Cat Weldon is a children’s author who writes funny, Middle Grade fantasy stories with a particular interest in off beat fairy tales and world mythology. Her hilarious Viking Series, How To Be A Hero is published by Macmillan Children’s Books. With a master’s degree in Scriptwriting and a background in Children’s Theatre, Cat now splits her time between teaching, writing and trying to round up her collection of delinquent chickens.

Writing can be a lonely experience and it is all too easy not to be able to see the wood for the trees. I can provide an outside perspective to help you find your way to the heart of your story. I love a bit of planning and structure to really pull a story together. Something has to underpin all the craziness! 

I have over ten years teaching experience, so I know how important it is to offer feedback in a constructive and targeted way to achieve the best results. Having said that, I’m happy to be led by the mentee, let me know what you would like to me focus on and I’ll start with that!

You can expect detailed feedback on your manuscript and a fun, collaborative approach. Writing should be enjoyable!

I know how tough it can be to let someone else see your writing, it can feel like the inside of your head is being opened up. I have been through various different types of creative writing programmes (good, bad and ugly) and am able to pull together the best parts from those different experiences. I promise to be constructive and to focus on how to make your story the best it can be, while retaining the essence that it is your story.

I have previously worked as a scriptwriter, so I am able to use that experience to add further depth to my feedback. This is particularly helpful in developing interesting characters, unsticking plot points, and writing dialogue.

I have also done a number of school visits and have dealt with the really tricky questions like, why are you funny? And the dreaded, but what is your book about, actually?

My specialities are humour, fantasy and historical, or a combination of all three! But if you think I would be a good fit for your writing I’m happy to take a look at other genres. I write primarily for upper middle grade (ages 8-12). 

“Mentoring may not be for everyone but it’s definitely worth considering. It is very helpful to have your work seen from another perspective. Having discovered Cat’s books, I know she’s a fantastic writer, so I can have confidence that I am getting advice from someone who really knows what they are talking about.” – Richard Berry. Read more.

Carolyn Ward writes Middle Grade and is represented by Northbank Talent. She became a mentor in WriteMentor’s first year, working closely with three talented writers and enjoying every second. Three years ago she co-founded a local writing group based in a community pub and is also on YouTube as half of the Word Witches writer support duo.

I am pretty much always on the internet, open, friendly, honest, supportive and inspirational. I’m here to help you in whatever way you need to be helped. Once I am your mentor I am 100% with you to work together to get closer to your writing dreams, whatever they may be. I work quickly and can adapt easily to any deadlines you have. I love to stay in touch with my mentees and editorial clients and follow their journeys. It is so wonderful when they get signed or a deal, I feel all the joy! 

I have written short stories, poetry, NF, CNF, flash, PB, CB, MG, Teen and YA. I’ve even self-published a flash fiction collection. Happy to read anything and everything, I am well-connected within the writing world. I subbed out lots before getting my agent, and have masses of editing experience in the kidlit world in all genres and age groups. It can be terrifying to send work out, and I know the power of fresh eyes to spot tiny inconsistencies. I’ve been a reader for the WriteMentor competitions, so I sense instinctively what shines and what needs a little more polish.  Getting to work with anyone on their book is a delight. It is an absolute honour to be trusted with your words, and I love every part of it. I am represented by Hardman & Swainson.

Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult

“I just wanted to say how brilliant [Carolyn] has been!! It’s been a fantastic experience […] we’ve nearly completed my book together.” – Emma Wood

“Writing is a lonely process. There’s nothing like having someone reading your work to give you purpose and keep you grafting.” – Claudia Gonella. Read more.

A M Dassu is a magistrate and a freelance writer. Her first piece for The Huffington Post, for whom she was a featured writer, was published on the front-page, alongside Barack Obama and Lenny Henry. She is the Deputy Editor for Words & Pictures, the magazine for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators, British Isles. A M Dassu’s previous work experience includes project management, marketing and editorial work at Reader’s Digest. She writes children’s fiction and nonfiction. Her MG novel is due to be published in 2020. 

Middle Grade and Young Adult

Emma is represented by Laura West at the David Higham Agency, and mainly writes for children, but also writes short stories and flash fiction. Emma is the creator and organiser of the fortnightly writing chat called #ukteenchat on Twitter. Emma is a mentor on both the WriteMentor summer programme, as well as a reader for the WriteMentor children’s novel award.

My mentoring style is to be eternally optimistic! I’m very thorough in my approach but my feedback will always be constructive. My goal is to make your writing the best and sparkliest it can be.

I have been writing since childhood with my earliest piece being published when I was 8 on Ceefax. With years of experience with submitting to agents, I have been with two different agents myself. I have a wealth of experience with a whole range of genres and types of writing and have been published in magazines and news papers such as The Weekly News, Fate and Fortune Magazine and Anorak magazine for children, as well as in anthologies and being placed in competitions such as Mslexia’s Children’s Novel Award in 2019. I have experience of working on edits with publishers and have worked on edits with other writers for many years, including with SCBWI critique groups.

Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult

“I’ve learned a lot about my writing strengths and weaknesses. I’ve discovered how much I enjoy the whole collaborative process of discussing the plot, my characters, where my book would sit in the market et cetera, et cetera. Bouncing ideas around is fun and hugely beneficial and having someone who knows my book inside out to call on for support and advice is invaluable. Oh, and my editing skills have improved A LOT!” – Debbie

Chio Zoe is a fantasy writer inspired by multiple cultures and folklore across the world. She also dabbles in other genres. She started writing at a young age and gained the interest of a publishing house for a children’s horror story. Choosing not to start a major career in writing at the time, she focused on ghostwriting and entering writing contests. After placing as a finalist in the Break Through Novel Awards, she went ahead to publish her YA fantasy novel, Memory of Stone.You can often find her bent over her laptop working on her books, or with her nose in a sketchpad coming up with new clothing designs for her fashion line. When she isn’t doing that, she spends her time teaching Nigerian writers and young writers through her youtube channel, which was inspired by her time mentoring at Write Mentor Spark.

I enjoy working closely with my mentee to understand what areas they want help with and what areas they should focus on through sample pages sent in.

Through this, I can brainstorm with my mentee to come up with areas of concentration, and draw up a custom schedule fit for my mentee’s needs and our time management.

I believe that relatable characters make any story worthwhile, so I enjoy fleshing out characters.  

I’ve spent a lot of time ghostwriting for others and working on my own books with beta readers and editors, so I have the advantage of understanding different people’s points of view. I am lucky to be able to teach writing through my youtube channel and one on one conversations as that has made me learn more in order to properly teach.

Young Adult

Julie writes funny contemporary novels for teens, and is represented by Hannah Weatherill at Northbank Talent. She has a PhD in English Literature and is an alumna of the Curtis Brown Creative Writing for Children Course. Julie adores being a mentor, and has been a mentor with WriteMentor since our inception, helping many writers reach their writing goals and sign with agents.

I adore being a mentor and relish the opportunity to provide advice, support and encouragement. I like everything about the creative process – the brainstorming of ideas and the writing of stories. But, without question, my favourite part is editing. I enjoy structural edits, finer more detailed edits and even line edits. Above all, I love working with other writers. There is so much to be gained from the process of sharing and critiquing work, not just from the development of a writer’s skills but also from the whole aspect of being part of a writing community.

In studying for my PhD and becoming a lecturer in English, I gained a lot of experience teaching other adults and loved discussing all aspects of writing with them. I loved working with students and supervising projects, and I find mentoring very similar. It’s so exciting to work with an author and to see their writing skills develop. I have been a mentor with WriteMentor’s Summer programme for the last three years, and my mentees got many agent requests in the showcase and two have since signed with agents. I have also been a mentor with WriteMentor Spark since its inception, and I have read for the WriteMentor Children’s Novel Award every year. 

Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult

Emma Read is the author of Middle Grade debut, Milton the Mighty – shortlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award, published by Chicken House in 2019. She is a mentor with WriteMentor Sparks and runs creative writing workshops for children in KS2.

In a nutshell, frank and honest. I aim to squeeze plenty of opportunities for growth from a submission, so I make lots of comments and suggestions, using tracked changes. This often results in an alarming amount of red! I like to invest in a MS as if it were my own and chat through ideas with my mentees, brainstorm with them to grow the story until the mentee is satisfied with the end result.

I’ve been mentoring and critiquing for three years, and have worked with lots of writers, across multiple genres, on everything from first page extracts to entire manuscripts, Chapter Books to YA. I also write across this spectrum too.  Writing is a continual learning process  – whether with a mentee or working with my agent and editors (in house and freelance) on critiques, structural, copy and line edits, the process is mutually beneficial. My goal is to share the experience so we can all help each other.

Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult and New Adult

Emma is the author of Young Adult novel The Million Pieces of Neena Gill (July 2019, Penguin Random House). She has a BA in English and Creative Writing from Warwick University and a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Mslexia and The Bristol Short Story Prize 2016.

Middle Grade and Young Adult

Kathryn was placed second in the Imagined Futures Prize and was awarded a publishing contract with Faber Childrens. Her debut YA novel will be published in 2025. short stories and flash fiction have been published online, in writing magazines and anthologies. She regularly edits, critiques and proofreads for fellow YA and MG writers, in a variety of genres. Kathryn has a degree in English Studies, and an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University. She was one of three co-editors of the 2016 course anthology.

My mentoring style is kind and constructive. I’m very flexible and happy to help with line edits, brain storming, or specific aspects of craft like plot, character or voice. My aim is to build confidence and improve craft.

I have been writing seriously for over twelve years and during that time I’ve worked with other writers in writing groups, workshops, the MA in Writing for Young People and as a mentor on the WriteMentor Summer Programme. I know it can be difficult to receive feedback about your writing  – I’ve been there – and so I always aim to be supportive and honest. Writers I’ve worked with have gone on to have agent offers and book deals.

Middle Grade and Young Adult

“Spark Mentoring is a great way to gain advice on so many aspects of writing and the publishing industry. You realise you’re not alone, and you receive regular and high-quality feedback on your work.” – Catherine Cawley

Melinda is the bestselling author of YA fantasy The Sin Eater’s Daughter series, the political fantasy Sorrow duology, and most recently Scottish folk-horror, Hold Back The Tide. She’s been nominated and shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Carnegie Medal twice, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and the Edgar Awards in the US. She is a fierce advocate for working-class writers.

I have a buffet-style approach to mentoring – a bit of everything. Although if there’s a particular area the author has concerns about or would like me to focus on I’m more than happy to, and if I feel there’s something in particular they need to work on, I’ll flag it! Primary areas of expertise are world-building, character development and making sure the dialogue, language and voice sound natural and engaging, so I’m an excellent mentor for that! 

My mentoring personality is honest, but kind. I will tell them straight if I think something doesn’t work, or if something needs to be cut, or changed or added or built upon. I won’t pull punches or gloss over areas that don’t work for me, but I will explain my thinking, so they can hopefully understand my concerns and have an idea of ways they can address them (should they agree!) That said, I am as eager to point out the stuff that really works as I am the stuff that doesn’t – I want to be a good and effective cheerleader for them! My main aim is for them to leave me feeling confident, both in themselves and their work, and also in the edits and changes and routes they could talk to make their work the best it can be! 

Teen, Young Adult and New Adult

Melissa Welliver writes speculative fiction about how the End Of The World is never really the end of the world. After studying MA Creative Writing under Jeanette Winterson at the University of Manchester, she went on to complete Curtis Brown Creative’s Writing for Children course. Her work has listed in Bath Novel Award, Mslexia, the Hachette Children’s Novel Award, and the Wells Book for Children Competition. She has been published in two short story collections and is an avid member of the Twitter writing community. Born in Stockport, she now lives in the High Peak with an assortment of doggy friends. The Undying Tower is her first novel.

I’ve been a mentor with the WriteMentor Summer Programme for four years now, and I absolutely love interacting with my mentee and helping to make their manuscript the best it can be before submitting to agents. As a speculative writer, I work best with Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Urban Fantasy, Dystopian and Cli-Fi manuscripts. My previous mentees have gone on to gain agent representation and one even won the Writementor Children’s Novel Award.

When I mentor I like to set flexible goals that can be adjusted to suit the mentee’s pace and lifestyle, while also pushing to get the work done. I’m happy to answer questions about my experience gaining agent representation, being on submission, and I’ll try to demystify the publication process. I focus heavily on voice, and want to bring out the best possible way for your MC to tell me their story.

I’ve been agented with Peters, Fraser & Dunlop for three years and my agent is Lucy Irvine. Speculative Fiction is my wheel house, and the first in my YA dystopian debut trilogy, The Undying Tower, comes out with Agora Books in September 2021. I’ve also just come off the back of submission, so I’ve experienced all the highs and lows this author life has to offer. 

I’ve been professionally editing manuscripts freelance since June last year, and have so far been lucky enough to give feedback on over thirty clients’ manuscripts. I have a masters in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester, which has really helped to hone my critical eye. I like to work with the author to make sure their artistic vision matches up with what I see as the crucial commercial elements, and I hope my editing style reflects that.

Middle Grade and Young Adult

“Melissa has a laser focus when it comes to comments, but what has been even more useful are the conversations we have around those points. That interaction has given me the tools and the confidence to know when to double down on something in order to make my vision clear, when to stick with my gut, and when to accept that something just isn’t going to work.” – Steve

Lindsay Galvin is an author writing for middle grade, teen and adults. A qualified teacher with 20 years experience, she loves to visit schools. She is also a WriteMentor tutor, mentor and staff writer, and provides manuscript services. Lindsay lives on the south coast with three boys, two cats and one puppy. 

My mentoring style is honest, supportive and approachable. My aim is to identify clear points for improvement and to discuss ways forward, encouraging a dialogue. I’ll also always note what I’ve enjoyed, what’s working, and the mentees strengths for us to build on. 

I am an experienced mentor, having been with WriteMentor from day 1. I have been working with Spark mentees since the programme began, I also tutor the successful Upper MG Write Master courses and ran a WriteMentor weekend. My 16 years as a teacher, and working with professionals editing my own book have fed in to my editing experience, plus I am a long term critique partner for two successful published authors. 

Middle Grade

Justin writes middle grade fiction which he hopes will have children laughing their socks off. His debut novel, Help! I Smell a Monster, was a Fantastic Book Awards winner in 2021. Having hung up his flight attendant wings after twenty-five years smiling in the aisles, Justin now splits his time between writing and working in his local primary school. He lives in Scotland with his husband Andrew and greyhound Sally. Justin’s third book, a darkly comic adventure mystery with a dash of paranormal, is out in 2023.

Above all, I aim to offer a collaborative approach to the mentoring process with a focus on open and honest communication. Writing can be a lonely occupation, so I will bring not only a fresh pair of (objective) eyes to your manuscript, delivering constructive feedback where appropriate, but also all-important encouragement and cheer-leading.

Basically, I’ve been – and am at – where you’re headed! I’ve been writing for many years, honing my craft whilst searching for my writing voice. Every step of the process towards finding an agent, then publication deals, and on to working with several editors, has been an education. Along with this experience, I have also been a beta reader and attended critique groups. Above all, I spend half my days working with children – if standing in a cold playground trying to work out the intricate rules to their games can’t help me with my writing, nothing will.

Middle Grade

Lydia completed the Curtis Brown Writing for Children online course, but it was being selected as a mentee for WriteMentor in 2018 which made all the difference. Now she’s represented by Jo Williamson, from Antony Harwood. Her Upper MG horror adventure is in the pipeline. She also runs a SCBWI South West critique group for MG and YA writers, and is a SCBWI Network Organiser.

My mentoring style is based on many years of encouraging others to love reading and creative writing as much as I do! I’m always supportive but also analytical of what is or isn’t working. Since 2017 I have run a monthly SCBWI South-West critique group for MG and YA writers, which means I’ve covered plenty of critique-miles. I’ve also worked with editors developing a manuscript, and know their priorities. I see the role of mentor as someone for a mentee to bounce ideas off and share excitement with as plans take shape.

I’ve experience of critiquing MG, Upper MG/Teen and YA fiction, and read and write across this age range, though older MG is my natural home. I love originality in concept, setting, and voice – anything that catches my interest – and enjoy a range a genres. I’m drawn to historical, speculative, supernatural or magical tales, but horror, thrillers, sci-fi and fantasy are all within my remit. What matters is the power of the story and the characters involved.

Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult

Marisa is the writer of middle grade and young adult novels in the genres of science-fiction, fantasy and mental health. Her books include The Shadow Keepers and The Unadjusteds. The Mermaid Chronicles – Secrets of the Deep is due out Spring 2020. She is a mentor for the WriteMentor summer mentoring program that helps aspiring children’s fiction authors.

I would say I don’t have any one style, and that I fit myself to whatever the author needs. When I look over the mentees I’ve hade, both in the summer program and in Sparks, there is a variety of strengths and weaknesses that I’ve been able to help. I have some authors who’s craft is more basic and they need helps with advanced methods, other authors who are very polished in their writing but the structure is a mess, or character development is needed. Other mentees need confidence, they are afraid of querying, of the rejections, feel guilty about carving out the time to write. So I’m really good at boosting confidence in these areas too. 

I can talk a mentee through the whole process and give honest truths about the publishing industry. Not only do I look at full manuscripts, but I can help with pitches, query letters and synopses. Often I will throw in ad hoc exercises into a mentorship as and when I feel they are needed, with to address all areas of writing to help an author grow. I will also point out your strengths and I won’t skim over weaknesses, and I will keep coming back to them until I feel the growth has happened. 

My experience has been very bumpy, as is the norm for most authors.  I have spent years in the querying trenches and I’m on my third agent so I can advise of all the pitfalls here. As a self-published and published author with indie presses and on sub with traditional publishers, I speak to this entire process. I also run ads for my self-published book on Amazon and Facebook so can give you advice here. 

I’ve been around the block a few times, had my fair share of rejections and kicks in the teeth. I know how down you can feel, and I’m here to help you feel confident in your writing and be honest with you when you’re ready. Then you’re in for life and I don’t stop cheerleading! I have also done a few school visits – I just started before lockdown, so I can talk about what’s involved here and how to tackle the nerves. So, in summary, I have knowledge of every step of the process and can help a mentee navigate any stage.

Middle Grade, Teen and Young Adult

Sophia Payne comes from a British Indo-Caribbean family and likes to write children’s books that place Guyana on the map. She won the Picture Book award with WriteMentor and this led to being offered representation from her wonderful agent, Alice Williams. The same text will be her debut picture book. Sophia has several other books in development, including texts for the Reading Planet reading scheme. 

I write serious and non-serious books in prose and rhyme, although I don’t know all the technical terms for rhyming texts! I absolutely love research and will always make sure that facts are correct. Authenticity is definitely my bag! When it comes to critiquing, I do tend to put on my ‘what would Alice say?’ hat, as I firmly believe that even the tightest story out there needs to be marketable. Alice’s feedback on my own texts has really helped me to think about my work objectively, and I will never stop learning about writing picture books. There is no such thing as a bad book. I enjoy working collaboratively and working with a variety of editors has been very insightful. I appreciate how invaluable feedback from others can be and will always do my best to be as constructive as possible. I am happy to mentor either via emails or zoom, or a combination of both. Ideally, we will be working together to build your portfolio of submission-ready texts.

A brilliant editor recently gave me the compliment ‘I can tell that you really remember what it was like to be a child!’ – which really is so important when writing for young people. I am passionate about diving deep into a story and experiencing it from that child reader perspective. But even excellent books are rejected, and I know too well how difficult those mixed emotions are. I want to help you celebrate all the wins, and build up your defences – because we are in it for the long haul. 

Catherine Emmett used to work in the City, but quit her job to move to the countryside and write children’s books. She writes rhyming and prose picture books, which are funny and heart-warming, with twisty plots and endearing characters. Her first book was published in 2020 and she has books in development with Simon & Schuster and Macmillan.

Katrina is a full-time children’s author and has written over thirty books ranging from picture books to middle grade. In 2013 she was a recipient of the SCBWI’s Margaret Carey grant, and in 2014 she was a winner of SCBWI’s Undiscovered Voices competition. She is represented by Gemma Cooper at the Bent agency, and published books include Car, Car, Truck Jeep series with Nick Sharratt, published by Bloomsbury and shortlisted for the Booktrust Storytime Prize in 2020 and 2021. The ABC Factor published by Farshore books. The bestselling Last Firehawk series with Scholastic Branches in the USA. The Survival Tails series, with Little, Brown Young Readers. The Poppy’s Place series published by Stripes. She has books coming out with Nosy Crow, and Hachette in the next few years. 

I like to cover everything from the very large, broad ideas, to looking at the smaller tiny details that go into making a book work and making it marketable/submission ready. From generating ideas, focusing on rhyme or prose, picture book layouts, , editing/copyediting to help with submission packages.

I have written books in many different genres and for a range of age groups, and with editors with varying editing styles, so one of my strong points is to really be able to help my mentee focus on their audience, style, and find and bring out that special something in their writing that editors and agents are looking for. 

Donna David is the author of Trains, Trains, Trains! Farmer Llama and Oh No, Bobo!  She has three more picture books in development with Macmillan to be published over the next two years.  Donna writes in prose and in rhyme, she writes funny and serious books, books with a message and books that are completely ridiculous!

When it comes to critiquing a text, I like to look at plot, setting, characters, narrative arc and story structure.  These can be tiny tweaks or huge big rewrites but I’ll work with my mentees throughout every step.  

As well as looking at individual stories, I’d also like to set exercises and homework for my mentees to help them constantly improve their craft. Having one great picture book just isn’t enough – I’d like my mentees to have the skill set to produce a catalogue of submission-ready stories. 

I have been submitting my stories since 2015 and I picked up so many valuable tips from the whole process.  It was a long and bumpy road to my first book deal and I learnt so much along the way.  I’d like to share my tips on overcoming rejections and reframing them as positive steps towards the ultimate goal. 

It is a huge privilege to work closely with fantastic editors and my wonderful agent, Becky Bagnell.  Through these relationships, I have learnt so much about standing out in a crowded market.  I’m excited to pass on what I’ve learned to my  mentees.  

Naomi has over eight years’ experience working in children’s publishing. She began her career at Puffin (Penguin Random House) before moving to Orion, and then Hachette Children’s Group. Her previous experience as a Rights Manager brings invaluable insight into maximising a book’s sales potential and she has worked closely with both UK and international editors to develop a good knowledge of global publishing markets and trends. Naomi has a BA (Hons) in English Studies from the University of Nottingham and is a keen reader and writer. She was the children’s book reviewer for award winning family travel blog Mini Travellers for over three years. Naomi has been working as a freelance editor and mentor helping other children’s writers to develop their manuscripts and craft for over five years. Her debut picture book The Perfect Fit (OUP) was published in March 2021 and was long-listed for the Klaus Flugge award. Naomi is also the author of One More Try (OUP), The Odd Fish (Farshore), How to Catch a Rainbow (OUP), How to Make a Story and Thunderboots (OUP). Naomi’s picture books have now been translated into 19 languages.

I am always keen to understand an author’s goals so that I can better help them work towards them. I really enjoy working collaboratively with authors and find it immensely satisfying to see their manuscripts and writing style evolve during this process. I am happy to look at everything when I work with an author from the specifics of a text itself e.g. exploring areas like voice, characterisation and narrative structure as well as ensuring their bigger picture goals are being worked towards, e.g. thinking about commercial appeal and developing a submission package.

I’ve personally found that my own writing has improved immeasurably based on feedback from my writing group, agent and all of the editors I’ve worked with, so I know how invaluable this experience can be. 

I’ve always been passionate about children’s literature and have a wide range of experience within the Children’s Publishing industry – I am a published author, mum of two, avid reader, book reviewer, editor and have a background working in house for some of the biggest publishers in the UK. I will draw on this diverse background when helping you work on your manuscripts. It has always been my dream to write children’s books, and I would be delighted to work with you if this is your dream too.