Summer 2026
Book Club: Fantasy
This Journey offers an immersive dive into contemporary literature, shifting from passive reading to a strategic analysis of a writer’s craft. Over the course of three monthly meetings, you will engage in close readings of selected texts, dissecting how authors build intricate worlds and develop complex character arcs. Through collaborative discussions and the application of literary frameworks, you will connect narrative themes to broader historical and modern contexts. By the end of the summer, you will have sharpened your critical eye and gained a suite of storytelling techniques to inform and elevate your own creative work. The required books this cycle are Katabasis by R. F. Kuang, Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen, and When They Burned the Butterfly by Wen-Yi Lee.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Apply for a Fall 2026 Journey Now!
Book Club: Fantasy Community Experiences
Mentees and mentors in this Journey must attend the monthly 90-minute Journey Meetings.
Journey Meeting Dates:
- Thursday, July 30, 2026, 7:30 – 9 PM ET
- Thursday, August 27, 2026, 7:30 – 9 PM ET
- Thursday, September 24, 2026, 7:30 – 9 PM ET
If you’re unable to attend a Journey Meeting, you must notify your Staff Lead in advance and attend a community event to make up for it—strongly recommended options include Exploratory Community Studios, College & Career Chats, and Salon Experiences.
Book Club: Fantasy Courses
Book Club: Fantasy
This course is designed to help develop critical thinking skills, engage with literary criticism, and form a reading practice. Specific topics range from active reading to review writing to connecting stories to current events.
Book Club: Fantasy Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in the Book Club: Fantasy Journey will be matched for one cycle. Pairs will meet for at least two hour-long sessions each month. Mentees will work on a review of one of the books read during the cycle, while mentors will offer support and guidance throughout the process. This Journey is open to both mentor-mentee pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.
Learning Objectives
Journey Teaching Artist
What Past Participants Have to Say
Read 360
Journeys in the Read 360 Adventure focus on close readings of books and creative works in community with other writers. Think of them as a Girls Write Now book club!
Book Club: Fantasy is a Journey in the Read 360 Adventure.
Explore All Journeys
Explore All Journeys
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, the biologist who uncovered the hidden architecture of butterfly wings, this Journey invites you, mentor and mentee, to explore the natural world through the complementary lenses of scientific inquiry and creative expression. Through close observation, research, and reflection, you'll investigate the forms, patterns, and processes found in nature, then build an original project—writing, visual art, media, performance, music, or a form of your own choosing—that celebrates where these disciplines meet. Along the way, you'll sharpen your powers of observation, stretch your interdisciplinary thinking, and develop the ability to translate scientific understanding into meaningful art.
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, you—mentor and mentee—will build essential skills in public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking. Through hands-on activities and lively discussion, you'll learn to craft persuasive speeches, construct well-reasoned arguments, and present your ideas with confidence. You'll explore what makes communication land, sharpen your thinking under pressure, and practice responding to perspectives unlike your own in a structured setting. By the end, you'll be able to make your case clearly, engage in dialogue that goes somewhere, and carry these skills into academic, professional, and civic life.
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 discover what makes a story truly unsettling. Across three monthly book club meetings, you—mentor and mentee—will dig into close readings and lively discussion of selected works, examining how authors build suspense, conjure atmosphere, evoke fear, and use the genre to probe deeper social, psychological, and cultural questions. Together you'll unpack narrative technique, character development, and the many shapes the genre can take. By summer's end, you'll have a richer appreciation for horror, sharper critical instincts as readers, and a store of inspiration and craft to carry into your own writing. Required books this cycle: Dark Is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce, The Body by Bethany C. Morrow, and I'll Watch Your Baby by Neena Viel.
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.
