Springtime in Washington, DC, means several things: the presidents resume their races at Nationals Park, pollen blankets every outdoor surface, and Grace & Gravity, the literary anthology featuring women and nonbinary writers from around the District, publishes a new volume. Like earlier offerings, this edition, titled Grit & Gravity, was edited by Melissa Scholes Young, herself an author and professor of literature at American University. Here, she discusses the passion that powers the project and what readers can expect in this latest collection.

Where did the idea for an anthology spotlighting women writers come from?

More than two decades ago, DC author, editor, and American University alum Richard Peabody founded the Grace & Gravity series to highlight the work of DC women writers. The community response was overwhelmingly positive. Eleven volumes later, the book has become a local and national success featuring established authors and emerging writers while highlighting DC as an impressive home of artists. I suspect those far outside the Beltway might be surprised by the art and culture we produce here in the nation’s capital.

How has the publication and its mission evolved under your leadership? 

I proposed and taught a course called “Literary Editing & Publishing” for American University graduate and undergraduate students to create an accessible space where publishing and editing is not just talked about but done. The transition to bring the book project into my role as professor allowed a research-based approach to instruction and the creation of a literary lab where my students learn the technical and editorial challenges of publishing while studying the theory and market approaches in the book industry. We also launched an online series titled “From the Attic,” which reprinted work on our website that previously only appeared in print. AU students study the work, interview the authors, and write scholarly introductions to contextualize each piece.

What is so important about this mission at this moment? 

We must support a community of like-minded writers. When we write, we bear witness to this difficulty: the trials, grief, trauma, disappointment, joy, and regret. Putting words to adversity — or animating it into a thing of creation — is a small act of bravery. It is when we allow for this period of reflection that our spirits mend.

How do you determine the theme for each volume? 

We listen. Writers are good at that. We pay attention to what we’re hearing in our community. We attend readings and book launches. We track DC writers with new work, publications, and projects. Our goal is to respond to what’s happening and to hold space for an expansive conversation about it.

Why the name Grit & Gravity for this year? 

Honestly, it felt the right time to talk about survival and resiliency. Grit & Gravity features 38 fiction and nonfiction pieces about personal triumphs, resilience, bravery in the face of danger, and, ultimately, hope. In the past 22 years, the project has published more than 500 local women writers.

Is there a memorable story or author discovery from years past that still brings a smile to your face? 

I love when we feature writers for their first published work. They trust us with it, and that’s a huge responsibility.

Any insights into evolving themes or goals for the next volume? 

We’ll run another “From the Attic” series to continue to digitize our print archives. We want the project to be financially self-sustaining and to pay our writers. Community publishing that is direct from writer to reader matters so much. We’ll keep the publishing process local so that independent bookstores are supported, too. We’ll gather, and there will be toasts and treats because our stories deserve to be celebrated. 

[Editor’s note: Melissa Scholes Young will appear at the Gaithersburg Book Festival this Saturday, May 17th, in Gaithersburg, MD. Learn more here.]

Cara Tallo is the former executive producer of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Invisibilia,” and “Morning Edition.” She’s currently pursuing her MFA at American University while freelancing at MakingitWork.io.