PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES IN THEIR ENTIRETY. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE SUBMISSION RULES RESULTS IN DISQUALIFICATION.

To apply for the WNDB Mentorship Program, submit an application via the form link below during the submission period of August 15-September 15, 2023. A panel of judges will select a pool of applicants based on merit, demonstrated need and readiness for the mentorship, and diversity. The mentors will choose the mentee with whom they will work. All applicants will be notified of mentors’ decisions via email in January 2024. Due to an overwhelming number of applicants, we are not able to provide feedback or critique on submitted manuscripts.

TO APPLY, THE FORM WILL ASK FOR THE FOLLOWING PIECES OF INFORMATION AND/OR DOCUMENTS:

• An autobiographical statement with how you identify as diverse (if you identify within an underrepresented group) and your career summary (250 words or fewer).
• A statement on how you or your work will bring forward an underrepresented voice or viewpoint (250 words or fewer).
• The title, genre, intended age, and very brief pitch of your attached manuscript (100 words or fewer). For illustrators – you must provide a link to your online portfolio that showcases your children’s illustration samples.
• Since there are multiple mentors per category, please declare if you have a strong preference for working with a particular mentor and name that person. (This is optional.)
• Contact information (name, mailing address, email address, telephone number) and pen/another name to be used publicly

ALONG WITH YOUR APPLICATION FORM, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO SEND AN UNPUBLISHED WORK SAMPLE:

• For Middle-Grade (MG) & Young Adult (YA) fiction and nonfiction applicants — upload the first 25 pages of one completed novel plus a one-page synopsis, up to 500 words. Your synopsis should be included as text in the application form. Please do not include your name on the manuscript (see formatting guidelines below). Please do NOT send the first 25 pages of a manuscript that is not yet complete; doing so will disqualify you after acceptance.

• For Picture Book applicants (PB) — upload one entire picture book manuscript of fiction or nonfiction, if less than 2000 words. (If more than 2000 words, it is not eligible for this category. “Back Matter” in informational books does not count toward word count.) Do not send any image files or insert images into your manuscript. Please do not include your name on the manuscript (see formatting guidelines below).

• For Illustrators and author/illustrators (IL) — upload one PDF file containing 3-5 of your best illustrations (images may be on separate pages, but all in one file please). Images may be standalone or part of a book dummy with text/captions. Total file size may not exceed 15MB (we recommend 72 dpi for quick online viewing). You will also be asked to provide a link to your online portfolio in the application form.
• Please note that there is no longer a separate category for nonfiction. Nonfiction authors may submit their application and manuscript in the age category that fits their work (PB, MG, or YA).

MANUSCRIPT FORMATTING GUIDELINES:

• Text should be typed, double-spaced, and have one-inch margins. Use standard paper/page-setup size (vertical 8.5 x 11”) orientation with 12-point Times Roman or Arial font. Page header should include title of manuscript, genre/category, and page number only.
• The manuscripts should not contain any personal identifying information (please remove names/contact info from manuscript file). Acceptable formats are .pdf and .doc/.docx (for text) and .pdf only (for image files or dummy files). Do not send links to a shared document or downloadable file. We highly recommend you turn OFF Track Changes and accept any previous revisions or changes to avoid visible markups.
• The one-page (up to 500 words) synopsis for MG and YA applicants is not counted as part of the length of your manuscript. You should submit the synopsis as a text upload in the application.

WHEN SENDING YOUR APPLICATION

• Make sure there is no identifying information on the manuscript itself, but be sure that your name and full contact info is included within the application form.

Submissions must not be received before 12:01 a.m. (US Eastern time zone) on August 15, 2023, and must be received by 11:59 p.m. (US Eastern time zone) on September 15, 2023.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CHECK OUR MENTORSHIP FAQ BEFORE CONTACTING US.

We will continue to update the FAQ section as new questions/answers arise. Questions not addressed here in the submission guidelines or in the additional FAQ section can be asked through sending an email to mentor@diversebooks.org. Please do NOT put the word ‘Application’ in the subject heading when sending a question only, or your message may not reach the regular inbox in time to be answered.