What to Expect from WriteGirl
FAQ for New Members
You are joining an energetic community of creatives dedicated to exploring self-expression through the craft of creative writing. We hope that your experience with WriteGirl will help you in your writing and in your future endeavors. We know you may have some questions, so we’ve provided some helpful information below:
Programs
The WriteGirl Program includes:
Online writing workshops
One-on-one Mentoring
Public readings at various locations, and online
Publication opportunities
Special guests and special events
Periodic in-person workshops for members in the Los Angeles area
Is WriteGirl a year-round program?
We are a year-round program, with workshops and events happening throughout the year, including the summer. But we sometimes talk about the WriteGirl “Season” as it parallels the school year, from September to June. New members (teens and mentors) may join anytime throughout the year.
Can I get my work published at WriteGirl?
By participating in WriteGirl, you will have the chance to submit your writing to be considered for publication in our online literary journal, Lines & Breaks. Lines & Breaks features writing from WriteGirl mentees, alums and special guests. Occasionally, WriteGirl may offer other opportunities where teen members can submit their writing for publication. All writing can be submitted on the WriteGirl Clubhouse page.
Workshops
What should I expect at the WriteGirl workshops?
You don’t need to know anything about a featured writing genre to be able to participate! We will guide you. We recommend that you try to come to as many of the workshops as you can, even if you are unfamiliar with the genre, or even if it is not one of your favorite genres – you may be surprised at how fun journalism can be, or how creative nonfiction can enhance your fiction writing, for example.
We will never critique your writing in a group setting. We WILL give you positive feedback. We are here to inspire you in your writing and help ignite your creativity. Our workshops will provide you with strategies and inspiration to advance your writing skills!
You do not need to share your work. We always offer opportunities at our workshops for you to share your writing, but there is never any pressure for you to do so.
Participate! Our workshops may include chat activities, polls, special guests, quiet writing time, opportunities to work with a mentor on your writing and opportunities to share your writing with the group. As much as you can, set aside any distractions and participate as actively as you can!
Soapbox! There is a special segment at many of our workshops we call “Soapbox,” where you can rant or rave about ANYTHING for 30 seconds. There is no pressure to participate, but we encourage you to give it a try!
Should my parent/guardian come to the workshops? We try to keep our workshops as member-only events for our teens and mentors. However, we do have some special events throughout the season where parents and family members are invited!
What if I arrive late or have to leave early from a workshop? If you cannot come to the full workshop, we welcome you to come to any part of it, and at least get some inspiration from a few of the activities!
What if I miss a workshop? That’s OK! There’s nothing that we covered at the previous workshop that you need to know for the next one. We always welcome teens to our workshops, regardless of how active your participation has been.
Where do I RSVP for events? Please reply promptly when we reach out to invite you to events by RSVPing on the WriteGirl Clubhouse page.
WriteGirl Members
Who are WriteGirl members?
WriteGirl teen members are between the ages of 13 and 18. We also have many alums who have graduated but continue to participate, who are 18 to 24. Annually, there are 700 teens and alums participating in all of our programs internationally. WriteGirl members are anyone who identifies as woman, girl, gender-expansive, trans, nonbinary or femme – no matter where you are on your journey and exploration of personal identity, all are welcome here. There is no cost to participate.
Can I still participate if I am over 18? Yes! We welcome you to continue to join us at workshops and events. While many WriteGirl mentees are between the ages of 13 and 18, we still offer our programming to people who are beyond their high school years.
Mentoring
Who are the WriteGirl mentors?
Our writing mentors are accomplished women/gender-expansive writers who go through a special WriteGirl training to learn how to become effective mentors. They are novelists, poets, songwriters, screenwriters, marketing & public relations professionals, editors, journalists, and more! Click here to meet a few of our WriteGirl mentors.
Can I get matched with a mentor for weekly mentoring?
WriteGirl matches a limited number of mentor/mentee pairs each season. Since we have a limited number of mentors who are available to mentor on a weekly basis, we have a waiting list to be matched with a weekly mentor. We will send you a sign-up form to be matched when we have weekly mentors available. We make mentor/mentee matches based on a wide variety of criteria including geographic location and sometimes other factors like writing genre.
Can I get a mentor’s help on my writing project?
We may be able to match you with a one-on-one mentor for short-term mentoring if you need help with a specific project, such as a poetry portfolio, or the completion of a creative writing project. Project mentoring might consist of one or two mentoring sessions or the project may last for several weeks. Please contact Katie at membership@writegirl.org at any time to request a project mentor.
Will I work with a mentor at the workshops?
Regardless of whether you are matched with your own weekly mentor, all WriteGirl teens have opportunities to work with a mentor for the day at any WriteGirl workshops that include Mentoring Breakouts.
General
Who do I contact with questions?
Our staff are here to help you, and your safety and well-being is important to us. Please reach out to any WriteGirl staff member if you have questions or comments. For mentoring-related questions, please contact Katie Geyer at membership@writegirl.org.