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.
Girls Write Now Unmuted Print Anthology
Stories from Inside "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Unmuted" Coming Soon!
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Follow me on an emotionally exciting journey through one of my favorite cartoons.
Picture Perfect: Influencers
Likes, followers, ratios, filters. On "Picture Perfect," we take a look at different #contentculture topics to explore how social media affects adolescents' self-esteem and self-worth and talk about what we all can do to be perfectly imperfect because no one is flawless.
A Multigenerational Woman
This piece came from something in my life. I didn’t have an ending though. What I observed were random glimpses of probably normal behavior. The plot (the hardest) eventually came, inspired from the anthology title.
interludes
This piece is inspired by my love for dance and my team. It is a reflection on the moments from dance I find myself thinking about and the reasons for my passion for it.
Because This is My First Life
This is a piece about being a seventeen-year-old. An ode to myself reflecting on the experiences of my teenage years while acknowledging some of my personal heroes.
With Rounded Edges
“With Rounded Edges” is a piece made to encapture the childlike, nostalgic feeling of the most simplistic version of love. This excerpt is the end of the story, leaving an open-ended finish that encourages the reader to continue the story of Paige and Amara on their own.
A Traditional Wife
This story was inspired by a Girls Write Now workshop where we spoke about outdated taboos. The inspiration for my piece was the complicated yet consistent dynamic between my two Caribbean grandparents.
Wrapped In Red
In my poem, I explore themes of self identity and purpose through the eyes of the mythological character of Persephone. “Wrapped In Red” goes through Persephone’s memories of a simple decision that altered her future.
An Ode To Who We Will Be
This is written for my mother, who built independence in me.
A Planted Scar
I dedicate this poem to my mom, Ana Vazquez. She sacrificed so much to help me become the woman I am. Even when we aren’t together, I know she’s giving me strength.
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.