A valuable and affordable first step for writers who would like an initial appraisal of their manuscript and up-front advice regarding its development.

Is it for me?

Suitable for writers who are at the crossroads and who are seeking:

• face-to-face discussion and advice
• inspiration and direction
• to know whether they are on track with their writing goal
• to know whether their idea has publishing possibilities, and/or
• to know where to go from here and what to do next.

Cost

The cost of the 2-hour Firsthand Feedback is $175 and the session will be conducted by someone from our stable of professional mentors. Based on a small sample of your work, the session will include the mentor’s reading and preparation time and AT LEAST one hour of face-to-face, telephone or skype consultation.

A Firsthand Feedback mentorship may be a timely reality check that fulfils your present writing needs. Or it may be an opportunity to gauge whether you are ready to apply for the Residential Mentorship.

An opportunity for emerging writers to work closely and in-depth with a professional mentor, to develop their work and improve their publishing opportunities. Block mentorships, as distinct from manuscript assessment or editing services, provide a two-way relationship where writers are able to be nurtured and to ask questions, seek feedback, gain industry-related advice and work closely with their mentor via email, phone or personal meetings.

Is it for me?

A Block mentorship would be most beneficial to writers who:

• have a well developed manuscript and would like feedback from a professional who is working in their area of interest
• have a long term commitment to writing and the development of their craft and are ready to take advice and make changes to their work
• have already developed their work through writers’ groups, or by attending workshops or classes on writing
• have specific areas of their work that they want to address such as character development, structure, plot, writing for publication etc.
• have done their research into the genre in which they are writing and are having difficulty bringing their work to the word lengths or standards required for that genre, or
• have published already and are working on a project in a new genre.

Cost

Block mentorships are available in blocks of 5, 10 or 15 hours. This includes reading time, email correspondence and face-to-face time. Mentorship charges are as follows:

5 hours     $395.00
10 hours     $740.00
15 hours     $1035.00

These amounts include GST and full fees must be paid in advance to the Byron Writers Festival prior to the mentorship commencing.