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!
Not Anymore
Women in the past fought for the rights we have now in our present. And we’ll continue that fight for the future. I wrote this poem to reflect on the progress we’ve made.
Where Am I?
A poem that questions if where you're from identifies who you are.
You’re too young, you wouldn’t understand
This is for anyone who has ever said or heard the words “you’re too young.” It's for the generation before me, after me and most of all—mine. It’s for all my friends, who are frustrated daily by the adults in our lives and for the adults in our lives who've forgotten what it’s like to be young.
Salty, with a Hint of Bitterness
This piece is about the two sides of love that many people shall experience in their life. Because no matter where you are, or who you may be, you'll be able to relate to the emotions displayed in the story.
Embarking
As my time in high school comes to an end, I am reflecting upon my strength during times of change. I choose to continue with the resilience I have developed and carry it onward while embarking on my new journey.
A Letter
This is a goodbye letter to all the relationships that shaped me as a person.
Cracks of Sunshine
This piece is about my struggle with depression and mental health.
Things We Hold Close
This piece reflects upon my relationship with my grandfather. His lasting presence in my life is a part of my personal history, one of the many things I hold close.
Disorient
This story is an excerpt from a larger coming-of-age piece involving themes of friendship, sisterhood, and romance.
Dark Clouds With A Silver Lining
I wrote this piece because I know how difficult it can be to succeed when dealing with unfortunate circumstances, like death or teenage pregnancy. It’s assumed that these events are setbacks. I want people to know that despite hardship and difficulties, they can achieve anything.
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.