• Journey
  • Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine (Summer 2026)

Summer 2026

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine

This Journey invites you to step into the role of editor and designer to transform poetry from the spring Poetry Rising Journey into a compelling, collaborative zine. You will move through the stages of publishing, beginning with a deep editorial dive to refine existing verses inspired by heritage and created by your peers. As you master visual composition and multimedia design, you will learn to pair these powerful voices with a cohesive aesthetic, ultimately gaining the technical skills and creative vision needed to produce and share a high-impact, independent publication.

Ready to Apply?

Learn more below or get started now. If you do not already have a Girls Write Now Portal account, you will be asked to create one in order to apply.

Apply Now

Ready to Apply?

Learn more below or get started now. If you do not already have a Girls Write Now Portal account, you will be asked to create one in order to apply.

 

 

Apply Now
  • JOURNEY REQUIREMENTS
  • Cycle(s) One cycle (July 1 to September 30).
  • Time Commitment A minimum of three hours per month.
  • Journey Meetings Attend monthly Journey Meetings. See dates listed below.
  • Mentoring Have a minimum of two one-hour pair sessions per month.
  • Journey Project Create a collaborative zine.

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine Community Experiences

Mentees and mentors must attend one Journey Live Meetings each month. 

Summer Cycle Journey Meetings:

  • Saturday, July 11 , 2026, 4 – 6 PM ET
  • Saturday, August 8, 2026, 4 – 6 PM ET
  • Saturday, September 12, 2026, 4 – 6 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—recommended options for this journey include Community Studios and Career Chats.

Journey Circle: Community

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine Course

Crafting A Zine
In this integrated coursework, you will deepen your understanding of the editorial and design process while building practical publishing skills you can apply beyond this Journey. Designed to directly support and extend your live Journey meetings, the coursework provides guided lessons, tools, and practice that strengthen the collaborative zine-making happening in real time.

Writing

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine 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 traditional pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.

Journey Teaching Artists

Kenna DeValor

(they/them) Mentor

Kenna DeValor (they/them) is a nonbinary + queer writer and current graduate student based in Northeast Pennsylvania. They hold a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bloomsburg University. Currently, they attend Wilkes University's Maslow Family Creative Writing MA/MFA program for Fiction, and they are writing their MA Thesis: a debut YA dark academia novel while working under the incredible YA author Allison Saft as their mentor.

In DeValor's career, they have been published 70+ times in various art/literary journals and magazines around the US, UK, and Australia. They have been nominated twice in 2025 for Best of the Net (1x for visual art & 1x for short fiction) and once for Best Short Fictions 2026. They have their poetry collection DISCOFRUIT available at certain indie bookshops in Pennsylvania! (Friendly Alien Bookstores etc.) They also started their very own nonprofit (501c3) literary arts magazine in 2019 called FlowerMouth Press that uplifts diverse voices, which has amassed over 4,000 followers.

When DeValor is not writing, reading, making zines, drawing, analyzing banned books, or performing onstage, they are a journalist for a local newspaper, a professional tattoo artist in their hometown of Bethlehem, PA, and a professional typewriter poet contracted with the Poetry Society of New York. They also spend their time making music with their indie alt band ARACHNYX, supporting their local library as a programs coordinator, occasionally performing their writing live, and going on adventures with their fiancé, Drew.

Learn more about Kenna: www.kennadevalor.com Kenna's Main Instagram @teadragonz Kenna's Writer Instagram @kennadevalorwrites FlowerMouth Press

Visit Profile

Kayla Dudley

(she/her) Mentee

Kayla Dudley (she/her) is a poet, educator, and artivist dedicated to using storytelling as a tool for social change. A recent graduate from John Jay College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Africana Studies, she explores the intersections of identity, justice, and healing through her work. She is the CEO/Founder of Healotry, a workshop series that invites participants to confront silence and reclaim their voices through creative expression. Her poetry often centers on love, resilience, and the lived experiences of Black women and queer communities. She aspires to continue blending art and advocacy as she pursues her graduates in creative writing and Africana Studies.

Visit Profile

Publish 360

Journeys in the Publish 360 Adventure focus on the process of producing and publishing creative work. It is perfect for mentees and mentors who want to learn more about the publishing world.

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine is a Journey in the Publish 360 Adventure.

See All Adventures

Explore All Journeys

Explore All Journeys

Explore Tour (Summer 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-on-one pair sessions. Discover new skills and build on existing ones with offerings that range from fiction to journalism to publishing, and dive into formats like video, podcasting, visual storytelling, and more. Ideal for mentees who enjoy working across multiple genres and media or are focused on specific projects, this Journey offers the flexibility to tailor your learning experience to your individual needs.

Explore Tour, photos of two girls smiling, GWN logo

Stories of Becoming: Crafting Young Adult Romance (Summer 2026)

This Journey invites participants to dive into the world of young adult romance, exploring the joys, challenges, and complexities of love in adolescence and young adulthood. Through creative writing exercises, character development, and plot crafting, mentees will learn how to create authentic, relatable stories that resonate with YA readers. Participants will explore themes of identity, friendship, and emotional growth while honing their craft in storytelling that captures the heart and imagination.

Teach GWN (Summer 2026)

In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a Community Studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure. Each cycle involves facilitating three Community Studios, one per month. Participants will gain valuable skills in leadership, teaching, and community building. Mentees and mentors can facilitate a Community Studio either solo (if they are 18 or older) or together as a pair.

Fresh Mouth: Confidence Through Comedy (Summer 2026)

This Journey transforms your unique observations and "wild and wacky" thoughts into a structured comedy set. Through bi-weekly Journey Meetings and personalized coaching, you will explore the mechanics of humor, moving from a raw premise to a polished delivery. You will learn to find the funny in the everyday while building the stage presence and confidence necessary to share your voice. The experience concludes in a live showcase alongside peers and professional comedians, where you will debut your original material and celebrate the power of humor as a tool for connection and self-expression.

College Ready: Drafting Your Narrative (Summer 2026)

This Journey offers a streamlined path to college readiness through interactive workshops, mentoring, and peer exchange. You will move from drafting a compelling personal statement to building a strategic school list and navigating financial planning, all while receiving personalized feedback on your work. By the end of the program, you’ve gained the skills to create a polished application and the insider knowledge needed to present your most authentic self to admissions committees.

Zine Makers: Crafting A Peer Poetry Zine (Summer 2026)

This Journey invites you to step into the role of editor and designer to transform poetry from the spring Poetry Rising Journey into a compelling, collaborative zine. You will move through the specialized stages of the publishing world, beginning with a deep editorial dive to refine existing verses inspired by heritage and created by your peers. As you master visual composition and multimedia design, you will learn to pair these powerful voices with a cohesive aesthetic, ultimately gaining the technical skills and creative vision needed to produce and share a high-impact, independent publication.

1 2 3 8