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Home / What we write / Readings + Exhibitions
Mentee Shakeva Griswould performs "Nappy" at CHAPTERS 2016. Video production by Tom Hunt

Readings + Exhibitions

The CHAPTERS Reading Series and QWERTY Digital Exhibition are where the whole Girls Write Now community comes together. Mentees share the spotlight with one another, performing and presenting their best pieces, developed with guidance and oftentimes collaboration with their mentors. Guest authors and speakers join them, telling stories of how they became writers and what supports their work.

CHAPTERS and QWERTY might be the first time mentees have presented their writing in public, so we prepare throughout the year with public speaking rehearsals, performance tips and techniques, individual coaching, and pre-reading warm-ups.

See photos, reviews, excerpts, videos, and behind the scenes of girls, mentors, and guest authors at each event.

  • To learn more about the 2018 CHAPTERS Reading Series and QWERTY Digital Exhibition and reserve tickets, click here.
  • To sponsor a CHAPTERS Reading or QWERTY Digital Exhibition, get in touch.

CHAPTERS Reading, March 2018

Molly Crabapple kicked off our 20th Anniversary Special Event Series at our March CHAPTERS! The author of the memoir, Drawing Blood (HarperCollins), gave her keynote address at the New-York Historical Society to our audience full of mentees, mentors, and Girls Write Now fans. Girls Write Now Readers Daleelah Saleh, Ode to the Girls;Kimberley Garcia, The Life You Gave Me; Natalie Mojica, La…

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2017 QWERTY DIGITAL MEDIA EXHIBITION

In Girls Write Now’s cutting edge Digital Media Mentoring Program, girls create at the intersection of language, technology, and art. The professional women in media who serve as mentors support teens as they explore writing through video and audio production, interaction design, creative programming, animation, and more. On June 2, The QWERTY Digital Media Exhibition showcased the innovative genre-and…

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QWERTY DIGITAL EXHIBITION 2017

JUNE 2 @ 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM In Girls Write Now’s cutting edge Digital Media Mentoring Program, girls create at the intersection of language, technology, and art. The professional women in media who serve as mentors support teens as they explore writing through video and audio production, interaction design, creative programming, animation, and more. The QWERTY Digital Media…

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CHAPTERS Reading, June 2017

We celebrated the end of our 2016-17 program year and graduation for our senior mentees on June 16, 2017! Our community was surrounded with mentees and mentors celebrating the new chapters yet to unfold for our graduating mentees. Our keynote speaker was middle grade author, Karina Yan Glaser. Her book The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street…

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CHAPTERS Reading, May 2017

We returned to the New-York Historical Society for the May CHAPTERS Reading Series event on May 19, 2017! New York Times bestselling author of Modern Lovers (Riverhead), former Girls Write Now mentor, and CHAPTERS keynote Emma Straub spoke to a large audience of mentees, mentors, and Girls Write Now community members. In Our Words Our amazing mentee emcees,…

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CHAPTERS READING, April 2017

Pen+Brush hosted our April CHAPTERS Reading Series event on April 21, 2017! New York Times bestselling author of The Girls (Random House) and CHAPTERS keynote, Emma Cline, spoke to a sold-out venue full of mentees, mentors, and Girls Write Now community members. In Our Words Mentee and Mentor pair, Laura Rose and Kathleen, shared their experiences emceeing this CHAPTERS event…

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CHAPTERS Reading, March 2017

Hala Alyan kicked off our CHAPTERS Reading Series at our March CHAPTERS! The author of the novel, Salt Houses (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), gave her keynote address at the New-York Historical Society to our audience full of mentees, mentors, and Girls Write Now fans. IN OUR WORDS Mentees, Grace and Karina, shared their experiences emceeing this CHAPTERS event.  Photos View and share our Facebook…

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CHAPTERS Reading Series 2017

CHAPTERS is where our girls’ work goes from page to stage, and these talented young writers perform their best work. Each reading opens with a keynote speech from an inspiring writer who embodies the principles we instill in our girls: dedication to craft, determination to tell a story with honesty and brilliance, and a passion to live…

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QWERTY

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2016 QWERTY DIGITAL MEDIA EXHIBITION

“The girls were truly inspiring and the work they were able to showcase was phenomenal. I was nowhere near that put together with my writing at their age — I can really see the amazing impact Girls Write Now is having on the future.” – Kayla Conti, 2016 QWERTY Digital Exhibition panelist In Girls Write…

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CHAPTERS Reading, June 2016

Our final 2016 CHAPTERS reading series event was an energizing evening that celebrated our 2015-16 program year, graduating Girls Write Now mentees, and the voices of our talented performers. Our keynote, Naomi Jackson, author of The Start Side of Bird Hill, a highly recommended and newly published read,  welcomed the celebration with moving words about the…

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CHAPTERS Reading, May 2016

National Book Award Finalist Angela Flournoy joined us for our May CHAPTERS reading series event, which was only 3 days after the Girls Write Now Awards! The author of award winning novel The Turner House (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), gave her keynote address that quoted Kendrick Lamar and the journey of writing to our audience full…

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CHAPTERS Reading, April 2016

Our April 2016 CHAPTERS reading event featured keynote speaker Mia Alvar, Girls Write Now mentor alum and  author of In The Country. This was the same week that Mia won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction! IN OUR WORDS See how our program intern Jessica Risolo felt about April CHAPTERS 2016! Photos View…

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CHAPTERS Reading, March 2016

Our first event of the 2016 CHAPTERS Reading Series kicked off with our keynote speaker, Tanwi Nandini Islam, newly published author of Bright Lines, multimedia artist, and creator of Hi Wildflower Botanica. Tanwi joined us at the General Society Library for an evening of mentee and mentor performances. IN OUR WORDS Read what Senior Program Coordinator…

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CHAPTERS 2016

CHAPTERS Reading Series 2016

This year’s keynote speakers include exciting new authors with fresh voices that are not always represented in the classic canon or on high school reading lists. We are thrilled to include Tanwi Nandini Islam, Mia Alvar, who is a Girls Write Now mentor alum, Angela Flournoy, and Naomi Jackson.

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QWERTY Digital Exhibition 2015

For QWERTY 2015, we invited writer, editor and public speaker Ashley C. Ford, Buzzfeed Senior Editor Heben Nigatu, and AOL Cambio’s Nisha Dua to serve on a panel for the mentees in our Digital Media Mentoring Program. In Our Words See what Digital Media Mentoring Program Coordinator Sarah Hubschman had to say about her experience at QWERTY. Photos View…

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CHAPTERS Reading Series 2015

2015 showcased an incredible CHAPTERS Reading Series with electrifying, inspirational and fearless performances from our talented mentees and four game-changing women authors: award-winning and best-selling authors Tiphanie Yanique, Emily St. John Mandel, Roxane Gay, and Quiara Alegría Hudes!

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CHAPTERS Reading, June 2015

For our final event in our 2015 CHAPTERS reading series, we invited special guest speaker Quiara Alegría Hudes, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical, and a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical, to join the stage with our talented teen writers at the Rose Auditorium at Cooper Union. In Our…

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Roxane Gay

CHAPTERS Reading, May 2015

At our May 2015 CHAPTERS reading, special guest speaker Roxane Gay, award-winning author of Ayiti, An Untamed State, Bad Feminist, joined the stage with our talented teen writers at Scholastic. In Our Words See what mentee Rachel Chanderlatt had to say about her CHAPTERS experience this May. Photos View and share our Facebook gallery Girls Write Now Readers Corrine…

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CHAPTERS Reading, April 2015

Our second event in the CHAPTERS Reading Series, in April, saw special guest speaker Emily St. John Mandel, author of four novels, most recently Station Eleven, join the stage with our talented teen writers at Scholastic. In Our Words See what mentee-mentor pair Meek Thomas & Carlene Olsen had to say about their first CHAPTERS experience this April. Photos View and…

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CHAPTERS Reading, March 2015

Our 2015 CHAPTERS reading series was filled with electrifying, inspirational and fearless performances from our talented mentees and four professional, game-changing women writing today, all surrounding our “Voice To Voice” theme. At our April 2015, special guest speaker Tiphanie Yanique, author of Land of Love and Drowning, joined the stage with our talented teen writers at Scholastic.…

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CHAPTERS Reading Series 2014

The 2014 CHAPTERS Reading Series was a whirlwind of awesome. Featuring incredible guest authors including Christina Baker Kline (#1 NYT bestselling author of Orphan Train), Amy Fusselman, Farai Chideya, and Ana Castillo, be sure to take a look back at some highlights of our fearless mentees.

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CHAPTERS Reading, June 2013

At our last reading for 2013, special guest speaker Marcia Ann Gillespie, journalist and award-winning author, activist, and former editor of Ms. and Essence, joined the stage with our talented teen writers in SoHo’s Scholastic auditorium.

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CHAPTERS Reading, May 2013

Gayle Forman, journalist and award-winning author of If I Stay and Where She Went took the stage at SoHo’s Scholastic Auditorium with our passionate teen writers in May in the third part of our 2013 15th Anniversary CHAPTERS Reading Series.

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CHAPTERS Reading, April 2013

In April, special guest speaker Adele Griffin, National Book Award nominee and author of Sons of Liberty and All You Never Wanted, joined the stage with our talented teen writers in SoHo’s Scholastic auditorium at the second installment of our 2013 15th Anniversary CHAPTERS Reading Series.

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CHAPTERS Reading: March 2013

In partnership with publishers Open Road, Penguin Group, Random House Children’s Books, and Writers House, special guest speaker Sonia Manzano, Maria from Sesame Street and author of The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, joined the stage with our talented teen writers in SoHo’s Scholastic auditorium in March.

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CHAPTERS Reading Series 2013

Please join us Fridays this spring for our 15th Anniversary CHAPTERS Reading Series, hosted at Scholastic Auditorium, and sponsored by Open Road Integrated Media, Writers House, Random House, and Penguin Group. This year’s theme is New Worlds, celebrating the incredible diversity and creative fearlessness of our writing community.

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CHAPTERS Reading: June, 2012

In partnership with Open Road Integrated Media, special guest speaker Andi Buchanan, author of The Daring Book of Girls series and Gift, joined the stage in June with our talented teen writers. “I’ve long admired the work of Girls Write Now, and I’ve long wished for a way to be even a small part of it. I’m absolutely thrilled to be here.”

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CHAPTERS Reading: May 2012

“In Guinea at 6AM, the noisy train passes with a loud whistle. And the singing sounds of chickens ‘cocorico’ are signs in the morning there for waking up. I knew these sounds and I love them.” Talented teen writers headlined the third reading in the CHAPTERS series with featured guest, Raina Kelley, journalist at ESPN The Magazine.

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CHAPTERS Reading: April 2012

“Sing to me, Muse, of a place with its own rhythm, because in the city there are far too many honking cars, police sirens, and screeching subway trains to find the right kind of harmony. Muse, I know the sky is cloudy and so is my mind, but wash that away and let me see an eight-year-old girl brushing the hair out of her eyes.” Talented teen writers headlined the second reading in the CHAPTERS series with featured guest, Deborah Gregory, award-winning author of The Cheetah Girl novel series.

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CHAPTERS

CHAPTERS Reading: March 2012

“Cooties is an infectious disease, spread through bodily contact with the opposite sex. It was this disease that caused the 1929 Stock Market Crash. Paranoia is infectious. It catches like wildfire. You never know when it will strike you or how.” Talented teen writers launch the spring series on March 23 with featured author Alix Kates Shulman, who published a full library of eight titles as e-books on the cusp of her eightieth birthday.

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Donate Now

20th Anniversary Celebrations

Join us for our 20th Anniversary Celebrations with a spring lineup including today’s new voices and special guests Molly Crabapple, Kayleen Schaefer, Naima Coster, Meg Wolitzer, Jazmine Hughes, Sudi Green, Lynette Nylander, Jenny Zhang, and more.

Life is Better in Twos

“Girls Write Now means connecting with other creative, strong women–of all ages–and being inspired by the work they are doing, in writing and beyond.” —CAITLIN CHASE, Girls Write Now First Year Mentor. Join us. Mentor and mentee applications due June 1.

Inspiring Stories From Our Girls 

For multi-genre, multi-platform, boundary-pushing stories from the Class of 2017, turn to Rise Speak Change: Girls Write Now’s award-winning print and multimedia anthologies. 

Girls Write Now, Inc.

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