Summer 2025
Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word (Summer 2025)
Enhance the power of your words by speaking or singing them aloud. In this journey, we’ll examine a variety of ways to share creative work using our voices and audio techniques with open mic events, podcasts, and songwriting.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Apply for a Fall 2026 Journey Now!
Requirements
- Active Participation: Attend and actively engage in class activities, including open mic events, group discussions, and feedback sessions.
- Completion of Assignments: Submit required assignments, such as a recorded podcast episode, a written song, or a personal statement, by the specified deadlines.
- Practice and Rehearsal: Dedicate time each week to practicing vocal techniques, preparing for performances, and refining your audio skills outside of class.
Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Courses
In the Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word course, you’ll discover how to bring your creative work to life by speaking or singing it aloud. You’ll learn techniques for open mic events, podcasts, and songwriting that will help you amplify your voice and share your stories with confidence.
Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in the Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Journey will be matched for one cycle. Pairs will meet for at least two hour-long sessions each month.
Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Community Experiences
Mentees and mentors in the Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Journey must attend at least one Community Experience per month. They are expected to attend meetings that are specifically required for Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word. It is strongly recommended that they attend Exploratory Community Studios, College & Career Chats, and Salon Experiences.
Performance 360 Adventure
The Aloud: Songwriting & Spoken Word Journey is a part of the Performance 360 Adventure.
Journeys in the Performance 360 Adventure focus on building public speaking and presenting skills. It is perfect for mentees and mentors who want to build confidence in performing their work and sharing their ideas.
Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.
Find Your Journey
Find Your Journey
Everything Is a Story: Nonfiction that Reads like Fiction (Fall 2026)
In this Journey, mentees and mentors will explore the ways in which creative storytelling techniques can be applied to nonfiction writing of all kinds, from memoir and personal essay to op-ed and how-to articles. We will dive into what makes a story—from structural archetypes to writing that flows—and learn how to harness the power of story to make nonfiction compelling and transformative.
Wild Ideas: Nature, Science & Creativity (Fall 2026)
Created in honor of Helen Ghiradella’s pioneering work at the intersection of science and creativity, this Journey invites mentees and mentors to explore the natural world through the complementary lenses of scientific inquiry and artistic expression. Inspired by Ghiradella’s legacy, and through close observation, research, and reflection, they will investigate the forms, patterns, and processes found in nature while creating an original project—through writing, visual art, media, performance, music or another creative form—that celebrates the connections between nature, science, and creativity.
Hooked on Fiction: Story Structures for Plotters, Pantsers, & Plantsers (Fall 2026)
In this Journey, we’ll tackle one of the most daunting parts of novel writing: the opening chapter. Participants will explore how to hook readers while establishing character, setting, and stakes—asking big questions like where to begin and how to share key details without overload.
Building Buzz: Publicity in the Publishing Industry (Fall 2026)
This Journey explores how social media—especially TikTok’s BookTok community—has transformed the publishing industry.
The Power of Punchlines: Stand-Up Comedy for Change (Fall 2026)
In this Journey, mentors and mentees will explore the power of comedy as a tool for social change, with a special focus on stand-up comedy. From climate change and economic inequality to LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and mental health, participants will learn how to write and perform material that blends humor with meaningful social critique.
Civil Discourse: Connection & Persuasion (Fall 2026)
In this Journey, mentors and mentees will develop essential skills in public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking. Through engaging activities and interactive discussions, participants will learn to craft persuasive speeches, construct well-reasoned arguments, and present their ideas with confidence.
Independent Study (Fall 2026)
Create your own experience with our Independent Study Journey. Mentors and mentees meet as a pair, attend events of interest, and use coursework to help plan creative projects and meet your goals.
Lead Community Change (Fall 2026)
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 Girls Write Now’s rich storytelling resources.
Dark Tales: A Horror Book Club (Fall 2026)
Step into the shadows of horror and explore what makes a story truly unsettling. Through three monthly book club meetings, participants will engage in close readings and lively discussions of selected horror works, examining how authors build suspense, create atmosphere, evoke fear, and use the genre to explore deeper social, psychological, and cultural themes. Together, we will analyze storytelling techniques, character development, and the many forms horror can take. By the end of the fall, you will have deepened your appreciation of the genre, sharpened your critical reading skills, and gathered inspiration and craft techniques to enrich your own writing.
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.
