The deadline for the WNDB™ mentorship program is Oct. 31. We are offering mentorships to four aspiring authors and one illustrator who are diverse or working on diverse books. This is an opportunity to work with some experienced and talented members of our community, and receive individual support and feedback on a work-in-progress.
What: WNDB™ is offering five mentorships, one in each of the following categories – Picture Book text (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Young Adult (YA), Nonfiction (NF), and Illustration (IL). The winners will communicate with the mentor for approximately one year in a mentor/mentee custom-defined program. This mentorship period will run from Jan. 15, 2016 to Dec. 15, 2016.
The mentors for this program are Nikki Grimes (PB), Margarita Engle (MG), Malinda Lo (YA), Patricia Hruby-Powell (NF) and Carolyn Dee Flores (IL).
Eligibility: These mentorships are available to diverse writers or any writers or illustrators who submit a manuscript for children or teens featuring a diverse main character or diverse central subject matter. (See the WNDB™ mission statement page for our inclusive definition of “diverse”).
Applicants may only apply for one of the five mentorship categories, so it is up to the applicants to research each mentor and decide which mentor/category is most suitable for their work. Applicants who do not comply with submission rules will be disqualified.
Judges’ Criteria: The first-round judges will select a pool of final applicants based on merit. Mentors will select their mentee based on merit, compatibility, and readiness/need for the mentorship as outlined in their essay. Applicants who do not comply with submission rules will be disqualified.
Cost: Free.