Mentor Initiative

In continued acknowledgement of and response to the lack of BIPoC in publishing, Writers House has implemented the Writers House Mentor Initiative (WHMI), an entirely virtual experience for BIPoC-identifying people, who are either interested in breaking into the business or in the early stages of their careers. Conducted via Zoom, the WHMI provides its participants with both access to industry professionals and exposure to the field. Spearheaded by Michael Mejias, the WHMI is offered three terms a year: Autumn (October-December); Winter (February-March); and Spring (May-June) with recesses during the summer and the end-of-year holidays. The initiative is articulated in four ways:

Town Halls – An opportunity to receive mentoring as a large community. Each town hall has a focus including resume and cover letter writing, how to apply for publishing jobs, and how to get the most out of an informational interview. Duration: Up to 2 hours.

Small Group Sessions – An opportunity to receive mentoring as a member of small group (3 or 4 participants) on one of the six offered topics (Career Mapping, Networking, Technical Skills, Interview Skills, Resume Writing, or Publishing Overview). Duration: Up to 1 hour.

Mentor Engagements – An opportunity to receive mentoring on a one-on-one basis on one of six topics (Career Mapping, Networking, Interview Skills, Resume Writing, or Publishing Overview). Duration: Up to 1 hour.

Video Workshops – An ongoing series of videos, featuring a member of our staff, covering different topics (i.e., generating reader’s reports). Videos premiering on any given term will be accompanied by a Q&A with the video’s featured staff member. Initiative participants will need a Gmail address to access our YouTube channel and will have term-long access to the video library. Duration: Up to 1 hour.

 

WHMI is currently accepting up to 20 new participants. WHMI has an open admission policy. Selection is typically managed first come, first served.

Apply to the WHMI