Fast Response Deadline for Fall Cohort: August 31, 2025Apply Now

Grow Your Writing with Xochitl

Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and author of Incantation: Love Poems for Battle Sites (Mouthfeel Press) and Posada: Offerings of Witness and Refuge (Sundress Publications). Her poetry and essays can be found at Acentos Review, Huizache, LA Review of Books, The Offing, [Pank], Santa Fe Writers Project, and other journals. Inspired by her Chicana identity, she works to cultivate love and comfort in chaotic times through her writing, teaching, and activism.

In 2017, Bermejo was chosen as the first “Poet in the Parks” resident at Gettysburg National Military Park in partnership with the Poetry Foundation and the National Parks Arts Foundation. “Battlegrounds,” a poem written while in residence, was featured at Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-Day, On Being’s Poetry Unbound, and the anthology, Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World (W.W. Norton). She has received residencies with Hedgebrook, Ragdale, Jentel, Yefe Nof and attended workshops with Community of Writers, Macondo Writers Workshop, and VONA. She is a former Steinbeck fellow, Poets & Writers California Writers Exchange poetry winner, Barbara Deming Memorial Fund/Money for Women grantee, Los Angeles Central Library ALOUD newer poet, and in 2024 she was awarded a Distinguished Service Award by Beyond Baroque Literary Arts.

Bermejo is the Director of Women Who Submit, a literary organization fighting for gender parity and fair representation in publishing. She received a BA in Theatre Arts from California State University, Long Beach and an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles. She facilitates online and in-person workshops in poetry and submission strategies for classrooms and communities across the country and teaches with UCLA Extension and the Antioch University Los Angeles MFA program.

https://xochitljulisa.com/

https://www.instagram.com/xochitljulisa 

Work with Xochitl

Apply to join the mentor’s small group of writers that they will lead through our unique 12 week mentoring and workshopping program.

Decide if Xochitl is Right for You with Our Mentor Interview

What excites you most about writing?

I love that I have the ability to create whole worlds from my imagination and use my imagination to create beauty. That beauty can come from an image created with the language or how it looks on the page. It’s like sculpting with words. Writing gave me direction and purpose. It’s also helps me grow as a person, and, as a writing teacher, it means I can help other people grow too,” Xochitl said.

What mindset does a writer need to grow?

I come from a theatre background, so not that every writer necessarily NEEDS this, but I think it helps to have a sense of play and improvisation in your writing. In undergrad I was often tasked with playing theatre games and imagining what might happen if the floor was lava, or a door was locked, or how I might say something differently to get my way. These games are quick without much time to worry about your choices. Sometimes writers are a little too precious with the page. They are scared to make a mistake and that can stop creation, so I think it’s helpful sometimes to let go and see what happens. You can always go back and fix it later, but you can’t fix what isn’t there.

What three words best describe you as a mentor?

Nurturing, pragmatic, and earnest.”

What makes a good writing mentor?

“Having clear expectations, showing interest in the stuff that isn’t necessarily writing but feeds the writing, being a good listener, and sharing personal experience with the writing life.”

What is your style of feedback?

When I read a poem, I look for patterns in craft choices to understand what the piece is about and what the poet intended, and then I look for where the lines shine and where they’re muddied. I include line notes that lead with questions: what did you mean by this? What if you cut out half of these words? Is the use of multiple pronouns creating confusion? I also look at the overall logic of the piece and if it’s all working together. Finally, I may suggest a book or a poem to look at for guidance. “

What was the most recent "standout" book you read?

I’m not done with it, but I would say The Hallow Half by Sarah Aziza. It’s so exciting to read a book that is deep, smart and full of both humanity and artistry.”