Brittney and Amy, in the Writing and Mentoring Program, are entering their second year as mentee and mentor. We asked them a few questions reflecting on their time together and what they’re looking forward to this upcoming year.
How long have you been a part of Girls Write Now? What made you want to join the program?
Brittney: I have been in Girls Write now for a year now. The main thing that made me want to join the program was the fact that I would be surrounded by a lot of girls and women that all have the same exact passions and interest as me.
Amy: This is my fourth year as a mentor in WMP (the Writing and Mentoring Program). I attended a CHAPTERS event five years ago, when I was new to New York City. I was blown away by the passion and talent of these young women, and knew I had to be a part of this incredible organization.
How long have you been a pair?
B: Amy and I have been a pair ever since I joined Girls Write Now last year.
A: We’re beginning our second year together.
How have you grown as a writer and similarly, how have you helped each other grow as writers?
B: I feel like Amy has really helped me feel more confident about my writing. She has also helped me feel more comfortable sharing my work with others and being open to their opinions. Through Girls Write Now, I have developed my writing in more ways than one and I am excited to see how much my writing will change through this year as well!
A: I’m becoming more comfortable with taking time to step away from a piece and to return with new eyes. Editing never gets easy, but I’m getting more attuned to my own voice in the process.
Brittney has shown me that while delving in to a new genre can be daunting, it can also be rewarding: a self-proclaimed fiction/fan fic writer, she wrote a personal essay that she read at Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe — to thunderous applause. She was fearless! I want to be more like her when I grow up.
What do you hope this next year will look like?
B: I hope this year will be full of brand new creative ideas and I hope that I continue to change not only as a person, but as a writer.
A: As we navigate Brittney’s very busy junior year together, I hope we can continue to explore new genres, new parts of the city, new ways of looking at the world. Above all, I hope Brittney feels like she’s an integral part of a community and that she has a voice that is heard.
Are you reading anything good/fun/interesting right now? If so, what is it?!
B: Sadly enough, I haven’t found anything new that has caught my eye yet. I am still looking for a really good book that’ll really inspire me!
A: I just returned from a workshop with Richard McCann at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and I’m now reading his memoir, “Mother of Sorrows.” He is not only a beautiful story teller, he’s a master truth teller.