Are you a developing writer completing your first manuscript and seeking a mentor? Or do you know one?

Submissions are now open for the 2022 WT Mentorship program, which pairs established and developing writers working in fiction, poetry, and literary nonfiction for one-on-one instruction. 

This is a unique opportunity for writers who are just starting their careers to focus and receive guidance on their current work-in-progress. 

Mentorships will run for five months (April-August 2022). Beyond instruction, mentees will also receive $2,500 to help finance their writing time during their mentorship.
 

Deadline: Monday, January 10, 2022 Each mentor will select one mentee to work with from the pool of applicants. The participating mentors are:

Kaie Kellough
Poetry

“I’m interested in writing that balances experimentation with a devotion to clarity and a concern for the needs of the subject. I’m drawn to writing that sees poetic exploration as necessary to navigating our complex histories and the challenges of our present moment. I’m impressed by work that commits to the personal while expanding outward, into the world. Finally — crucially — I’m seeking a poet who is curious about the arts at large, who is committed to reading, listening, discussing, looking, voicing, and writing.”
 

Monia Mazigh

Fiction

“I am looking for an author who comes to this program with big dreams to produce something original, smart, and delicate. I’m fluently bilingual and can support mentees in both English and French. I am always impressed by people who can put passion and hard work together. The result can only be beautiful.”

Harley Rustad
Literary Nonfiction

“I’m looking for a writer with, above all, a strong sense of story, who holds a narrative about a remarkable life or an important issue — representing change, connection, trial, or hope — that the writer is determined to explore. I’m excited to work with someone, whether in memoir or reported nonfiction, who is passionate about taking readers on a journey or changing the way they see the world.” 

We hope you’ll consider pursuing this opportunity or sharing this call for applications with other writers who are at the beginning stages of their career. The Writers' Trust is proud to administer programs like this which have the ability to transform the artistic development of emerging writers and provide valuable assistance in bringing their work to publication.   

This program is generously funded by the RBC Emerging Artists Project, which aims to provide opportunities to advance an artist's career trajectory.

Interested in Other Mentorship Opportunities?
Check out the list of Canadian mentorship programs our friends at The Writers’ Union of Canada compiled. It contains details and links to a range of programs across the country. 

…And Another Thing
Do you know about the Writers' Trust's Woodcock Fund? It’s unlike any other grant program in Canada, providing support to writers facing unforeseen financial challenges. This can range from full-blown crisis, like health emergencies, to more general setbacks that necessitate temporary support. Writers in Canada work on a proverbial financial tightrope. The Woodcock Fund is there to make sure when things go wrong there’s a safety net to catch them. Applications are accepted year-round.


Additional details are available at writerstrust.com. Contact the program director with any questions.