COLLABORATORY FEATURE

Lights, Camera, Write!

Mentees Craft First Pilots in Teleplays Journey

In Teleplays: Writing for TV, mentors and mentees brought their most binge-worthy ideas to the page as they worked on their first pilots. Through workshops, online courses, and a career panel featuring professionals from across the TV industry, our writers created compelling plots and hilarious sitcoms that they shared at the end of the Summer Cycle. These scripts ran the gamut from nail-biting mysteries and horror anthologies to shows about children's book authors and what happens in Cupid's headquarters.

READ WITH US

What We're Reading: Red Bird

By Diandra Ford-Wing,
Guest on Speaking in First Draft

On the latest episode of Speaking in First Draft, author Diandra Ford-Wing shared the sometimes painful, yet ultimately rewarding process of working on her self-published memoir, Red Bird. Through vivid storytelling, Diandra recounts her childhood in a military family, the joys of growing up alongside a strong, loving father, and the heartbreak of losing him. But amidst the sorrow, a mysterious red bird began appearing at pivotal moments—a symbol of hope, connection, and healing.

WRITE WITH US

Prompt of the Week

By Sophia Venables, Studio Facilitator

Unexpected comparisons can make great comedy. Pick an object in your room. Write a joke comparing that object to what it's like to be in middle school. If you're feeling unsure how to start, begin the joke with, "[Object you choose] is like middle school." Then write a second sentence making the comedic comparison.

Want more comedic inspiration? Come to the Stand-up Comedy & Late-Night Writing Community Studio on Thursday, November 13th, hosted by Sophia Venables.
Create your Portal account so you can RSVP when registration goes live!

SPEAKING IN FIRST DRAFT PODCAST

BONUS: Speaking on Red Birds and Grief

Featuring Diandra Ford-Wing &
Chelle Carter-Wilson

Back with another riveting episode for this bonus season, let’s welcome first-time author Diandra Ford-Wing! In conversation with Girls Write Now’s Chelle Carter-Wilson, they discuss Diandra’s debut book, Red Bird. In this memoir, Diandra details the tremendous pain she underwent after losing two of the most important women in her life. From nature,  spirituality, to healing, our guests leave no leaf unturned in this beautiful reflection on the mental beast that is grief.

COLLABORATORY JOURNEYS

Fall Journeys Launch!

Orientation Office Hours
Tuesday, October 28, 5PM ET &
Wednesday, October 29, 7PM ET

Journey mentors and mentees, rev up your engines! It's time  to set up your portal, complete your onboarding checklist, meet your match—and embark on the experience of a lifetime!

Check your email and Slack inboxes to watch the Collaboratory Orientation video, then pop into Orientation Office Hours this week for questions and support from the Engagement Team. 

For all Journey mentors and mentees enrolled in the Fall 2025 Cycle. Onboarding steps required; Office hours optional.

COMMITTEE MEETING

Intersectional Voices in Technology

Thursday, November 13, 7-8 PM ET, Virtual

The world of work is shifting fast—driven by changes in how we write, give, and receive mentorship—and where we find community. Girls Write Now is uniquely poised to meet these changes in this moment. At this month’s committee meeting, we’ll harness the diverse experiences and expertise of Tech Committee members, identifying the real tensions of leaders across sectors to best position Girls Write Now as a strategic solution with essential services to meet those needs.

Open to all mentors, mentees, members & the public. Become a member to access registration. It's quick & easy!

SALON SERIES

From Sesame Street to Dr. Seuss: Writing Books Kids Love to Read with
Tish Rabe

Friday, November 14, 6-7:15 PM ET, Hybrid
Girls Write Now HQ
247 W 37th Street, 10th Floor

Have you ever wondered who's behind your most beloved children's books? Join Girls Write Now and Tish Rabe, children’s book author and publisher, for a special conversation about her inspiring journey in children’s literature. From her early work as a writer and editor, to becoming the founder of her own publishing company, Tish’s stories offer a sense of calm and care, wrapping children in the warmth of love and connection.

Open to all mentors, mentees, members & the public. Become a member to access registration. It's quick & easy!

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Penguin Random House

Marketing Manager, Viking Books & Penguin Books

Viking Penguin is seeking a Marketing Manager to join our team responsible for marketing Viking, Pamela Dorman Books, Penguin Life, The Open Field, Penguin Books and Penguin Classics, imprints which publish a range of fiction and nonfiction from bestselling and award-winning authors. Reporting to the Marketing Director, you will have the opportunity to oversee all aspects of marketing for assigned titles, collaborate across teams on imprint-wide campaigns and initiatives, and work closely with authors.

Deadline: October 31, 2025

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The Paris Review

Spring-Summer Internship

The Paris Review offers editorial internships twice a year (two interns per term). The six-month duration of the internship provides interns an in-depth introduction both to the publication of a literary magazine and to the wider publishing world. Each internship term covers two full issues of the quarterly magazine. Interns assist with every step of the magazine’s production, particularly with fact-checking, as well as reading and evaluating submissions and researching potential interviews. In addition, they participate broadly across The Paris Review’s administrative, development, and digital departments. 

Deadline: November 25, 2025

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Writer's House

Spring Internship

The Writers House Intern Program (WHIP) is both a publishing course and a practical internship. The WHIP aims to train and educate its participants in the ways of publishing through the lens of a literary agency. To that end, participants engage in a robust curriculum that takes 12 to 16 weeks to complete and includes the 8 week “Editorial Bootcamp,” the 8 week job search skills workshop, and a series of tutorials, seminars, and one-on-one career consultations.

Deadline: November 15, 2025