Services

Mentoring

The Service

The Academi’s Mentoring Service for Writers offers support and practical advice to writers who show outstanding promise – those in whose work publishers have already expressed a firm interest. The Service is designed to help writers develop that work to a publishable standard.

What can the Service help with?

Writers may ask for assistance to develop a specific piece of work-in-progress. Support will be provided in the form of a number of sessions with an established writer from the same genre who will be able to offer constructive criticism and suggestions to help take the work forward. This tutor will be selected, in consultation with the applicant and the publisher, from a panel of experienced writers established for this purpose. Writers using this scheme will be expected to devote time between tutor-sessions in order to make progress on the work.

Eligibility

Application is open to writers who are resident in Wales at the time of application and who will continue to live in Wales throughout the mentoring period. Writers in the Welsh language living outside Wales are also eligible to apply. Questions on eligibility should be addressed to the Academi before formal application is made.

Writers will not be able to use the Service more than once in any three-year period.

This Service is open to published or unpublished writers but its term cannot run simultaneously with any other Academi Services to Writers award.

How much funding is available?

The Academi’s Mentoring Service for Writers can pay for the cost of the tutor’s time along with travel and subsistence costs for both applicant and tutor. The usual pattern would be to arrange up to five half-day sessions across an agreed period of time. The fund can support around seven writers each year.

How to apply

Applications should be made on a form available from the Academi. Applicants will be asked to submit a sample of the work in question together with a letter of recommendation from a bona fide publisher. The application will be deemed incomplete and ineligible if you do not have a letter of recommendation from a publisher.

We shall acknowledge promptly receipt of your application. The Academi cannot take responsibility for the loss of any original documents.

The decision-making process

From autumn 2007, there will be one closing date each year. This date will be the same as the closing date for Academi Writers’ Bursaries. Applications for mentoring will be assessed by the Academi Writers’ Bursaries Panel, at the same time as the Writers’ Bursaries applications. The Bursaries Panel usually meets in February. It is anticipated that the decisions will be announced in March.  If required, reasons for refusal will be given to unsuccessful applicants.

By what criteria will applicants be judged?

The Panel’s decisions will be based on a balance of factors:
the literary quality of the work submitted
the probability of publication by a bona fide publisher
the need to encourage a range and diversity of new writing in Wales
the weight of recommendation from a recognised publisher. Applications cannot be received from potential self-publishers.
priority will be given to applicants endorsed by Welsh-based publishers

The closing date for 2009 Mentoring applications:
Saturday 1 November 2008.

Academi Mentoring Service
The Academi
Chief Executive Peter Finch
Mount Stuart House
Mount Stuart Square
Cardiff CF10 5FQ
tel: 029 2047 2266
fax: 029 2049 2930

For an application form e-mail your request to post@academi.org quoting a mailing address

The Academi is the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society for Writers. Registered Charity Number 506402. The Academi works is supported by the Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government.