Mentoring Scheme

Writing East Midlands is pleased to announce the second round of applications are open for the Writers' Mentoring Scheme 2012.

A well-matched mentoring relationship can give momentum to writers, helping to develop their craft and their awareness of the market they wish to enter.

WEM: "Our mentoring scheme offers support and advice to 4 writers over the course of a year that, in our view, are able to demonstrate great promise and commitment. The scheme matches the selected writers to sympathetic, established, professional writers.

We will require writers to develop a specific piece of work-in-progress. The mentor will offer constructive criticism and support in a number of sessions to help take the work forward."

The closing date for this round of applications is 26^th October 2012

Eligibility

• Writers must be resident in the East Midlands at the time of application and continue to live in the region throughout the mentoring period.
• Writers will not be accepted for the service more than once in any three-year period.
• The scheme will be open to published or unpublished writers.

Writing East Midlands decisions will be based on a balance of factors:

• The literary quality of the work submitted.
• The probability of publication by a bona fide publisher (Preference will therefore be shown to writers who are able to provide evidence of genuine publisher interest in their work).
• The need to encourage a range and diversity of new writing from the East Midlands.

To Apply
Applications should be submitted BY EMAIL ONLY to
Aimee@writingeastmidlands.co.uk. A link to the appplication form can be found on this page. Please also submit a sample of the work in question of up to 3000 consecutive words.
The closing date for this round of applications is 26^th October 2012
Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend a Creative Professional Development workshop on 8^th December 2012, (venue details to be confirmed). Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to an interview on 14^th December, and should the applicant be successful a mentor relationship will be matched with an established writer. Other areas where Writing East Midlands can support the unsuccessful shortlisted applicants will be identified during the selection process.

Details
The mentoring relationships will be for an agreed period of time, between 8 – 12 months, and will focus on developing the work of writers who have reached a critical point, enabling them to step beyond the private process of writing and onto new levels. Ultimately, the scheme aims to help writers to develop their work to a publishable standard.

WEM: "All shortlisted applicants will be required to attend a Creative Development Planning workshop (free of charge) to identify further areas of focus.

We will require writers to develop a specific piece of work-in-progress. The mentor will offer constructive criticism and support in a number of sessions to help take the work forward."

This scheme would best suit emerging writers able to display real commitment. The mentoring scheme is also available for established writers in one form who are looking to develop their writing in different forms.