Independent Study (Spring 2027)

Spring 2027

Independent Study

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.

How Professionals Across Industries Benefit as Mentors

Driving Meaningful Impact at Work

At a time when many feel stretched thin or disconnected, Girls Write Now helps professionals feel creatively energized, supported, and seen, all while elevating the communication and leadership skills that matter most in the workplace: clear and compelling storytelling, confident public speaking, and experience expressing ideas with clarity and authenticity across teams and generations.

Spring 2027 Pre-Enrollment Is Open!

Express your interest in this Journey by filling out the form below.

You may also sign up for Mentorship on Demand at any time.

Pre-Enroll in a Spring 2027 Journey Explore Mentorship on Demand

Learning Objectives

Create and Implement a Project Plan

Turn an idea into a structured plan with clear steps, timelines, and goals.

Set Your Own Personal SMART Goals

Practice setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals to guide your progress.

Manage Time and Balance Priorities

Develop tools to organize your schedule, meet deadlines, and stay on track while managing other commitments.

Complete an Independent Study Project

Carry out your plan from start to finish, creating a final or in-progress product that reflects your interests, effort, and personal growth.

Journey Teaching Artist

“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

All Journeys within this Adventure focus on introducing a variety of genres, topics, and ideas to participants who want to try a little bit of everything. Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.

Independent Study is a Journey in the Explore 360 Adventure.

See All Adventures

Explore All Journeys

Area of Focus

Cycle

Duration

Time per Month

Explore All Journeys

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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.

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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.

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Girls Write Now . 1 month ago

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.

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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.

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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.

Girls Write Now . 1 month ago

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.

Girls Write Now . 1 month 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.

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