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Publishing the words of women through collaborative anthologies and poetry
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*** AUTHOR CALL-OUT *** I *** AUTHOR CALL-OUT *** I *** AUTHOR CALL-OUT *** I *** AUTHOR CALL-OUT *** I *** AUTHOR CALL-OUT ***
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
A call-out...
to the resilient women
They say "Women are like tea bags: you never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water!"...well we're writing that book.
If you've experienced:
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Grief and loss
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Relationship difficulties
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Divorce
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Birth or Motherhood difficulties
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Baby loss or infertility
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Menopause or ageing
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Illness or burnout
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Mental health struggles
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Starting over again
...something that challenged you to your core, then you became a resilient woman and it's time to write your story.
We're inviting 50 women...
to write about the struggles they overcame,
and the women they became on the other side
SCROLL DOWN TO APPLY
We're NOT looking for seasoned
writers or authors
(although they are welcome),
we ARE looking for seasoned
women who have survived.
(Full editorial support is given, and no writing experience is necessary)
Resilience is forged, not given
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It arrives after the storm, when everything has calmed
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It's when we had to dig deep and really found out how strong we were
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It's the subtle blend of wisdom, softness and strength...and it is forged!
Because whatever we went through, we still had to stay strong, we still had to cook dinners, hold down jobs, protect others and women do that with such fire and tenacity - it's how we mature.
And once on the other side, it's time to share what we learned, about ourselves and womanhood!
So this call, is to the women who have lived, who have walked through the fire and come out the other side.
Place your story somewhere it will be honoured,
somewhere sacred,
where it gives hope to another woman!
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
What you'll write
Your chapter will be written over 3 weeks
Week 1: Your story
You will write about your life challenge. From your perspective, you'll get to write your version.
What happened, how you felt, the emotional places you went to and the journey back into the next version of yourself.
Week 2: Q&A Magazine style
Written in the style of a magazine interview, you will choose a question that resonates most with you and answer it in your own voice. This week focuses on what you did to get through, how you overcame the challenges, struggles and situations you found yourself in.
Week 3: The woman you became on the other side
This is where you reflect on who you are now. What you now know, what gifts, guidance, or clarity you now have as a result. What you value about the woman you became and maybe what you'd want someone else to know going through your situation.
These 3 pieces will form your chapter. You'll be supported, guided, and mentored throughout and receive professional editing.
First of all...we chat
The prospect of being brave enough to write your story can be daunting. So when you apply, the first step is to have a chat with Lynette. She's our founder and holds the Author Programme. You'll be guided in writing your story in a way that feels authentic, truthful and comfortable.
When you chat with Lynette, you'll be able to tell her a bit about your story, see if it's a good fit for the book and she will tell you exactly how the Author Programme works.
Then you can decide if this beautiful collaboration of women's words is right for you.
No writing experience is necessary
This will be our 8th book collaboration. Time and time again, our authors come back and write with us. Some have written several chapters across many of our best-sellers, but most started with no writing experience at all. Many hadn't written anything since high school.
This isn't about your ability to write. It's about the opportunity to write your truth. When women build the courage to write about themselves, their words help other women to understand themselves better.
Most women will tell you there's nothing special about their life stories, but we disagree, there's always a gem for another woman to find.
Years ago, we had the village fire, where women would commune together, speak about their worries, fears and upsets - the elders in the community would soothe and reassure them with stories, wise advice and remedies. Women were in community. Many of us have lost that, we live in separate families of our own, often without the support of other women.
So we think of these collaboration books as the village fire - THIS is the place we commune, and hear truth and wisdom.
The impact of seeing your own words of courage, bravery, and resilience on a page is not only affirming, grounding and hugely positive, but you become the voice another woman needs to hear.
It's a win-win - for author and reader!
Plus 50% royalties from this book fund female-centred programmes.
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
SCROLL DOWN TO APPLY
[We fully appreciate that your stories are precious, raw and very personal. You can use a pen name if you wish to keep your privacy and you get final sign off on your chapter before anything gets printed]
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
Writing this is your integration too...
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To see our own story in black and white is extremely cathartic. The process of writing our own words, and articulating our own experiences is often the final missing piece to moving forwards.
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Your words will become the lifelines for the women who are struggling in their own situations right now.
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Writing about your story, and arriving at a place of honesty about it, is one of the most radical acts of self-care a woman can practice.
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When our authors are holding the published book in their hands, reading back the words they've written, it's a beautiful surreal moment!
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You do not need to be fully healed, completely at peace or entirely certain of which angle to write from yet...we are human, we are changing and we are not perfect. We all write from that space.
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You will go through a beautifully supportive Author Programme that will help you shape your story, plus a professional editorial process . All that is required of you, is that you want to write your story, and are willing to reach a hand back to the woman who is still finding her way - that's it.
SCROLL DOWN TO APPLY
All our authors receive a gift. Every morning of our writing programme, you will receive a
10-minute guided writing meditation, recorded by Lynette Allen, sent to you to support you (usual value £250).
There are 22 meditations in total. You will be held in Sister Circle for the entire Author Programme.
50% royalties for this book will fund a female-centered cause or charity.
Author Programme...we start writing together in March 2027 (publishing Summer 2027)
We’ll all start together. You don’t have to do anything until after our first group Zoom call.
We’ll meet 4 times on Zoom (for 90 minutes) to share the details, the concept and the writing plan.
We’ll talk about what we might write about, what might be significant for the reader, and we’ll hear some of your stories to really bring this book to life. Plus you'll get to share how your morning guided writing meditations are making a difference to you.
You’ll be put into a small WhatsApp group (5 or so women in each) to avoid too much overwhelming chatter but so that you can talk to each other in confidence, ask questions and be supported.
The dates we meet on the LIVE Zoom calls are:
Fridays 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th March 2027
10-11.30am LONDON, UK time zone
ALL CALLS ARE RECORDED
While it's wonderful (and preferred) for all our authors to attend every live call, some of our authors live in different time zones. We write with women all over the world from Australia, Asia, Europe, and America. If the calls are in the middle of the night for you, don't worry. All calls will be recorded, so you can catch up when you wake up!
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
Photography by Hazel Lawrence @the_light_diaries
This one month Author Programme costs £445
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Your fee is what makes this book possible. Without it, these stories would stay in journals and kitchen-table conversations, with nowhere to be kept and no way for other women to find them.
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Our programme gives ordinary women a place to be heard and seen, in print.
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We make sure your story reaches the women who need it, and our books regularly feature in bestseller listings.
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We don’t simply print what we’re given. We work with every woman to make sure her chapter is professionally edited and exactly as she wishes it to go to print.
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Your fee covers the Author Programme, editing, 1:1 support, design and production, and 50% royalties go to female-centred causes.
You're investing in you
The fee is an investment in you; full support to be able to share your story in the way YOU want, that makes sense to you, to leave as your legacy/wisdom for others.
There's no gatekeeping
We're not interested in your follower count, we're interested in you having a voice, and being able to share your experiences with other women.
There are no hidden costs
We are completely transparent, our royalty donations are available and structured.
The Author Programme includes:
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1:1 professional editing
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4 group author calls
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22 writing meditations to give you inspiration for your chapter
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A support group with 5 or so other authors
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1:1 calls with Lynette if you need help or additional support
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Background information on how we're shaping this book which also gives you an insight into how to shape your own book if you get the writing bug!
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Instagram tags and your website featured in the book (if you want them)
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Personalised Author Social media graphics featuring your contribution
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An online celebration book launch event
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Rights to use "published author" or "contributing author" credentials
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An opportunity to become a Literary Patron
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Access to other authors for potential networking/collaboration
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FULL submission guidance and writing support
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Final sign-off on your finished chapter - nothing gets published without your final permission
How the finances work
(Monthly installments are available, as are VISA/Mastercard card payments)
OR...to apply for the
'Held Place' Bursary funded place
At Gather the Women Publishing, we believe every woman’s story deserves to be told, and that the cost of telling it should never be the reason it stays unwritten.
For every new anthology, we now offer ONE fully funded place on our Author Programme (valued at £425), for a woman whose story is ready to be told, but for whom the programme fee would put it out of reach right now.
If that’s you, we would love to hear from you. You don’t need to be an experienced writer, and you don’t need to explain your circumstances or prove anything. This bursary is based entirely on trust.
We simply want to hear your story, and why it matters to you to tell it now.
Applications are read anonymously by a panel of our Literary Patrons, women who have written with us and know first hand what it means to see their story in print.
Key dates
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Applications close: Tuesday 24th November 2026
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Bursary recipient announced: Sunday 29th November 2026
Apply for the Held Place Bursary
Please note: this link is for bursary applications only.
If you apply for the bursary and aren’t chosen this time, you’re still very welcome to join the book.