SPEAKING IN FIRST DRAFT PODCAST

On Writing as Resistance

A 3-Part Series Exploring How Activism & Creativity Combine

From documenting hazardous environmental conditions to standing up to repressive policies despite personal risks, the writers interviewed on Speaking in First Draft are using the power of their words to advocate for the issues that matter most to them. On college campuses and beyond, our mentors and mentees are showing how art can change the world for the better. Listen to the latest 3 episodes of Speaking in First Draft, and get inspired to pursue your own activism. 

GIRLS WRITE NOW + CHASING SPIRITS 

"Writing for Life"
Essay Contest

Honoring Maya Logan Eileraas

Girls Write Now proudly joins forces with Chasing Spirits to present the inaugural "Writing for Life" Writing Prize. This annual award honors the free, rebellious spirit of fourteen-year-old Maya Logan Eileraas, who used the pandemic to write their novel and fought for writing as a lifeline while in foster care and mental hospital facilities. Together, we amplify the vitality of today’s most promising young writers who use the power of their creative voices to confront the world around them. Two first place winners, one in each age category, will receive $1,500. For support in writing your submission, sign up for our Mentor on Demand service!

Deadline: August 1, 2025, 11:59 PM ET

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

Prompt of the Week

By Gloria Oladejo,
Community Studio Facilitator

We’ve discussed our purpose as writers and how we can use our art to resist oppression and restrictive norms through the examples of South African female writers. Now it’s our turn to take the pen. Write a fictional piece about a main protagonist who navigates and resists against any form of oppression that is currently taking place in our society.

Join Mentee Gloria Oladejo for Take Back the Pen: Deconstructing Harmful Narratives, a Community Studio that puts power in the hands of marginalized writers.

MOTHER'S DAY

Don't Forget Your Gift For Mom!

An Easy and Heartfelt Way to Say Thank You

Make a gift in honor of your Mom or the nurturer in your life, and support the next generation of writers, leaders, and storytellers. With a $5 donation or more, you will receive a customized card with original art from the stories about mothers in our media collections. Plus, pick up a copy of Girls Write Now On the Art of the Craft: A Guide to Collaborative Storytelling as the perfect gift for moms who love to write and create.

LIFE@GWN

The Stories That Raise Us

Lynda & Sydney Pak’s Life@GWN

It’s almost Mother’s Day and, for those of us scrambling to find the perfect gift, there is nothing better than a good story. In celebration of motherhood in all its forms, Girls Write Now Board Member and Senior Vice President, Technology Leader for Global Brands and Corporate Functions at Estee Lauder Companies (ELC) Lynda Pak joins us in dialogue with her daughter Sydney. They exchange some of their favorite moments growing up together and learning from each other—the stories that shaped who they have become for each other, and for the world.

WHAT WE'RE READING

How to Say Babylon

By Safiya Sinclair, Girls Write Now Teaching Artist

A National Book Critics Circle Award Winner and Read with Jenna book pick, How to Say Babylon is a stunning memoir by Safiya Sinclair. We are so excited for our Career Chat with her next week! Join us for a conversation with the poet and memoirist, and her editor, Dawn Davis, as they discuss the creation of Safiya’s award-winning recollection of her Jamaican childhood.

SPECIAL EVENT

Mobile Filmmaking & Scriptwriting–Creating a Scene from Personal Story

Friday, May 9, 4:30-6:30 PM ET
Reel Works
540 President Street, Suite 2F Brooklyn, NY 11215

In this in-person workshop, presented by Girls Write Now in partnership with Reel Works, we will explore the powerful medium of mobile filmmaking. The session will begin with participants reflecting on a personal experience or meaningful moment from their lives. From there, they’ll learn the basics of scriptwriting—shaping their story into a short script with dialogue, character direction, and setting. Once the script is complete, participants will transition into hands-on filmmaking using their mobile devices. Participants will walk away with a short, self-produced scene!

Open to mentees and members of the public aged 14-24.

COLLABORATORY WORKSHOP

Behind the Mask: Writing Through High-Functioning Anxiety

Saturday, May 10, 11 AM-1 PM ET, Virtual

High-functioning anxiety often hides in plain sight—masked by achievement, productivity, and perfectionism (*cue Doechii*). In this workshop, participants will explore how to translate their inner experiences into compelling narratives, whether through fiction, personal essays, or reflective journaling. Through guided exercises and discussion, we’ll unpack the complexities of anxiety, challenge harmful narratives, and discover how writing can serve as both a creative outlet and a tool for self-awareness.

Open to mentees, mentors, members and the public.
Required for Love Well Journey participants.

CAREER CHAT

Safiya Sinclair and Dawn Davis on How to Say Babylon

Tuesday, May 13, 4:45-6 PM ET, Virtual

Join us for a conversation with poet and memoirist Safiya Sinclair, and editor Dawn Davis, as they discuss the creation of Safiya’s award-winning memoir, How to Say Babylon. How to Say Babylon is the winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Autobiography, a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. Safiya and Dawn will share insights from their respective creative and professional journeys, reflecting on their collaborative work in bringing How to Say Babylon to life.

Open to mentees, mentors, members and the public.

COLLABORATORY WORKSHOP

Real Conversations on the Mic: Effective Interview Techniques to Amplify Voices

Tuesday, May 13, 5-7 PM ET, Virtual

Christabel Nsiah-Buadi, an executive audio storytelling and podcasting strategist and founder of Your Podcast Pipeline, will lead a workshop to guide participants toward mastering the essential skills for conducting interviews that amplify and value the voices of their subjects. The workshop will cover interview techniques, the interview environment, and the importance of active listening. By the end of the session, you will learn how to uncover and amplify meaningful narratives that might otherwise be overlooked.

Open to mentees, mentors, members and the public.

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Macmillan

Publicist, Audio

Macmillan Audio seeks a creative and enthusiastic Publicist who is results-driven and thrives in a fast-paced environment. This position will handle publicity for their award-winning audiobooks for adults and children, and across all genres. The publicist will work directly with New York Times bestselling authors securing reviews, features, and interviews for our authors and narrators.

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Hachette Books

Marketing and Publicity Internship, Basic Books

As a Basic Books Group Intern, you will have the opportunity to work closely with seasoned professionals and gain hands-on professional experience as you own day-to-day tasks, help with special projects, and attend departmental meetings. To enhance your work experience, they offer educational sessions featuring speakers from all departments of the company as well as networking and career development opportunities.

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITY

Dirt

Currently Accepting Submissions

Do you have a story to tell about work? Lux magazine and Dirt have been thrilled to publish essays about the jobs we love, hate, and suffer through in the 21st century. Whether it’s the diary of an abortion fund worker, waitress, or an elder care worker; what we learned about corporate pinkwashing or finance or writing as labor; or a psychoanalytic meditation on what it takes to work under patriarchy, Lux stays fascinated with the meaning and makeup of work.

Deadline June 1, 2025