ANTHOLOGIES
Girls Write Now Unmuted: The 2021 Anthology
Girls Write Now is thrilled to be in partnership again this year with Dutton, who produced this anthology. A special thanks to the team at Dutton—Christine Ball,Maya Ziv, and Lexy Cassola, and to Feminist Press and Jamia Wilson, who produced the ebook. Thank you as well to Amazon Literary Partnership for their continued support, which directly funds the production of our anthologies.

In the 2021 Girls Write Now Anthology, our mentees give voice to fear and silence, demand justice, and hold nothing back. To be unmuted right now requires a new brand of bravery, and these writers show how it’s done. Using stories, poems, essays, fiction, drama, interviews and more, they report on a global pandemic, a climate crisis and the movement for racial equality. They also invite us on their personal journeys through the labyrinth of young adulthood: feeling the rich soil of a neighborhood garden beneath their fingers; traveling through time in search of their parents; inhaling the charged air where young love is brewing. In a world pushed to the precipice of change, in a society that values the tried and true over the dynamic and new, the Girls Write Now class of 2021 is breaking the chains and showing what it means to speak loud, clear and true—to be unmuted.
Foreword by
Introduction 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 "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
The Letter
The perfect and responsible Elizabeth Hurston had never once made a mistake in her life. Now, she finally realized what it meant to ruin everything.
if only i could speak
if only-
Thanghulu Traditions
My work combines thrill and uncertainty as it unleashes the rite of passage in a Hawaiian tribe to investigate not only themes of coming of age, but of womanhood and freedom against societal expectations.
Untitled
Uncoordinated Silhouettes
Sometimes individuals wish to be blinded by reflection, distraught by the truth that lived in their childhood. This poem explores the duality of recollection and humanizes each perspective.
Freedom through the pages
Finding a breakthrough in the form of writing. Looking up to other writers that have inspired me to no longer allow myself to drown in my own mindless thoughts.
The Road Trip
One trip that tests their relationship, will Connie and Alex survive?
Nostalgic Smells
My grandmother was diagnosed with dementia in 2020, I remember her through memories we shared years ago, and I wrote about these memories, by continuing to remember her as she would want me to.
The World Cup at Qatar
The world cup was a beautiful experience and it's something that should be remembered.
Becoming a Woman [Reader] Writer
This piece showcases the power of female writers. Cristina and Fiona showcased how they started writing and pursued a career in writing.
Praise for Here & Now
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.