WritersNL Mentorship Program 2024: Call for Mentor Submissions
(May 21, 2024) – WritersNL is now accepting mentor applications from individuals interested in its 2024 Mentorship Program for Emerging Writers.
The WritersNL Emerging Writers Mentorship program is designed to serve the needs of emerging Newfoundland and Labrador writers who are committed to the development of their writing. It is aimed at writers who are on the cusp of professional publication and who have a substantial work-in-progress.
The Mentorship Program for Emerging Writers is made available by the Canada Council for the Arts.
To facilitate this program, WritersNL will accept applications in two rounds for two positions: mentors and apprentices.
The mentor position is for writers with a history of publication and a commitment to the craft of writing. The deadline for mentor submissions is June 21, 2024.
An assembled paid jury will select four mentors for the 2024 Mentorship Program. WritersNL will announce the four available mentors with a dedicated program page on our website which will include:
-the genre(s) the mentor is both qualified and willing to work in;
-a short, selected record of publications and awards relevant to the mentorship genres listed above;
-a Mentorship Philosophy Statement;
-any voluntary self-identification (regarding cultural community, sexual orientation, gender, disability) that the mentor would like to share with potential applicants to the program.
Responsibilities & Remuneration
-Mentors are expected to contribute 25 hours of one-on-one conferencing, either in person or online as appropriate. Depending on geographical location, some mentorships may be conducted virtually.
-Mentors will also contribute 25 hours to reading or prep work over the course of the 5-month mentorship (Please note: The ratio of reading to prep work is flexible and should be adapted to accommodate the needs of individual pairings.).
-Mentors will be paid a total of $2,500, spread over two equal installments—one at the beginning and one at the end of the mentorship.
Who can apply as a Mentor?
- Any WritersNL member in good standing;
- who qualifies as a “professional artist” according to the criteria laid out in the provincial Status of the Artist Act;Definition of Professional artist
A person shall be considered to be a professional artist for the purpose of this Act if that person satisfies 4 of the following criteria, including at least one of the criteria referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c):
(a) the person receives or has received compensation which can be included in professional or business income;
(b) the person has a record of income or loss relevant to the history of his or her work and appropriate to the span of his or her artistic career;
(c) the person has received public or peer recognition by publicly disseminated critical reviews or appraisals or by similar means;
(d) the person has presented his or her work to the public by means of exhibitions, publications, screenings, performances, readings or by other means appropriate to the nature of his or her work;
(e) the person is represented by a dealer, publisher, agent or similar professional representative appropriate to the nature of his or her work;
(f) the person devotes a reasonable proportion of his or her professional time to promoting or marketing of his or her work;
(g) the person
(i) has received professional training in an educational institution from a practitioner recognized in his or her profession, or
(ii) is self-taught within the established practices of the person’s cultural traditions;
(h) the person has membership in a professional association, appropriate to his or her artistic activity,
(i) whose membership is or categories of membership are limited under standards of the association, or
(ii) which is a trade union or equivalent appropriate to his or her artistic activity; and
(i) the person holds copyright in his
- who has previous mentorship or teaching experience, in either an official or unofficial capacity;.
- and who did not participate in the program in 2022-23.
Who can apply as an apprentice?
The apprentice position is for writers who have a substantial work-in-progress and who are committed to the creative development of their writing.
- WritersNL members in good standing with a substantial work-in-progress in any genre;
- who are prepared for a disciplined, focused period of work during which writing is a priority;
- who did not participate in this program in 2022-23;.
- and who are 19 years or older.
Selections Process
This program is pending new funding from Canada Council from the Arts. Upon approval, a paid jury will select four mentors for the 2024 Mentorship Program. WritersNL will then announce a call for apprentices for the coming year’s program when the mentors are announced. In addition to the usual submission requirements, applicants also list their first, second, third, and fourth choices of mentor from the listing on the WritersNL website. If they have no particular preference, they can elect to have the selection committee assign a pairing.
The committee will then match mentors and apprentices, to work on a one-to-one basis over an intensive five-month period. Decisions for the mentor application will be made on the basis of the best-suited match between the apprentice and the mentor.
WritersNL is committed to greater inclusion of traditionally marginalized communities. In an effort to encourage the development of a more diverse writing community, we strongly encourage applications to the Mentorship Program from all members of Indigenous communities, members of culturally diverse groups, members of disabled communities, and members of official language minorities, whether or not they are current members of WritersNL.
How to apply:
For a mentor position, please submit the following:
- Your C.V., including publication credits;
- A cover letter stating your mentoring or teaching philosophy and any previous mentorship experience;
- Genre(s) you are interested in mentoring.
Send your submission in a .doc or .pdf file to info@writersnl.ca by 5:00 p.m. NST by the deadline of June 21, 2023.
Late submissions will not be accepted. Ineligible and/or incomplete submissions will not be returned.
Previous Mentorship Pairings
The WritersNL Emerging Writers Mentorship program is designed to serve the needs of emerging Newfoundland and Labrador writers who are committed to the development of their writing.
It is aimed at writers on the cusp of professional publication and who have a substantial work-in-progress. Emphasis is on producing a work ready for the marketplace.
2022-23 Mentorship Participants
Mado Christie mentored by Bridget Canning
Paul Moorehead mentored by Douglas Walbourne-Gough
Kira Sheppard mentored by Tracey Waddleton
Monique Tobin mentored by Agnes Walsh
2020-21 Mentorship Participants
Vanessa Cardoso-Whelan mentored by Sharon King-Campbell
Tia McLennan mentored by Mark Callanan
Joe Mitchell mentored by Heather Nolan
Hannah Jenkins mentored by Michelle Porter
2019-20 Mentorship Participants
Emily Hepditch mentored by Alexis Koetting
Marie Pike mentored by Sara Tilley
Rob McDonald mentored by Helen Escott
Robert Badcock mentored by Paul Butler
2018-19 Mentorship Participants
Angela Antle mentored by Trudy Morgan-Cole
Penelope Hansen mentored by Jamie Fitzpatrick
Shelly Kawaja mentored by Charis Cotter
Jennifer McVeigh mentored by Larry Mathews
Monica Walsh mentored by Andy Jones
2017-18 Mentorship Participants
Diane Carley mentored by Megan Gail Coles
Terry Doyle mentored by Ed Kavanagh
Allie Duff mentored by Agnes Walsh
Sarah Bennett mentored by Marjorie Doyle
2016-17 Mentorship Participants
Sasha Boczkowski mentored by Leslie Vryenhoek
Lee Burton mentored by Paul Butler
Chloe Edbrooke mentored by Claire Wilkshire
David Benson mentored by Frank Holden
2015-16 Mentorship Participants
Bridget Canning mentored by Ed Kavanagh
Matthew Hollett mentored by Mark Callanan
2014-15 Mentorship Participants
Glenn Deir mentored by Ed Riche
Matthew Lewis mentored by Paul Bowdring
Heather Paul mentored by Annamarie Beckel
Niquae McIntosh mentored by Shoshanna Wingate
This program is generously supported by funding by the Canada Council for the Arts.
