Summer 2025: Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word

• Discover strategies on how to write a song.
• Gain a deeper understanding of how lyrics function in a song.
• Develop skills to enhance mood and storytelling through music.
• Understand the use of literary devices in spoken word.
• Gain an understanding of strategic and intentional rhyming in spoken word.

Coursework

A list of asynchronous coursework can be found in the curriculum tab. 

Mentorship

You are in one of the following pair types. You pair type is listed on your GWN Portal profile.

• Type 1: Mentor/Mentee: Meet 2-3 times per month and, as a pair, attend one of the engagement events listed below at least once per month.
• Type 2 : Peer-to-Peer: Meet 2 times per month and, as a pair, attend one of the engagement events listed below at least once per month.

Engagement Types: Attend at least one of the following events. See dates below

• Aloud Open Mics (multiple dates)
• Journey Career Chat and Collaboratory Workshop
• Other Girls Write Now events [see Events tab in the Girls Write Now Portal]

Submissions

• Submit at least one song or spoken word poem to the Girls Write Now Portal to be published on your Author Page

• Shaping Moods with Lyrics and Song Structure with SassyBlack
• Rhyming with Reason with J.Rose

• Thursday, July 31, 5-6 PM ET : Open Mic (*hybrid at Girls Write Now office and virtual)
• Tuesday, August 5, 4:45- 6 PM ET: Career Chat: Mentorship in the Music Industry
• Saturday, August 16, 12-2 PM ET: Collaboratory Workshop: Music Packaging Workshop with Jervelle Frederick
• Thursday, August 28, 5-6 PM ET: Open Mic (*hybrid at Girls Write Now office and virtual)
• Thursday, September 25, 5-6 PM ET: Open Mic (virtual)
• Saturday, September 27, 12-2 PM ET: Spoken Word Workshop with Sasa Aakil

Please check the Announcements tab for information on upcoming live events.

• Submit at least one original song (lyrics and/or audio) or spoken word piece to published on your Author Page.

Link to girlswritenow.org/stories/submit/ for instructions on submitting material through the portal.