Spring – Summer 2025
The Power of Punchlines: Stand-Up Comedy for Change (Spring-Summer 2025)
In this 2-cycle journey, participants 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, you’ll learn how to write and perform material that blends humor with meaningful social critique. Through workshops and performance coaching, you’ll develop your own comedic voice. Discover how satire and personal storytelling can raise awareness, inspire dialogue, and challenge the status quo— all while keeping your audience laughing. By the end of the journey, you’ll have developed a 5 -10-minute stand-up routine that not only entertains but sparks meaningful conversations about the world around us. Comedy is a form of intelligence, whether you’re new to comedy or a seasoned performer, this journey will help you use humor as a force for social impact.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Apply for a Fall 2026 Journey Now!
Learning Objectives
The Power of Punchlines Courses
Participants will be enrolled in two courses during the Power of Punchlines Journey, which spans two cycles: Spring 2025 and Summer 2025. The first course, Intro to Stand-Up Comedy, will take place in the Spring Cycle. The second course, Stand-Up Comedy: Cookin’ & Poppin’, will follow in the Summer Cycle, building on the content from the first course.
- Intro to Stand-Up Comedy (Spring)
This course teaches the fundamentals of joke writing, comedic structure, and crafting punchlines. - Stand-Up Comedy: Cookin’ & Poppin’ (Summer)
This course is designed to build on the foundational skills of stand-up by focusing on refining material and delivery.
The Power of Punchlines Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in The Power of Punchlines Journey will be paired for a minimum of two cycles. Each pair will meet for at least two hour-long sessions per month. Mentees will develop community-based social activism projects, while mentors will provide support and guidance throughout the process. This journey is open to both mentor/mentee pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.
The Power of Punchlines Community Experiences
Participants will attend two Journey Live Meetings each month as part of the course for that cycle. Additionally, you can schedule 1:1 office hours with the Journey Instructor for individual assistance as needed.
Each cycle will conclude with Stand-Up Comedy Shows, where participants can perform their sets for a live audience. There will be one in-person show and one virtual show per cycle.
- Spring Cycle Journey Meetings:
March 8th & 22nd
April 5th & 26th
May 10th & 31st - Spring Cycle Stand-Up Comedy Shows
June 7th and 8th - Summer Cycle Journey Meetings:
July 12th & 26th
August 9th & 23rd
September 6th & 20th - Summer Cycle Stand-Up Comedy Shows
September 27th & 28th
Lead 360 Adventure
The Power of Punchlines Journey is a part of the Lead 360 Adventure.
All journeys within this Adventure emphasize leadership, aiming to help mentees and mentors develop their leadership skills and work together to create a better future. Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.
Find Your Journey
Find Your Journey
Everything’s 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)
In this Journey, mentors and mentees explore how books are marketed, discovered, and reach bestseller lists in the digital age.
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.
