As I glided up to the 18th floor with fellow first-year mentor, Wendy, my chest bubbled with a mix of excitement and jitters. But all of the nerves I felt when I entered the building were left at the door as we were immediately greeted by enthusiastic Girls Write Now staffers. Soon after, I was thrown into a sun-soaked room buzzing with all sorts of positive energy, from the warm, wise and nurturing vibe of the returning mentors, to the friendliness and curiosity of the new mentors.
I would say I’m a pretty observant woman, with a knack for catching valuable nuggets of many conversations in a crowd. And what a crowd it was! At one point, I imagined myself as a ladybug whirring around that room (because, after all, in a room full of talented women, surely it’s a ladybug on the wall instead of a fly!), having a wonderful eavesdropping adventure. As I fluttered in on several conversations, I was inspired by the breadth of experience and passion that made up this collection of talented women. In just a few flaps of my wings, I heard…
…the challenges and rewards of getting down to the nitty-gritty of memoir writing…
…one woman’s love of Hogwarts and her wishes to escape there…
…how one author has embraced historical fiction as the conduit for her story of the journey of the female Puerto Rican protagonists she’s created…
…how another author has breathed new life into Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detectives with her own twist…
…how many of us wish to create safe and inspiring space for our future mentees’ creativity…
As Ladybug Lizz landed back on my shoulder at the end of training, I was filled with so much creative energy and a true sense of support. Most of all, I could already feel the beginnings of the amazing sisterhood that GWN naturally creates between mentors.
Thank you to all the GWN mentors and staff for sharing with such openness and generosity. Looking forward to a great year!