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!
The Junk Room
A short story discussing the traps of solitude and the desire to read.
When You’re Ready to Talk
This is a story about two long-distance sisters. One struggling with anxiety, and one who desperately wants to help but doesn’t know how.
How will they tell me you are dead?
In a WW1 foxhole, Felix, a German soldier, has survived brutal hand-to-hand combat with Nikolai, who carries letters and photos from his wife Svetlana. What happens when Felix assumes Nikolai’s identity…and writes back?
Cena ~ Dinner
Cooking a delicious feast or tasty meal for one is a skill, art, and process with a priceless reward: a full belly!
The Visitor
Miriam’s manor is a living, breathing entity. It tore her family apart once. Now it’s coming back to finish the job. And this time, it wants her.
Here and There
As an immigrant, you automatically have two homes, or maybe one home and a house. Either way, the question "where do I find my place and comfort within these homes" seems to never end.
In the Tree House
Like most stories about friendship, this one does not involve whale bones.
Stuck: Breathe Slowly and Count to Three
Best friends for 16 years, enemies for one. Now they're stuck in a supply closet. What could go wrong? Oh, and one of them is claustrophobic.
To My Younger Self
Your fingerprints are engraved in my soul. This is a letter dedicated to you, my dearest friend.
A Reflection Of Life: On The Other Side
My parents and I share a special relationship and find comfort in having insightful talks daily. This piece is crafted based on a reflection to their answers on one of my favorite questions!
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.