Spring 2026
Perspectives on Editorial
In this journey, mentors and mentees will develop the core skills needed to thrive at a literary magazine—collaborating, drafting, revising, and supporting one another. After exploring the inner workings of a masthead and reviewing sample submissions, participants will design their own magazine concept and aesthetic. Through creative prompts, they’ll generate poetry, flash fiction, and memoir pieces, practicing the art of giving and receiving feedback as both writers and editors. The journey culminates in the launch of their collective digital literary journal.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Apply for a Fall 2026 Journey Now!
Learning Objectives
Perspectives on Editorial Community Experiences
Participants are required to attend one Journey Live Meetings each month throughout the cycle. Additionally, you can schedule 1:1 office hours with the Journey Instructor for individual assistance as needed.
Spring Cycle Journey Meetings:
• Saturday, March 21, 2026, 1-3 pm ET
• Saturday, April 18, 2026, 1-3 pm ET
• Saturday, May 16, 2026, 1-3 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 for this journey include Leadership Community Studios, Community Conversations, and Career Chats.
Perspectives on Editorial Course
Editorial Practice: Crafting and Curating Creative Work
This asynchronous course offers participants additional tools, lessons, and activities to strengthen their editorial and creative practice. Through self-paced modules, participants will explore the editorial process—from concept development to publication—while building confidence as both writers and editors. Interactive lessons will guide them in drafting and revising poetry, flash fiction, and memoir pieces, curating submissions, and shaping the visual and narrative identity of a literary magazine. By the end of the course, participants will have contributed original work and editorial insight to the collective digital literary journal launched in the Journey.
Perspectives On Editorial Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in this Journey will be matched for a minimum of 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.
Journey Teaching Artist
What Past Participants Have to Say
Edit 360
Journeys in the Edit 360 Adventure focus on editing as an essential aspect of writing and creating. It is perfect for mentees and mentors who are interested in honing their skills for editing their own creative work and the work of others.
Perspectives on Editorial is a Journey in the Edit 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.
