Six writers, six projects, six mentors

In 2004 Scottish Book Trust ran a pilot mentoring programme through their words@work project. Six writers identified specific areas of their writing that they wanted to work on with a mentor. Each had a goal in sight and each project was quite individual. The project was a huge success for nearly all the writers and mentors involved. The feedback speaks for itself:

‘I’d definitely do it again. Mentoring is a brilliant bridge between the usual group workshops and the mysterious grail of getting work accepted or published. There’s really nothing else around that fills that role, except perhaps a Creative Writing MA. It’s a really practical way for the Book Trust to support writers.’

‘It was great to find myself working with a poet who could criticise my work with an understanding of where I was coming from and what I was seeking to do.’

‘The tasks my mentor is setting are very helpful and I always come away from our meetings very inspired and keen to move on.  It's a slow process but I'm learning a lot.’

And now we are about to embark on words@work mentoring 2005-2006. This is your opportunity to get involved:

Mentoring
Open to writers at any stage of their career, the mentoring project will run for nine months and will include at least four face-to-face meetings between the mentor and mentee and contact via telephone, email and post. This is an invaluable opportunity to work with some of the foremost Scottish writers, editors and rights agents, dramatists, playwrights and screen-writers. Mentees will have the opportunity to work with their personal mentor on any aspect of their writing: writing style; editorial techniques; finishing the unfinishable; moving from writing for the printed book to writing for radio or television scripts; writing for the stage. . . the list is endless and the specific need for a mentor will be highly individual. Each mentee will be carefully matched with a mentor to make sure that everyone gets the very most out of this experience.

At this point in the programme we are delighted to be able to offer six writers the opportunity to work with a mentor over a nine month period.

We have a pool of mentors ready and waiting and more joining every day (many thanks to all those who have put forward their names so far) – all are people who can inspire and guide, and offer practical assistance and support.
 
Buddying
Responding to the needs of those who applied last year, we are widening this project to include a buddying element.  If there is an area of performance, workshopping or writing that you would like to break into or develop then let us know and we will endeavour to match you with an established, experienced practitioner. You will then have the opportunity to shadow them at two events and pick their brains for the best way to get started or develop the service you already offer.

How to apply
If you think you could benefit from either the mentoring or the buddying element of this project please apply in writing by Wednesday 16 February detailing the following:

Mentoring
• the project, change of direction, or area of work with which you would like to work with a mentor
• other assistance you may have had so far (creative writing course, advice from writer in residence, writers’ workshops etc)
• what you hope to achieve at the end of the mentoring project
• your ideal mentor (fellow writer, editor etc)

Buddying
• the area of performance that you are interested in e.g.
taking writing into the classroom; using creative writing in healthcare settings; performance skills; writing with prisoners/young offenders; performance poetry

Please also include a brief CV.

All letters of application should be sent to:

Jan Rutherford
words@work Project Co-ordinator
Scottish Book Trust
Sandeman House
Trunks Close
55 High Street
Edinburgh EH1 1SR

The closing date for applications is 16 February 2005 and interviews for the mentoring aspect will be held in Edinburgh on 25 February 2005 (travel expenses are available). Interviews will not be necessary for buddying.
 
For further information contact Jan Rutherford, words@work Project Co-ordinator on  0131 337 9724 Email: jan.ppw@blueyonder.co.uk