Mentorship Program

About the program

The Writers' Guild of Alberta’s Mentorship Program, modeled off similar programs, matches five mentors with five apprentices for a mentorship taking place January-April. The program is designed to meet the needs of emerging Alberta writers for guidance, collaboration and encouragement while senior writers receive short-term employment and an opportunity to sharpen their mentoring/teaching skills. The focus of the mentorship will be on instruction in the craft, and to a lesser extent, the business of writing. There is no cost to the apprentices.

Mentors and apprentices are expected to have an initial meeting in person. Subsequent meetings may take place in person or by telephone or email as distance may require. Mentors are expected to devote 15-20 hours a month to program work while apprentices commit to a minimum of 20-25 hours per month. A public reading takes place after the mentorship is completed.

View the 2016 mentors and apprentices

View the 2015 mentors and apprentices

 

Applications for the 2016 program are now closed.

Apprentices will be emerging writers. “Emerging” is defined as: generally, but not necessarily, having a professionally edited, published body of work (a book of poetry, nonfiction articles, fiction or other narrative prose, or publications in magazines, periodicals and/or anthologies). Apprentices must be Alberta residents, 18 years or older, and current members of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta.

Candidates for mentor positions must have professional publication credits, including published books and/or credits in literary anthologies, journals or magazines. Candidates must have demonstrated ability and/or prior experience in manuscript review, editing and peer consultation. All successful candidates must be active members of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta or become members prior to the start of their contract.

Click here to view the Apprentice criteria

Click here to view the Mentor application form

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $154 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien. L’an dernier, le Conseil  a investi 154 millions de dollars pour mettre de l’art dans la vie des Canadiennes et des Canadiens de tout le pays