Summer 2026
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey
This Journey invites you to explore the intersection of storytelling and wellness through the art of podcasting. You will learn the essentials of editing and sound design, and transforming conversations into a polished, engaging podcast episode. You’ll also explore how to market an episode—craft show descriptions, select excerpts, and find an audience. Each episode will reflect the spirit of the Girls Write Now community: intergenerational, inclusive, and rooted in wellness and the art of writing.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Apply for a Fall 2026 Journey Now!
Learning Objectives
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II Community Experiences
Participants will attend one Journey Live Meeting each month as part of the course for the cycle.
Summer Cycle Journey Meetings:
• Saturday, Jul 18, 2026, 1 – 3 PM ET
• Saturday, Aug 15, 2026, 1 – 3 PM ET
• Saturday, Sep 12, 2026, 1 – 3 PM ET
Release Party: Saturday, Sep 26, 2026, 2-4 PM ET
If you’re unable to attend a Journey meeting, you must attend any of the following: Exploratory Community Studios, College & Career Chats, and Salon Experiences.
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II Courses
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II
In this course, you’ll move from planning to production—learning editing and sound design while shaping conversations into polished podcast episodes. You will also explore how to market your work and reach an audience, centering intergenerational storytelling, inclusivity, and wellness.
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II 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.
Wellness 360
All Journeys within this Adventure focus on using writing and creating as a tool to help support your mental heath and general well-being. Learn more about the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below.
Writing Our Way to Wellness: A Podcast Journey, Pt. II is a Journey in the Wellness 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.
