Summer 2025

Independent Study

Create your own experience with our Independent Study Journey. Meet as a pair, attend events of interest, and use coursework to help you plan creative projects and meet your goals.

Girls Write Now Collaboratory

This Journey is Closed, but You Can Pre-Enroll in a Spring 2027 Journey Now!

Pre-Enroll Now

Independent Study Course

This self-paced Independent Study course will provide resources and tips for those working on creative project independently. You’ll learn about study spaces & materials, SMART Goal Setting, visualization, calendaring, time management, procrastination – and more!

Explore Courses

Independent Study Mentoring

Mentees and mentors in this Journey will be matched for one cycle. Pairs will meet for at least two hour-long sessions each month. This journey is open to both mentor/mentee pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.

Explore Mentorship Opportunities

Independent Study Community Experiences

Mentees and mentors in the Independent Study Journey must attend at least one Community Experiences of their choice per month.

Explore Community Experiences

“Together [my mentee and I] explored wellness and the impacts of that on our creativity, we also explored poetry styles together, and briefly touched on the importance of calendars and accountability in preparation for college (which we hope to dive into deeper in the next cycle should we be paired).”

Emily Meyer Mentor

“GWN impacted my personal growth by matching me with an amazing mentor who takes genuine interest in my work, which has encouraged me to become more confident in my abilities.”

Zaina Rivera Mentee

“[I] was able to finish my college applications with support from Sidney, my mentor.”

Ayushree Dahal Mentee

“Girls Write Now helped me to do a lot of self reflection and personal growth surrounding my writing and my personal well-being. In addition, my mentor supported me with my journalism work, which is a possible future career path for me.”

Coral Buchalter Mentee

“I think connecting with my mentor has been the most valuable part of the program for me. I’m so thankful that GWN introduced us! The mentorship aspect of Girls Write Now is incredible. I also really like the Independent Study Journey, which gave my mentor and I the freedom and flexibility to move at our own pace and take the time to develop our own projects and meet our goals.”

Navya Vasireddy Mentee

Explore 360 Adventure

The Independent Study Journey is a part of the Explore 360 Adventure.

Journeys in the Explore 360 Adventure focus on introducing a variety of genres, topics, and ideas to participants who want to try a little bit of everything. It is recommended for any mentee or mentor who wants to get a taste of all that Girls Write Now has to offer!

Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.

See All Adventures

Find Your Journey

Area of Focus

Cycle

Duration

Time per Month

Find Your Journey

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Explore Tour (Fall 2026)

Explore all of the creative and storytelling pathways Girls Write Now has to offer through a multimedia, multi-genre experience that includes mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-to-one pair sessions.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Teach GWN (Fall 2026)

In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a community studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

The Career Journey: Inside Book Publishing (Fall 2026)

This Journey is for mentors curious about breaking into publishing, mentors already in the industry who want to pass on what they know, and mentees serious about building a career in books. Together you'll map the roles across publishing houses and literary agencies and get into the nuts and bolts of what each one actually does.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Explore Tour (Spring 2027)

Explore Girls Write Now’s creative and storytelling pathways through a multimedia, multi-genre experience featuring mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-to-one pair sessions. Develop skills across fiction, journalism, publishing, video, podcasting, visual storytelling, and more.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Independent Study (Spring 2027)

Create your own experience with our Independent Study Journey. Mentees and mentors meet as a pair, attend events of interest, and use coursework to support creative projects and personal goals. Along the way, you can connect with others during a mid-cycle mixer designed to spark inspiration, share ideas, and build community. The Journey culminates in a showcase where participants present the work they have developed throughout the cycle and celebrate their accomplishments together. Mentees and mentors will benefit by gaining greater independence in their learning, deepening their creative practice, and building meaningful connections while pursuing self-directed goals.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Teach GWN (Spring 2027)

In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a Community Studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure. Each cycle involves facilitating three Community Studios, one per month. Mentees and mentors will gain valuable skills in leadership, teaching, and community building. Mentees and mentors can facilitate a Community Studio either independently (if they are 18 or older) or together as a pair.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Screenwriting: Crafting Short Film Stories (Spring 2027)

This two-cycle Journey guides participants from crafting a short film script to bringing it to life on screen. In the first cycle, mentors and mentees focus on developing compelling stories, dynamic characters, and engaging dialogue, learning the essentials of screenwriting for short films. In the second cycle, participants move from script to screen, exploring the practical aspects of video production, including planning, collaboration, and bringing their creative vision to life. By the end of the journey, mentees will have both a polished script and hands-on experience in producing their own short film.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Life Lines: Crafting Memoir (Part 1) (Spring 2027)

In this three-cycle Journey, writers will get the support and expert industry insight they need to write their memoir. In the first three-month cycle, participants will outline, structure their book, and begin their first drafts; in the second three-month cycle, participants will write and workshop their drafts; and in the third cycle, participants will finish their drafts and write their book proposals.

Girls Write Now . 4 months ago

Lead Community Change (Part 2) (Spring 2027)

Lead Community Change is a dynamic two-cycle Journey that harnesses the transformative power of storytelling to drive social impact. Aspiring young leaders and activists will unleash their creativity to develop and implement innovative community-based social activism projects, supported by GWN’s rich storytelling resources.