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!
Debate Team
"Debate Team" is a monologue in which a high school student, Heather, suddenly loses her cool while debating the topic of LGBTQ+ representation in the media with her narrow-minded classmate, David.
Homeward Dream
In a dream, the main character explores the areas of his life that make him feel free, and he must reconcile the fragility of freedom.
Call Me By Your Name: A Critical Essay
'Call Me By Your Name' is an extraordinary story showcasing genuine romance: fleeting and pure. The story brings the spontaneous essence of love to the light, despite unfavorable circumstances.
Oasis!
To express my love for my family, in the strangest way possible.
The Final Flame
Love can be passionate, but it can also be destructive. The flames of this particular love burn out on the battlefield.
An Unforgettable Birthday
Birthdays can be hard when you lose a loved one. But how much harder does it become when you have to remember that loss for seven hundred years?
Violence against women
“Violence against women” looks into the way that society views and constantly normalizes all the struggles that women face.
Fireworks
Read as the loud bang coming from outside sparks a dreadful thought at the young hours of the night.
The Sides of Me
It's as if the devil and an angel sit on her shoulders, debating whether she made the right choice with her lover. The internal battle of love's rights and wrongs comes to life.
Butterflies
If you ever feel too scared to grow and move on, just imagine the butterfly's transformation process. From beginning to end.
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.