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!
Rising and Falling and Crashing
The five "Yearlies" stay on the tiny beach island over the summer, while the rest of their boarding school friends go home.
To What Has Become
Years pass, cycles break, moments shift, but things remain.
Beauty By Heart
There are many stigmas surrounding body image and beauty standards to the point where it has become underestimated. This poem is written through the lens of a girl who experiences it but finds strength to overcome it.
Stages of Reflection
"Stages of Reflection" reveals the ongoing journey of self-love in three basic stages.
least favorite season
an ode to winter, but not exactly a commentary on the coldest season.
Making American Holidays Our Own
Two essays about experiencing American holidays through the lens of immigrant families. Each of us has different stories of trying to figure out American holiday traditions, but we've also tried to build our own.
Dos Gardenias del Campo
Sitting in the Dominican countryside, known as El Campo, Agustina plays the guitar with her grandfather. She reflects on her time spent on the island and her anxiety surrounding her soon departure.
Bye Bye My Home Country
This winter, I returned to Bangladesh for the first time in years after living in the U.S.
The Lifelong Gift
People leave a mark in our lives that will forever stay with us; this essay is a love letter to everyone that has influenced me and put me on the path I am now traveling.
Running Towards Self-Care
This is what an injury taught me about self-care.
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.