Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Marhefka.
Hi Annie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2018, I made a decision to leave my career as an HR executive to refocus on my writing, but I had no resources to support me in navigating the literary landscape. At that point, I did not have the confidence to call myself a writer—I referred to myself instead as someone who writes, or tries to. But then a friend told me about Yellow Arrow Publishing and said I should check it out. I saw they were accepting applications for a writers-in-residence program that offered support, encouragement, and a space to write to women-identifying writers. I figured, “why not try?”
When I first spoke with Gwen Van Velsor, Yellow Arrow’s founder, she told me her own (similar) story, and said, “you are exactly the type of writer we hoped to reach.” It was the first time anyone had so matter-of-factly called me a writer. It was exactly what I needed.
My introduction to Yellow Arrow felt serendipitous in many ways—there were constant signals to me that this was the path I was supposed to be on, and that this community was where I belonged. I have been passionate about being a part of Yellow Arrow’s mission since that very first interaction. I took over as Executive Director of the organization in 2021 when Gwen relocated, and am amazed on a daily basis by the limitless passion and spirit of the entire team. Since my first interaction, I have been determined to make every emerging writer who encounters a Yellow Arrow program or event feel as inspired and supported as I did.
Yellow Arrow’s mission is centered around uplifting the voices and confidence of women-identifying writers, and we do that by publishing emerging writers alongside established writers in our print publication, Yellow Arrow Journal, as well as our online series, Yellow Arrow Vignette, which specifically features Baltimore-area writers. We also publish individual collections of poetry and prose (chapbooks). In addition to our publications, we offer supportive writing workshops, free community writing sessions, a writers-in-residence program, a membership program, and we host a variety of events in local bookshops and other venues.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced was having to close our physical space when COVID hit, but it forced us to get creative about how to foster community without a permanent, physical home. We’ve found incredible partnership in so many local organizations like The Ivy Bookshop, Bird in Hand, Good Contrivance Farm and Creative Alliance, who’ve graciously partnered with us so that we have warm, inclusive spaces for our writers to come together. We’d love to one day have a space to call ours again, but for now, it feels just as cozy to say our home is Baltimore.
This year, the arts community has been rocked by wide sweeping cuts to arts funding at the federal and state levels. We are so fortunate to have amazing support locally from organizations like the Maryland State Arts Council and Maryland Humanities, and also some very generous donors and sponsors, and we wouldn’t be able to keep doing the work we’re doing without them. Despite how arts funding has been challenged, it’s been energizing to see how many individuals and organizations are rallying behind and with us. I’m reminded constantly that not only does our community value and cherish our arts scene, they strongly believe that we need to share our stories now more than ever.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Yellow Arrow Publishing?
Writing is something that is often portrayed as an act of isolation, and I think that’s a common feeling among emerging writers—this idea that we’re supposed to do it on our own, quietly. But we believe writing can also be an act of community building, and that our stories should be amplified collectively. It is our belief that when we share our stories with each other, it creates a ripple effect of empathy, compassion, and understanding. We see creativity as an act of service, making our worr not just about great literature, but about contributing to the collective voice in our community. It’s about saying, yes, we belong here, too.
It is our hope that providing more opportunities for women to participate in the literary arts will stimulate social change by expanding literary norms. For every writer who gets published, there are a hundred more with equally valuable stories to tell. We must share our voices so that our daughters, nieces, and little neighbor girls can read our stories and know that her individual lens is important. Expressing who we are and sharing our experience, strength, and hope, deepens the understanding of the human condition, allowing us all to better empathize with one another.
What sets us apart is our focus on emerging writers. A lot of publishers, and even small presses, are looking for publishing credentials. At Yellow Arrow, when we read poetry and prose, we are looking for stories that need to be told. When we find them, we devote our team’s talents and resources to helping emerging writers polish their work, or providing resources to help amplify our contributors’ voices. There is nothing more moving than seeing a writer unbox their debut collection and hold the print copy in their hands for the first time, or read their work aloud to an audience for the first time. We love sharing in those moments.
This year, we’re thrilled to be adding some new programs, including rolling out an asynchronous online course called An Invitation to Write, which expands the resources we offer, as well as a new membership community, the Yellow Arrow Collective. Aspiring writers and creatives can learn more about us at our website (https://www.yellowarrowpublishing.com/) or our Instagram (@yellowarrowpub).
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Whether you enjoy the city’s indie bookstores, the craft breweries, the quirky art galleries or vibrant outdoor spaces, Baltimore has a million different places to draw inspiration from! We offer free community sessions through our Poetry & Prose in the Park series, where we gather in different city parks to share writing prompts and inspiration, and take time to write. We love to encourage writers in these settings to think about Baltimore as not just a setting in their writing, but as her own character, and to contemplate one’s own relationship to Baltimore—what we find charming about her, what we find challenging, and what kind of textures and tones Baltimore can bring to our writing. Baltimore is also incredibly blooming with talented writers, both emerging and established, and we love partnering with creatives in many ways locally. We are thrilled that next year’s annual AWP Conference (which brings thousands of writers and publishers together each year in a different city) will be hosted right here in Baltimore. We can’t wait to show off our city!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yellowarrowpublishing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowarrowpublishing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yellowarrowpublishing
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/80371177
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yellowarrowpublishing6644
