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 Complete Absolute Ultimate Total Undeniable Truth
Some people may see cats as being rude or disobedient and think that they’re the inferior pet. I feel the opposite.
growing my petals
life grows. life is challenging and confusing, but no matter what, there are beautiful petals, waiting to grow.
Mutilated Desire
A found poem from "The Great Gatsby" and "Passing," analyzing the role of women in regards to the American Dream.
These Lonely Bones
The pandemic isn’t over. Many disabled and chronically ill people have experienced isolation their entire lives, but since this pandemic’s
the Destroyer
A divine lesson in being careful about what you wish for.
The Terror of Obesity
Content Warning: Body Shaming, Fatphobia, Disordered Eating Excerpted from a longer essay. Inspired by the hilarious Samantha Irby's "The Terror of Love"
Writing Our Way to Wellness: Season 1, Episode 6 Part 1
In this Part I of a special two-part episode, mentee Chloe Lee guides Community Coordinator, Sally Familia, through a beautiful conversation about teenagehood, healing, and writing as a tool for wellness. They explore the differences and similarities growing up in the Gen Z generation, and how that has informed their healing and writing practices. Chloe and Sally connect through their exploration of the inner self and their hopes for a new world for the generations to come!
‘How Did I Get Here?’ – Episode 2: Leah Chernikoff
“How Did I Get Here?” is a podcast about the different stories of women in media and their career journeys. This episode highlights Leah Chernikoff, the executive editor of Harper's Bazaar.
The World Cup at Qatar
The world cup was a beautiful experience and it's something that should be remembered.
Writing Our Way to Wellness: Season 1, Episode 5
One of the best ways to care for our mental wellbeing is to care for our physical bodies. Community Manager Margery Hannah and mentee alum Chanelle Ferguson dive into the ways that their upbringing in their particular communities has influenced their relationship to physical health, and how care for the body is intimately tied to care for the soul. This episode covers tea as a favored Caribbean remedy, how to handle stress in the body, and how food deserts are affecting communities of color. Featured Poem: Featured Prompt by Mentee Alum Chanelle Ferguson:Write a letter from your body to you answering the question, "How has your body taken care of you?"
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.