Girls Write Now Collaboratory

Journeys

Each Journey in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory is a package of Writing Course Content, Mentorship, and Community Experiences for mentors and mentees. Our team of teachers, artists, and content experts have thoughtfully curated each Journey to be a dynamic, multifaceted experience. Journeys can be light touch or intensive, short or long-term, asynchronous or in real time.

Plunge into a Summer Journey

Become a Mentor or Mentee in the Girls Write Now Collaboratory from July – September.

Journey Mentors & Mentees

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Journey Mentors

Girls Write Now mentors are professionals, typically ages 25 and up, from all fields and disciplines, and from around the nation. They work with curiosity and collaboration, learning and growing, while supporting their mentees’ writing and leadership needs and goals.
Journey Mentor

Journey Mentees

Girls Write Now mentees are writers and leaders, typically ages of 14-24, from around the nation. Through a lens of creativity and activism, mentees produce stories, podcasts, poems, films, and more with the support of a mentor and the Girls Write Now community.

Journey Cycles

A Journey cycle is a three-month time period. Every month for three months of the Journey, mentors and mentees spend three hours or more together in pair sessions and community experiences, bolstered by our dynamic curriculum. You can sign up for one, two, or three cycles to meet your schedule and goals.

  • Summer: July 1-September 30
  • Fall: November 1-January 31
  • Spring: March 1-May 31
Cycles

Journeys Lead to Adventure

Each Journey is a part of an overarching Adventure for mentors and mentees. Think of Adventures like majors that over time provide a 360 degree exploration of a genre, topic, or focus area.

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Select the Journey you want to go on this cycle! Once you're accepted, you'll be matched with a mentor or mentee who shares your interests.

Select the Journey you want to go on this cycle! Once you're accepted, you'll be matched with a mentor or mentee who shares your interests.

Civil Discourse: Connection & Persuasion (Spring 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. They will explore techniques for effective communication, refine their ability to think critically under pressure, and practice responding to diverse perspectives in a structured setting.

Civil Discourse Connection & Persuasion; two girls speaking with a mic

STARS: Crafting White Papers for Change (Spring 2026)

In this Journey, Fellows from STARS CGI partner organizations engage in a youth-led writing and advocacy experience that empowers them to turn their experiences into policy-focused narratives. Through in-person and virtual sessions, participants learn to research, write, and collaborate on a White Paper that amplifies youth voices across New York City and advocates for increased support, funding, and policy improvements for youth programs. The Journey builds communication, leadership, and advocacy skills, culminating in a youth-authored White Paper presented to a City Council Member as a public call to action.

Storytelling Across Languages and Cultures (Fall 2025)

This Journey invites multilingual storytellers—and those curious about language, identity, and culture—to explore how the languages we speak and the communities we come from shape our stories. Through writing, discussion, and creative expression, participants will examine the connections between language, culture, and self. The Journey celebrates multilingual voices and empowers participants to honor their perspectives and grow as confident storytellers across cultures.

Hooked on Fiction: Crafting Your First Chapter (Fall 2025)

In this fiction Journey, our curriculum will focus on opening chapters. The first pages of a novel are some of the most daunting for many writers. There's so much to establish in very few pages—the ones your future readers will flip through to decide if they should keep reading. In this journey, we'll deep dive into the varied ingredients that make a compelling first chapter. We'll examine how to use your limited space to build motivated well-rounded characters, craft palpable stakes, establish a fully-realized setting, create a killer hook, and so much more. We'll tackle big questions, like how to know if you are starting in the right place and how to get all this information onto the page without overwhelming your readers. Whether you're starting a story from scratch or already editing a draft of your novel, join us to develop some impactful opening pages.

Wicked Stagewriting: From Plays to Musicals (Fall 2025)

The Writing for the Stage: From Plays to Musicals Journey is designed to help develop the skills and understanding needed to work as a writer in today’s theatre industry. This Journey provides insight into the work of a playwright – a deep understanding of live storytelling and professional scripts, plays vs musicals, professional working practices, and employment strategies. We will look to popular musicals such as Wicked for inspiration in creating original pieces. Specific topics range from story structure and formatting scripts to actually seeing a script to fruition.

Civil Discourse: Connection & Persuasion (Fall 2025)

In this one-Cycle Journey, 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. They will explore techniques for effective communication, refine their ability to think critically under pressure, and practice responding to diverse perspectives in a structured setting.

Civil Discourse Connection & Persuasion; two girls speaking with a mic
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Collaboratory Access for Mentors, Mentees & Members

Enjoy a la carte or as part of a Journey

All mentors, mentees & members also have access to our Resources, including jobs, internships, scholarships, writing contests, enrichment opportunities, and more.

Writing

Writing

Build skills though courses that focus on any genre, media, leadership, activism, college, career, and more.

Mentoring

Connect one-to-one across generations and establish a supportive relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Community

Collaborate and share with other inspiring minds at countless engaging events and experiences.

Join Our Community

“I’ve been a mentor with Girls Write Now since 2023 and have really enjoyed supporting the mission and helping the next generation of writers, activists, researchers, thinkers, and creators. The joy I get from watching a mentee critically think through a problem, respond to a writing prompt, or present a lesson plan is so wonderful and continuously restores my faith in the power of mentorship and human connection. GWN is a great group with lots of fun events across all interests and professional staff that truly care about the mentees and the mentors. I’m grateful for the community fostered here.”
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Sarah E. Bode Mentor
“As a first-time mentor with GWN, participating in this program has provided a meaningful sense of community and connection. I particularly valued the opportunity to engage with my mentee. Over the course of the program, we established a strong relationship rooted in trust and a mutual commitment to personal development. Supporting a student’s growth and witnessing their increasing confidence has been a deeply fulfilling experience.”
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Ameena Rodriguez Mentor
“Joining GWN means joining a community of artists and writers, but most importantly joining a community of welcoming, supportive people who champion, encourage, and celebrate each other. Mentees and mentors alike benefit from enriching programs, exciting sessions, and plenty of opportunities for personal and professional growth. GWN can be a life-changing experience: I know it has changed mine.”
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Casey Cornelius Mentor
“After years of working with Girls Write Now, I can say without hesitation that mentorship through this program fills a gap in today’s workplace. Most organizations no longer have the time, structure, or training culture to truly teach people how to manage—how to listen, give feedback, navigate differences, build trust, and lead with clarity and empathy. Mentoring in the Journeys program develops exactly those skills. You learn how to work with people from different backgrounds, how to build confidence in others, and how to communicate with purpose. These are the foundations of strong management and effective leadership. It has been the single most important contributor to my own development across leadership roles, and I regularly encourage early-career professionals to become mentors for this reason. The value is immediate, practical, and lasting—for the mentor, the mentee, and the organizations they go on to lead.”
Anne Sanderson
Anne Sanderson, Executive Leader, Strategic Communications & Engagement Mentor
“Girls Write Now has provided an unparalleled platform with support, tools, resources, and open communication. It’s been a collaborative, inspiring, joyful ride, and I feel lucky to be part of something so special!”
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Stacie Rose, Award-Winning Writer, Editor, Producer & Director Mentor

Journey Mentorship

Make a commitment as a mentor or mentee for at least one Journey and get full access to our writing, mentoring, and community experiences and resources.

Membership

Be a part of our community without committing to a Journey, and receive select access to our writing, mentoring, and community experiences and resources.