#Writementor 2019!

#Writementor 2019!

I’m so excited to be taking part in writementor this summer as a mentor. I’m offering a full manuscript package – I’ll work with you on the whole book, as well as the synopsis and query letter. If you don’t know about the scheme, please go to their website and take a look. The summer mentoring scheme is FREE and an incredible opportunity for children’s writers looking to go pro.

I was one of the first batch of mentees in this amazing scheme and it made all the difference. The amazing Lindsay Galvin took me under her wing and pushed me to make my story the best it could be. I’ve made tons of new and lovely writer friends, and I met my wonderful agent, Lauren Gardner, through the agent showcase.

I’m thrilled to be able to give something back to #writementor this year as a mentor and give another writer some support and help.

Please check below and see if I might be a good fit as a mentor for you:

Please send me:

  • Real world settings with a touch of magic
  • Historical fiction
  • Humour that goes beyond gross-out jokes
  • Unreliable narrators
  • Happy endings
  • Ghosts, witches, things that go bump in the dark
  • Friendship, bravery and standing up for what’s right
  • Casts as diverse as the real world

I don’t expect any entry to tick every box, but if you have two or three of these in your story, I want to see it!

I’m not generally a fan of romance focused stories, high fantasy, or anything with lots of violence – never say never, but I’m probably not the best mentor for these works.

Mentoring Style

My mentee and I should be a team. I’d like to work with someone who is open to making big changes on their work, and put in the hours. On the other hand, I don’t expect them to take all of my suggestions – it’s up to them to decide what makes their book stronger. I’m happy to brainstorm and kick ideas back and forward. I’ll be your cheerleader when editing feels hard. I’ve done lots of critiquing and beta reading so I’m ready to help whether you need to work on the bones of the story or the smaller prose level issues. Be warned: my feedback tends to be wordy, so you shouldn’t be intimidated by tons of comments.

You can never have too many writer friends who understands the ups and downs of this business. I hope the mentoring period will only be the beginning for us!

I prefer to connect via email or slack/whatsapp etc, though if my mentee is local I’d love to chat about your book over coffee, too. I’m also a huge fan of snail mail so you can expect a little encouraging something through the post (if you’re cool with that!)

Since I graduated the mentoring scheme last year, my experience with querying, writing the dreaded synopsis, getting an agent etc is all fairly recent. I’m definitely not an expert in these things, but I can be a sounding board.

Any questions? You can find me on twitter @jennispangler1 – I’m always happy to chat.

If you’re still undecided about applying, please give it a go. The community is very warm and supportive and it has been an incredible experience. Apply. Pick me!

P.S. My own mentor Lindsay Galvin is mentoring again this year, and whoever she picks will be very very lucky. Check her wishlist out.

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