#WriteMentor 2022
Really excited to be mentoring again this summer with the #WriteMentor programme. This will be my fifth year, and every year has brought in an amazing batch of submissions that make it really hard for me to choose just one!
Here’s a little bit about me and what sort of submissions I’d like to see this year…
I am represented by Veronique Baxter at David Higham Associates. My writing is featured in many different magazines, anthologies and online, such as with Northern Gravy, and PaperBound magazine, and my chapter book for 5-8 year olds, Autumn Moonbeam: Dance Magic, will be released in July this year from UCLan publishing, followed by book two in October.
I live in the West Midlands with my family of husband, children, cats and chickens. My background is in Fine Art, and working with children in variety of jobs. I’m also an editor and mentor of children's fiction, and one half of Word Witches with Carolyn Ward. I am creator and host of a writerly chat on Twitter called #ukteenchat.
I have written for every age group and genre over the years but now I focus on writing flash fiction, and short stories, younger fiction/chapter books, and Teen and YA. I’ve written contemporary novels, Horror, Fantasy, Humour and Thriller, with a strong focus on friendship and family relationships, usually, though not exclusively, with strong female main characters who are neurodivergent, working class and LGBTQ+.
I’m keen to mentor a writer of either a chapter book or Middle Grade story. The genres I’d like to see are quite a broad range: Contemporary, Humour, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror especially Folk Horror, or Fantasy. It could be laugh out loud or making my hair stand on end and everything in between, I’m happy to see all sorts of stories.
Some of my favourite books are: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (anything he’s written really!); the Amelia Fang series by Laura Ellen Anderson; Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison; Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart by Tamsyn Murray; Splinters of Sunshine by Patrice Lawrence; Ready, Player, One by Ernest Cline; Dear Charlie by N.D. Gomes; Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green; The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy; The Pug Who Wanted to be a Unicorn by Bella Swift; The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson; All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven; Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew; the Lottie Luna series by Vivian French; Small Spaces by Katherine Arden; A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, to name but a few 😊
My main reason for being part of this #WriteMentor programme is that I love being with other writers and the fantastic kidlit writing community. I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have had support via mentoring and from amazing writing groups and individuals and want to share that passion for words and the support and encouragement, with lots of positivity (think Joy from Inside Out) and gifs along the way! I’d love to work with someone who is keen to learn and share their writing with me and have fun along the way.
There will be Q&As ahead of the application window to ask me questions, but do feel free to send me a message on Twitter if you have anything you’d like to ask and can't make the chats below.
Monday 4th for Chapter Books (age 5-8 approximately) 7-8pm BST/UK Time
Tuesday 5th for Middle Grade (age 9-12) 7-8pm BST/UK Time
So do apply to me if you feel we would be a good fit.😊
For further updates please follow me on Twitter @FinlaysonPalmer and on the WriteMentor website: https://write-mentor.com/mentoring-programme/2022-writementor-summer-mentoring-programme/
KEY DATES
Mentor applications: 10th January – 14th February 2022
Agent registration: open until Thursday 1st September
Mentor chats on Twitter: 4-6th April 2022
Mentee application window open: 7th-8th April 2022
Mentor-Mentee announcement: 28th April 2022
Mentoring programme period: 1st May-31st August 2022
Agent Showcase: Friday 2nd-9th September 2022
https://linktr.ee/EmmaFinlaysonPalmer
