I SAID I WOULDN'T THIS YEAR, BUT...

...I caved. 

I did. I couldn't resist the pull. 

So...

...I am pleased to say I will be a 2019 WRITE MENTOR mentor! 


WHY?

Because I love being involved in these opportunities for brilliant, talented upcoming authors; I love the buzz that goes with it; and I love befriending so many fantastic writers.

See? I couldn't really say no to Stuart, could I?! 

This is where you'll find my wishlist, but first, GO HERE to learn a little more about this opportunity, if you're eligible to enter, what's involved, and, of course, the all important contest schedule. 

I'm getting straight down to business, no GIFs, no fancy nonsense, because I know you'll want to hop around to the other mentor's wishlists and find your perfect fit. 
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I'M MENTORING...

…MIDDLE GRADE which covers books for the 8-12 year old.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this age group because innocence and hope reign supreme. Books can still cover anything and everything including (and more importantly than ever) difficult topics, but you can have so much fun with whatever content you choose. Immaturity is definitely still allowed so you as the writer get to revisit those silly days where you can get away with things maybe you can't so much now. By this I mean, farts and bums, because they rarely fail to raise a smile, and tears and tantrums, which still feature regularly! 

But, these kids deserve respect because they're often much more tuned in and smarter than we realise. Never scrimp on challenging vocabulary, never talk down or patronise, never be afraid to cover darker content though be careful of the details included, and show these kids that whatever they're feeling, it's okay, it's normal. and there is always light and hope somewhere. 


MY WISHLIST

• I am a sucker for horror (it's what I generally write because many kids love being scared and I gladly accept this challenge!). 
• I adore a bit of contemporary, be that joined with almost all subgenres.
• I love sci-fi and fantasy, and I will always love a dystopian. 
• Humour is a must in my life and I believe there's never enough of this on kid's bookshelves. 
• Mysteries and thrillers are often tricky to get right for this age group, but I love them when they do. 
• Supernatural and paranormal are right up my street. 
• It goes without saying that diversity will be gobbled up by me. 
  

I'M NOT RIGHT FOR YOU IF...

…you write historical, verse, or graphic novels. Not that I don't love these, but simply because I'm not the right mentor for you. 

That's it. Short and sweet, no frills, no faffing. 


GOOD LUCK! 

Now's the time to get polishing those manuscripts because this is a great opportunity you don't want to miss. The calibre of mentors is extraordinary and I wish I could enter the contest, to be honest. 

Looking forward to your lovely MG words! 

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