ANTHOLOGIES
Taking Our Place in History: The Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology
Girls Write Now is thrilled to be in partnership with Dutton, who produced this year’s anthology. A special thanks to the team at Dutton—Christine Ball,Maya Ziv,Marya Pasciuto and Hannah Feeney, and to Feminist Press and Jamia Wilson, who produced the e-book. Thank you as well to Amazon Literary Partnership for their continued support and for recognizing Girls Write Now as a 2020 grant recipient, which directly funds the production of our anthologies.
The Girls Write Now 2020 class of mentees are using their voices for change in one of the most uncertain periods of modern history. This book invites you into their homes and families, their schools and neighborhoods, their hearts, hopes, and fears. Enter a world where clay creatures take on aluminum oppressors. Get thrown against an elevator wall in the midst of a horror story. Go backstage with a rock band, say goodbye to relatives as you start a new life, stand with an engineer solving a coding problem. Stare out from a coffin—or up at whales in the sky—and fall in love with the color of your skin. Experience tragedy in a mosque, feel the wounds of slavery, know the terror of glass shattering in a World War II village, and see how this next generation of leaders look to the past and write their present to create a better future.
Introduction by
With a Poem 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.
Taking Our Place in History: The Girls Write Now 2020 Anthology
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" Coming Soon!
Stories from Inside "Taking Our Place in History" Coming Soon!
Poem Generator
Do you want to write a poem without having to fully put in effort to make your piece? Use my Poem Generator! After completing a Mad Libs–like questionnaire, you will have the end result of a unique poem to share with your loved ones. Enjoy!
Confirmed-Rosemary
Confirmed-Rosemary is a culmination of all my literary triumphs. It includes crowd favorites like “God is a Girl” and girlhood poems like “Growing Pains”—old to new, each making history.
To Those Who Hide in Words
This project sums up the type of writing I typically read and write myself. It is meant to be suspenseful and vague, which is why the words are so limited. I like giving the reader a lot of space to interpret my work in ways that are unique to them, which is why details about the characters and setting are not specified.
Mixed Media Poems
How often do you get to read poetry from the brain of a real teen? Everyone reads young adult books, but they’re written by adults so here’s your chance to read poetry from a teen, expressing themself. My work is inspired by prompts given to me by mentors or random thoughts and questions I have about life.
Evolution of Nylah and Kathleen
It's hard to maintain a relationship for more than three months, let alone three years. Follow our journey and become inspired to start your own. It can be with your little cousin, your mom, or even a cactus!
Feelings Change
”I know you say you love me; I don't really feel it sometimes.”
Vulnerable Mirage
Vulnerable Mirage presents the complex balance of vulnerability and safety of relationships in the form of bubbly, easy to read graphics. Many of the themes I touch on are an attempt at leaning into the confusion of teen angst which is universal in teenage relationships. These excerpts were taken from larger personal works and strive to represent a feeling which I feel could apply to many people in a diverse array of situations.
Everything You Need to Know About Sheyla
My multimedia piece is a slideshow on Canva called “Everything You Need to Know About Sheyla.” This was my first time working on a digital piece. I wanted the Girls Write Now community to have a guide of everything they need to know about what makes me who I am.
Making our Mark
My piece is on women and the word “history,” so I decided to put those words together. The idea that inspired both my poster and the short story is really the idea of woman power. The story isn’t about a woman herself being powerful, but more about women being able to write a story because women today are still discriminated against across industries, whether we recognize it or not. The poster symbolizes sisterhood, women from different backgrounds coming together, and the idea that we are all stronger together.
Running Different
Caster Semenya is a South African runner who has been banned by the IAAF from competing with women because she was found to be hyperandrogenic, meaning she has a higher level of testosterone. This whole investigation was based on the opinion of fellow athletes that she looks like a man. As a result, she must either take testosterone decreasing drugs to compete with women or run with men. As of now, Semenya is still fighting the case, not just for herself but for the human rights of all women.
Taking Our Places in History
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.