Jean Donnelly studied poetry at the creative writing program at George Mason University, where she co-founded the journal So To Speak, a publication of feminist language and art. Her poetry has appeared in several journals, and a chapbook, The Julia Set, was published by Edge Books in 1995. Her first full collection of poetry, Anthem, was selected by Charles Bernstein for the 2000 National Poetry Award Series, published by Sun & Moon Press in 2002.