traveled, and the clothes I wear while walking the streets of this cosmopolitan city, but you can also see the importance of my family and friends to me.

Self-ReflectionIdentityTaking Our Place in History… 2 min read
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Girls Write Now 2024 Anthology

Praise for Ctrl+B

From the Literary Community

“Girls Write Now has become one of the most important organizations for teenage girls in America and a most powerful bridge between what can be imagined to what will be created, and flourish, out of imagination.”
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AMBER TAMBLYN Author
“It is an astonishing, life-changing thing to come into the knowledge, as a girl, that your mind matters and that your voice is valuable. Girls Write Now is an irreplaceable organization, capturing this alchemy in every piece and every relationship it facilitates and creates.”
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JIA TOLENTINO Author
“Without mentors like my mother, my aunt and others, my relationship with the written word would not have crystallized or grown to what it is today. I owe everything to my childhood mentors for introducing me to writing and the arts as both rehabilitation, and a way to seize and exist in my power. Girls Write Now champions writing and mentorship as a path to individual and collective power, and for that I am in awe of their work and mission.”
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WAYÉTU MOORE, Author
“When I name myself, I become myself. In these pages, girls name themselves, their worlds, their wishes, their pain and their heart’s finest joys. Right here, girls become their true selves.”
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MIN JIN LEE Author
“To lead the world to justice and hope, we must empower a generation of young women to speak with authority and write their truth. Girls Write Now is making that happen—one girl at a time.”
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LAURIE HALSE ANDERSON Author

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.

About the Committee