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!
Civil War: An Excerpt
In this multi-perspective historical science fiction piece, a grandmother and granddaughter communicate in order to understand how a civil war changed the world they once knew and kept them away from loved ones.
A Teen Amplifying Teen Voices: An Interview with Kilhah St Fort
This is an interview conducted by mentor Amber Loveless, who is interviewing her mentee Kilhah St Fort about her teen advocacy work for YALS magazine.
‘The Sun Will Guide Us,’ An Excerpt
This is an excerpt from our Cinderella-inspired YA fantasy novel. In this scene, the two protagonists meet for the first time but they each have different motivations for their meeting.
The Power that Lies in Femininity
What does it take to be a girl? What does it mean to be unequivocally feminine?
Poetic Pillars
Poetic Pillars is a collection of poetry encompassing such themes as identity, mental health, family, heritage and love that serve as moments of self-reflection and appreciation of our individual and shared experiences.
Protesting For Change
How have protests and movements evolved and stayed the same over decades? We discuss our experiences at a women’s march and climate strike and how generations are connected in fighting for social justice.
Overcoming Restrictions – Inspired by Tupac’s ‘The Rose That Grew From Concrete’
No matter the obstacle, if you believe in yourself and focus on where you want to be, you will be the rose that overcame all odds.
10 Self-Care Tips
Given our interest in mental health, we worked together on an infographic highlighting actionable steps teens can take to de-stress and recharge.
Little Fellows (Chapter 1)
This is the first chapter of a coming-of-age novel that I am currently writing.
‘The Book of Extinct Creatures,’ An Excerpt
The Book of Extinct Creatures is a collection of mixed-media work for children. Through animals past and present, young readers will learn about important topics such as climate change and evolution.
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.