BLAZE-ing the Path: The Importance of Yellow Arrow Publishing and Yellow Arrow Vignette
The creation of Yellow Arrow Publishing in 2016 by Gwen Van Velsor (read more about it at yellowarrowpublishing.com/news/foundations-yellow-arrow-van-velsor) was not just the creation of an independent publishing group. Through the inspiration of the Camino de Santiago, yellow arrows blazing the trail forth, the birth of Yellow Arrow meant the beginnings of a profound mission and team with the recognition that “every writer has a story to tell and every story is worth telling.” The purpose and importance of Yellow Arrow lives in its commitment to truth and words created from the brilliance of woman-identifying creatives. The vibrance of life, literature, and creativity that springs from the genius of female writers is proudly amplified through the call to action of Yellow Arrow as an entity.
Even more poignantly aligned with the mission of Yellow Arrow, is the purpose of Yellow Arrow Vignette: a seasonal, digital publication of a collection of poetry, creative nonfiction, and starting in 2024, a selected piece of cover art. Every summer, Yellow Arrow inspires creatives and writers with a central theme to that season’s Vignette, Yellow Arrow’s yearly value, guiding them as they spin poems and stories of life and living to be shared with an audience of readers and visionaries alike.
This year, Yellow Arrow Vignette 2025 was pleased to light the way into the summer with BLAZE, calling out to writers and storytellers and creatives with Baltimore roots to ignite their sparkling truths and values into written words. Managed by Catharine Robertson, Vignette Managing Editor, and Sophia Graney, Vignette intern, BLAZE calls forth the imagery of blazing a trail, of sparking the imagination, of illuminating the way, of being brilliant and perfectly resplendent. Truly, with BLAZE, Yellow Arrow works to encompass the true beginnings of Yellow Arrow as a press.
Perhaps now, more than ever, it becomes imperative to amplify voices that were previously unheard, allowing creatives to shout their values and opinions and stories from the rooftops. For what feels like forever, women’s voices have been pushed to the wayside, falling victim to domineering words and “wisdom” from male philosophy and prose. By being able to focus on woman-identifying voices, we are highlighting perspectives that might not have otherwise been known, giving a chance for the world to learn more about what the everyday woman experiences. This is precisely the plight of George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) when she wrote her essay “Silly Novels by Lady Novelists” in 1856. By simply believing that all women were able to write—and therefore consume—were mediocre romances with not a singular true feminine thought or experience to illuminate the truth, a massive injustice was given to female audiences. The truth of struggle and anxiety and hurt and betrayal that women experience was never explained, and a veil of misleading joy was the only valuable takeaway from these “silly novels” that led female readers down a tragic path.
Yet, it becomes important to note that there is a path beyond the veil and a light illuminating the truth of our modern day. Yellow Arrow aims to uplift the voices that have such specific and integral things to say, allowing the strength of powerful stories to be heard and shared. With stress from life, politics, and even each other, being able to write and have the words be published on a page makes everyone realize they are not alone in their feelings.
The path to stronger voices is not the only thing being illuminated. With the work of Yellow Arrow, the value of the press’ mission allows for light and illumination to the literary arts. We live in a world of words: from social media posts, to news articles, to classical literature, to signs along the road, to the very same silly novels that George Eliot disapproves of. Spoken, written, collected, and shared, we all live a life that is inescapable from the constant stream of consciousness and thought from another. The remarkable objective about Yellow Arrow—especially Vignette—is that while the mission is to share every story that is possible, the truth becomes that publication through Yellow Arrow expands the reach for people to access literature. Vignette being published digitally allows for a new format that is not just purchased physical copies. As well as that, publishing voices that are underrepresented means that there is now access to new stories that might never have been told before. Expanding the reach of a written word, one step at a time, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is the most important facet of why Yellow Arrow publishes.
Passing through the hands of directors, editors, readers, and interns, each piece of art entrusted to the Yellow Arrow team has been treated with the utmost care and compassion. The fact of the matter is that any sort of written work is a celebration in its own right. The idea that someone with a story took the time to share it with the rest of the world is a wonderful feat of creativity and strength and purpose.
The mission of Yellow Arrow was born on the Camino de Santiago Walk, a path traversed by millions of pilgrims over centuries of life. The mission of Yellow Arrow was sparked by those that have walked The Way before and is carried on by those who will walk it in the future. Each step we take, each poem we write, each picture we paint adds to the blazing inferno of emotion and creativity that is so valuable in a world that threatens to stall each movement of progress. Through the power of uplifting voices and the shining purpose of Vignette, Yellow Arrow works tirelessly in reminding the world that “every writer has a story to tell and every story is worth telling.”
Yellow Arrow Vignette will be released this month, and we are eager to share the words of those included. To learn more about Vignette, visit yellowarrowpublishing.com/vignette/submissions. Thank you for championing our writers and for sharing their beautiful words.
Sophia Graney is a rising senior at Loyola University Maryland double majoring in English and writing with a keen interest in Shakespearean studies. With a myriad of passions, Sophia is constantly writing, organizing, and advocating for the student body as part of Loyola’s student government or chatting with friends for hours in the on-campus Starbucks. When not studying or writing her own poetry and prose in Loyola’s humanities building, Sophia can be found at Loyola’s rock-climbing wall or at the beach in her hometown of Fairfield, Connecticut. Find her on Instagram @sophia.graney.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women-identifying writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we BLAZE a path for women-identifying creatives this year by purchasing one of our publications or a workshop from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, for yourself or as a gift, joining our newsletter, following us on Facebook or Instagram, or subscribing to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.