National Mentoring Programme 

CALL FOR WRITERS 

Are you a new, emerging or recently published writer? Would you like professional help with your current work-in-progress? 

Dublin UNESCO City of Literature is supporting the Words Ireland National Mentoring Programme, which will ensure that at least one writer or poet from Dublin will benefit from a literature mentoring relationship. 

The mentoring process involves 4 x two-hour meetings between the selected ‘mentee’ and their chosen professional writer over a 6–8 month period. The mentor will read up to 10,000 words of the mentee’s prose, or a selection of poems, in advance of each meeting and share their critical feedback and advice. The work in progress of the mentee is discussed in depth.  

Applications must be made via Submittable. Selected mentees must be willing and able to meet mentors via Skype, Zoom or phone for initial meetings.  

Full application details are available here: http://wordsireland.ie/national-mentoring-programme-2020/  

Deadline is noon on 4 May 2020. 

 

Quotes from previous recipients: 

“It has been a very positive experience for me and I am a lot more confident about my story now. 

Without it, I would have found it very difficult to return to the book, as I had spent so much time on 

it previously and I simply didn’t know what to do with it. Knowing that my mentor was expecting 

work by certain deadlines really concentrated my mind and pushed me forward.” 

“It’s particularly helpful to have someone engage with your work critically and interrogate not just the MS but your intentions as author. I feel I’m being forced to address issues I took for granted before, which I 

think is a good thing to do before I start the journey to publication.” 

“I expected to focus on the words, but virtually all of my effort has gone into structure and 

character. I have been encouraged to develop a more global perspective on the work, while also 

attending to minute details about character and narrative voice.” 

“The experience so far has been invaluable: having thorough, focused attention on my work has 

enhanced my knowledge, especially at this point in my writing journey.” 

 

About Words Ireland: The National Mentoring Programme is run by Words Ireland. It is a grouping of seven national literature resource organisations aimed at supporting writers and developing new audiences for literature. These seven organisations that make up the collective include: Literature Ireland, Children’s Books Ireland, Irish Writers Centre, The Stinging Fly, Poetry Ireland, Munster Literature Centre, and Publishing Ireland. Its programme is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, but the board work on a voluntary basis. It is chaired by Michael McLoughlin, Chair of Penguin Random House, Ireland. www.wordsireland.ie