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!
Cucharita
Finalist in the Sweet July x Girls Write Now: Passing Down Our Stories Writing Contest
Speaking on Good Ghosts
We’re kicking off our second season with a conversation between mentor alum and debut author of The Waves Take You Home, María Alejandra Barrios Velez, and Mentee Fiona Hernandez.
A Foreshadowed Understanding
People often struggle with their genders growing up. Most grow out—or, rather—into their pre-established identities. I didn’t.
Bad Omens
A 13-syllable-per-line structured poem that sits with the guilt of womanhood and daughterhood.
Sea Glass
In this piece, I tried to incorporate memories from my childhood with some of today’s environmental issues by comparing two alternate storylines– one of my memories growing up, and another displaying climate crises– over time.
Did You Find Out Something New Today?
Discovering some truths about history that are not in our history books.
Skinny Girl Memoir
Growing up surrounded by women of color, I always felt isolated by the fact that my body was different from those of the beautiful women around me. This poem was my moment of solidarity; my body is no one’s but my own and I don't need anyone else's approval.
Writing Our Way To Wellness: Season 1, Episode 10
In the season 1 finale, we're talking about the source of a lot of the stress in our lives: work. As writers, it can be hard to find workplaces that value our creativity and also give us the time and space to recharge our energy. But it's not impossible. Jeanine Marie Russaw, a Community Coordinator at Girls Write Now, chats with Community Manager Emily Rigby about finding joy and maintaining an authentic connection to your purpose in the workplace. Listen to how these writers and employees reclaim their stories, and in doing so reclaim their power.
Golden Crab
The simple story of a girl named Leto, an old man, the uncertain ocean waters, and crabs.
She’s a 7.8
They were silent. I felt strong.
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.