Middle Grade and Young Adult author Richard B. Knight describes his experience of WriteMentor's summer programme, and how his mentor's guidance helped him secure the agent of his dreams
Teacher by day, writer by night, Richard B. Knight has wanted to be a novelist ever since the fourth grade when his teacher asked the class what they wanted to be when they grew up. Rich happened to write “Be a novelist” on his paper, which still bewilders him to this day. Back then, “Professional Nintendo Player” would have been a more likely response from him, but hey, novelist it is.
He writes Middle Grade and Young Adult and tries to create the kinds of books he would have loved reading back when he was growing up, namely adventure stories with lots of action and snappy dialogue. When he’s not writing, he’s usually playing video games with his children or running around with them while he still has the energy.
Rich was a 2021 WriteMentor mentee, mentored by Ravena Guron. Her expertise in creating stakes and consequences made him totally reevaluate his story, making it all the better in the long run. Her guidance helped him secure the agent of his dreams, and set him on his path to publishing.
What made you apply for the WriteMentor summer mentoring programme?
It’s actually been a pretty long journey. After crawling on my belly through the query trenches for months on end and receiving several partial and full requests, I kept coming up short. Many of the agents said that the concept was interesting, but that the overall story was just missing something. Well, one of my published writer friends advised that I join an online writer’s group on Twitter, which is where I came across the #MGMiracles. This group is amazing, let me tell you, and we always share information on any upcoming workshops and competitions. One day, one of the group’s members mentioned how WriteMentor was coming up, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. I checked it out and thought, hey, this sounds perfect for me. I signed up, crossing my fingers that I would get chosen, and I did! I was so, so happy, and I’m still happy to this very day. WriteMentor changed my life!
What was your experience like?
Grueling, but worth it. My mentor said that she loved my writing, but came up with several possible revisions for my story. I ended up rewriting almost the entire novel in about two months. But in doing so, the book was really, truly coming together with real stakes and everything. I learned more in about two months than I’ve likely learned in 15 years in going at it alone. That’s how amazing my mentor was in my journey.
Read more here.
|
|
Children's Novel and Picture Book Awards
|
|
|
WE OPEN THIS WEEK - back for our 4th year of the awards!
We are delighted to have arranged for a bigger selection of prizes (based on your feedback) and we can't wait to read all of your wonderful stories.
Who is this for?
Any unagented or unpublished writer of PB/CB/MG/YA fiction of any genre.
How much does it cost to enter?
£12.
We have simplified entry this year – a single entry costs £12. However, if you enter, you will receive that £12 back, with a free month’s membership (at Level 1) in our Hub.
If you are on low-income and unable to pay this, you can enter for free. However, this is limited to 30 spots and 1 free entry per writer.
*If you are a Hub member, it is free to enter (for your first entry).
Find out all the information here.
*Please do read all of the instructions and rules before contacting us to ask questions.
|
|
Picture Book Writing Retreat
|
|
|
|
Rhyming Picture Book Writing Retreat in an Idyllic Village just 1hr from London
Dates: Arrive from 4pm Friday 4th February 2022. Check out 10am Monday 7th February.
Course: Rhyming Picture Book Writing Course – the course, run by published picture book author Catherine Emmett, will cover all the key elements of writing rhyming picture books.
Location: Guests will stay in a beautiful, large thatched cottage surrounded by rolling fields in peaceful, rural Essex.
Cost: £360pp
PB Retreat with Catherine Emmett (Click here to find out more)
|
|
|
WriteMentor Spark is a monthly, online one-to-one mentoring service. Working with a children’s author, you will receive ongoing developmental editing, writing advice, publishing insights, and direct feedback on your manuscript to help you elevate your writing craft to the next level.
Spark Mentoring is always available if you need extra help or support each month.
CHECK OUT our new page, which we hope is clearer for all those who want to know more.
|
|
WMLit
Scholarship closing date = Thursday!
|
|
|
|
With nearly 40 hours of live learning, and all sessions recorded, we have packed this course with so much goodness and with the individual tailoring, you can pick and choose what you like.
We are self-funding 5 scholarships for talented writers, who are unable to pay the course fee. Details on the link below. Closing date is 1st December.
Do spread the word.
Read more here.
|
|
Rejection Diaries Season 2 continues
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2: Episode 5: Becky Orwin
|
|
|
|
Season 2: Episode 6: Josie Smith
|
|
|
You can also listen and subscribe via your preferred podcast outlet, via our website page.
|
|
|
Daring to Fail
Failing sucks.
But you know what sucks more? Not failing.
Not trying anything, so as to avoid failing - that's worse. For me, anyway. And I'm sure for you, too.
It's an inherent part of our own psychological defence mechanism - to protect us from the feelings of hurt and rejection, to maintain our very fragile egos and to hold onto that modicum of self-worth we all still possess.
It makes sense, in some ways. But it's also a very shallow and unfulfilling way to live - at least, for me. (And please, do always feel free to disagree!)
This has been on my mind all month for a number of reasons:
1. a HUGE disappointment for me personally in a competition
2. it's NaNoWriMo
3. we open our own novel award this week
4. I've been entering other awards recently
All of the above will inevitably involve failure. For me, for others, for most of us. A select few will revel in that momentary joy that we writers occasionally managed to garner from the depths of our own mind palace - our Paradise Lost - and we use that to climb a few levels up.
But for most, it's failure. Some people say not to use words like 'failure' or 'rejection'. That EVERYONE is a winner simply for entering, and congratulates are given all round. And while the sentiment and thought behind it are admirable and kind, for me personally, it's also very shallow.
I would rather, and this may be just me, take the full force of the let-down there and then. I don't want to be told I've 'succeeded' by simply entering. I don't want to be told I'm a winner, when I'm not. I don't want to be told by successful people to keep going because my opportunity may just be around the corner.
It might be. Those people may be correct. The sentiment is certainly lovely, and it's a considerate, empathetic thing to say. But when people say it to me, does it help in any way with the failure.
Not one bit.
And so this month, for example, with NaNoWriMo, I set a target of 40,000 words. I am going to fall short - even with a few days to go. I am over 20,000 at the moment and will probably reach 30,000.
I have failed.
And that's okay. I don't need to tell myself I'm a winner. That's not true. But there is some consolation. I wrote the 30k. It is something. It is progress. But I did not win and I did not succeed. But I took one more step, albeit a step short of where I wanted to be.
When you enter an award, our or others, you might see the list and be gutted. You failed to make the list. It's okay to say that out loud. You are not a winner. And it's okay to say that, too.
We do not live in a binary world where we either fail completely or we are a winner. We live in the grey bits in between. Even perceived success is often tinged (or even saturated) with grey.
I, for one, in competition season, will be embracing failure. I will dare to fail at every opportunity. We won't all be 'winners' simply be entering. Most of us will fall at the first hurdle. But we are not measured by this, but by our ability to then stand up again, and own that failure, and sprint at the next hurdle. And the next.
PS - I know competitions are often financial barriers for many, but remember that all reputable ones will allow you to enter for free if you can't afford the entry fee, so do check their rules, and if they don't mention it, email them and ask.
|
|
Writing can be lonely, but it doesn't need to be.
May the Force be with you!
Stuart, Florianne and Melissa
|
|
STAR OF THE NEWSLETTER!
Sign up here if you have something you'd like to say as the final word in our newsletter - your chance for your message/words/wisdom to reach thousands of writers!
https://forms.gle/iZNQERciQZ3a6nBx8
*We are looking for short pieces (max of 500-800 words) which will be of benefit/interest/inspiration to others, so no self-promotion etc for this one.
|
|
To enter the Golden Ticket draw this week - post your WIP pitch on Twitter.
Remember to use both #WMGoldenTicket and tag @writementor
|
|
|
|
|
