Hello and welcome to all who love Pitch Wars and YA! 

♥ What I’m looking for: My favorites include many YA contemporaries, such as Eleanor and Park, Anna and the French Kiss, All the Bright Places, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Mexican White Boy, and We Were Liars (I kind of have a love-hate with that one, because *SPOILER ALERT* the end is devastating).

So, if you’ve written a YA contemporary with an honest, captivating, authentic voice, please DO send your entry my way! I especially love contemporaries with a twist of something unique, or a surprising element—even a little genre-bending, or a splash of fantasy or sci-fi. However, I’m also open to “quiet” contemporaries, but they must be very special and compelling.

I also have favorites among other genres, such as fantasy and sci-fi, including The Scorpio Races, Feed, House of the Scorpion, and of course, the Harry Potter series. What’s most important to me is that fantasy and sci-fi novels have, at their core, an authentic human voice, and genuine human emotion and experience. I do also like fairy tale and classic lit reimaginings.

I’m NOT usually a big fan of mystery or thrillers, but you never know—I’m open to surprises. Except horror. I like stories that have a little creepy element (Anna Dressed in Blood, Warm Bodies), but I’m NOT the right mentor for serious horror. Similarly, I like “dark” stories, but I prefer them with at least a splash of hope and light. I’m probably not the right mentor for unrelenting darkness.

In any genre, I would also love to see under-represented perspectives and voices (“own voices”), unique settings or worlds, humor, romance, and lovely writing (whether literary, or simple and clean).

♥ So, to recap: *YES* to YA contemporary, YA fantasy, YA sci-fi, YA fairy tale and classic retellings, genre-bending YA, and YA magical realism—all with authentic human experience and emotion at heart. *YES* to “own voices,” unique settings, humor, romance, and lovely writing. Above all, *YES* to authentic human emotions and experiences.

*NO thanks* (generally speaking) to mysteries and thrillers, hard-core horror, and super-dark stories. (However, I’m open to surprises, so if you have a hunch that I’ll love your manuscript, go ahead and take a chance!) Also, since I’m an animal lover, *NO thanks* (in most cases) to violence against animals, unless it is coupled with a strong anti-violence-against-animals message.

♥ About me: I was a Pitch Wars mentee in 2014 and it was the best thing that ever happened to me as a writer, so I’m thrilled to have the chance to pay it forward by mentoring this year!

I write (and love) YA! In addition to writing, I also teach high school English and work as a book coach/editor for Author Accelerator.

Things I love besides writing and editing include (in no particular order): Dogs, songwriting, English breakfast tea, vanilla-scented candles, my family, British period TV series (Grantchester), reality TV that centers on creativity (So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway), avocado, my dogs, other animals, and did I mention my dogs?

As an editor, I love figuring out what is and isn’t working in a manuscript on both a big picture and detailed (nit-picky) level.

Several of the writers I’ve read for have gone on to obtain agents and/or book deals. My name appears in the acknowledgements of These Gentle Wounds, by Helene Dunbar; If I Fix You, by Abigail Johnson; Arrows, by Melissa Gorzelanczyk; and the Frosh series, by Mónica B. Wagner.

Below are ♥ comments from a few writers I’ve critiqued: 

I don’t know what I’d do without Susan as my CP. Her editorial eye is amazing, the kind that explains to you well what’s not working, and you’re like, Whoa, I can SEE it now. Whatever was I thinking writing that in a scene? It’s crazy how she can put her finger on exactly what’s not working for her–like, she’ll never say something like “this part is boring me” and nothing else. She’ll say why exactly it isn’t working and will give you options to fix it. She’s the sweetest gal ever, too! She’ll tell you what she loves in your MS, and she’ll root for you. You want her as your mentor! She truly is amazing! – Mónica B.W. 

Susan is a truly wonderful editor. Precise, kind, whip-smart, and knowledgeable, she’s the sort of editor you feel really lucky to have. She knows the craft backwards and forwards—how to tell a great story with all the right elements that go into making a polished novel, from the super small to the super big. Her line edits are amazing; even when you think you’ve been over your manuscript with a fine-tooth comb, she catches problems that need to be fixed to make your novel shine. Her sense of a story’s timing and story arc, as well as of a character’s development, are fantastic. She has a kind of deep-seeing when it comes to the art of the story—she asks all the right questions to help you understand what motivates your characters and how to drive your story forward. Not only that, but she has the knack for giving tough feedback that somehow makes you feel good about your writing (a rare gift, indeed!). Susan is a generous editor with a really big heart and I’m grateful I’ve had the opportunity to have her as an editor. – Karen Halil, Ph.D. in literature; previously, Lecturer in English at Harvard University and Boston University; presently, YA writer 

Susan is a fabulous editor! She has an eye for detail such as grammar mistakes and missing words, but is also able to identify larger issues regarding plot and clarity. She’s exceptionally thorough, giving pointed, detailed advice in an honest and direct tone, while remaining positive and encouraging. Susan’s opinions on my manuscripts have been invaluable, and I’d highly recommend working with her! – Andrea Contos 

Susan was my mentor, along with Monica Bustamante Wagner, back in 2015. Susan has an amazing editorial eye, pointing out not just what doesn’t work, but explaining why in a kind and supportive way. Any time I had questions, she would respond quickly, even if my questions were more of a panic-fest. My writing is stronger for having known her–and I’m proud to count her among my writer friends now! Any writer should leap at the chance to work with Susan! – Kerbie Addis 

♥ My editing style: I plan to read my mentee’s manuscript twice–once for big-picture issues, and once for line-edits. I believe that feedback can and should be honest and constructive. (With all due respect to Simon Cowell, in my opinion honesty does not need to be brutal.) I think it’s helpful to comment on what DOES work as well as on areas that need improvement, and I’ve been known to include hearts and smiley faces in my comments. I will also try my best to respond with some feedback to all entries.

♥ Links to some of my posts on writing: Capturing Voice, Opening Scenes, Writing Tips from YALLwest, Hope in the Face of Rejection, Four Qualities of Good Writing, Is it Time to Put that Manuscript in a Drawer? (with Kelly deVos), Interview

♥ What I’m looking for in a mentee: I’m hoping to work with a writer who’s open to feedback, who can communicate honestly, and who will work their fingers to the bone to make their manuscript the best it can be. I’m also looking for someone who can tolerate some stress and who understands that each writer’s journey is unique.  I can’t promise an instant ticket to publishing success, but I can guarantee that, with the right attitude and lots of hard work, you’ll come away from Pitch Wars with a stronger manuscript and unbeatable writer-friends!

I can’t wait to read entries and find my 2017 mentee!

♥ Scroll down for links to the other mentor wish-lists, but first, my beloved writing companions:

My writing companions: Thumper (forever in my heart), L.J., and Bentley

1. CM McCoy (Colleen Oefelein) 2. Team Gingersnaps (mentors: Rebecca Sky 3. N.K. Traver 4. Rachel Lynn Solomon 5. Michella Domenici 6. Leigh Mar 7. Sharon M. Johnston 8. Carlie Sorosiak 9. Laura Pohl 10. Samantha Joyce 11. Katherine Fleet 12. Amelinda Bérubé 13. Erin Foster Hartley 14. Marie Meyer 15. Akemi Dawn Bowman 16. Molly E. Lee 17. Kip Wilson 18. K. Kazul Wolf 19. Naomi Hughes 20. Aimee L. Salter 21. Austin and Emily 22. Claribel Ortega and Kat Cho 23. Laurie Dennison 24. Ashley Hearn 25. Rebecca Schaeffer 26. Rebecca Denton

27. Mara Rutherford and Joan He 28. Alicia Clancy 29. Kristen Ciccarelli and Joanna Hathaway 30. Natasha Neagle 31. Lyndsay Ely 32. Judi Lauren 33. Monica M. Hoffman 34. Kelly Ann Hopkins 35. Helene Dunbar and Beth Hull 36. Sheena Boekweg 37. M.K. England and Jamie Pacton 38. Nikki Roberti 39. Jenny Chou 40. Amy Trueblood 41. Isabel Ibanez Davis 42. Kristin Smith and Beth Ellyn Summer 43. Lisa Amowitz 44. Cole Gibsen 45. Natalka Burian 46. Kate Karyus Quinn and Mindy McGinnis 47. Sonia Hartl and Annette Christie 48. Kit Frick 49. Susan Gray Foster 50. Sarah Nicolas 51. Monica Bustamante and Kerbie Addis 52. McKelle George and Heather Cashman

53. RuthAnne Snow 54. Laura Steven 55. Diana Gallagher and Katrina Emmel 56. Jen Ferguson and Gracie West 57. Kes Trester 58. Jeanmarie Anaya 59. Cat Scully 60. Heather Ezell and Rachel Griffin 61. Stephanie Scott and Erica M. Chapman 62. Linsey Miller and Maria Mora 63. Kristin Bartley Lenz and Heather Smith Meloche 64. Kelly deVos 65. Tomi Adeyemi and Kit Grant 66. Rhiannon Hart 67. Brianna Shrum 68. Emily Martin 69. Natasha Razi 70. Tabitha Martin 71. Jamie Howard 72. Lindsey Frydman 73. Jenna Lincoln 74. Destiny Cole 75. Dawn Ius 76. Jay Coles

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*This post originally appeared in June, 2016, on the Writing with the Mentors blog, but is now updated for Pitch Wars 2017!*

Pitch Wars 2017 is just around the corner! One of the best features of the Pitch Wars contest is that writers get the opportunity to work with mentors who help them strengthen their manuscripts before submitting to agents. Best of all, writers can choose which mentors to apply to. That way, if they are selected as mentees, they know they’ll be working with someone whose opinions they value.

So how does one go about deciding which mentors to apply to, and how, exactly does having a Pitch Wars mentor work?

I had the tremendous good fortune to be selected as a mentee in 2014; I co-mentored in 2015, and I’m thrilled to be mentoring YA again this year! So, I thought I could share some tips from both sides of the Pitch Wars experience.

***Opinions are mine; please refer to Brenda Drake’s website for all official Pitch Wars rules, information, and guidelines.***

How to choose

The process begins when mentors’ wish lists go live on July 19. Brenda’s website will have links to all the mentor blogs, and each mentor will post a brief bio and detailed information about what categories and genres they are seeking, taste preferences, expectations, and other useful tidbits. So, of course step one is to read the mentor wish lists!

You will definitely want to take notes, and using a spreadsheet or some sort of organizational system will help track mentor information. You can immediately narrow your mentor list to those seeking the category and genre you write. (Seems obvious, but there are always a few wasted entries submitted to someone not mentoring that genre.) If a mentor mentions special interest in something specific that your manuscript has (could be horses, a particular period setting, LGBTQ, rare fairy tale retellings, etc.), that’s a strong indicator that they might be a good choice for you. Mentor wishlists may also discuss mentoring style, and you may get a sense of personality. In addition, some mentors take part in Workshops (on Brenda’s website), and Live Chats. These are great sources of information about the mentors and their styles and personalities.

Stalking Researching

Once you have a “short list” of potential mentors who are seeking the type of manuscript you’re writing, you will probably want to do a bit of stalking on twitter and/or other social media sites and blogs to find out more. You can check out any books mentors have published or that will be coming out, who their agents are, and who they’ve mentored in previous years. All these tidbits may leave your head spinning, which is where a good note-keeping system can be a huge help.

Finally, for mentors who have been involved with Pitch Wars (or other contests) in previous years, I highly recommend checking out their previous entries. This is what lead me to apply to the person who ultimately became my mentor, critique partner, and friend, Mónica Bustamante Wagner. I loved the writing and concept of her previous year’s entry, and I figured that if we had similar taste in that respect, then there was a better chance that she would like my manuscript. Furthermore, I felt I could confidently rely on her judgement, knowing that she had similar values in terms of story and writing style.

Now what?

So you’ve applied to carefully-selected mentors, and you’ve waited through the grueling weeks until the mentor picks are revealed, and—HURRAY!!—you’ve been selected as a Pitch Wars finalist! Now your mentor will provide you with feedback to help you take your manuscript to the next level.

I was beyond thrilled when I received feedback from my mentor, Mónica; I knew, immediately, that she had discovered the key to fixing an issue that had been plaguing my manuscript and preventing me from moving forward.

Communication

But what if your mentor suggests something you don’t agree with? At some point in the revision process, Mónica advised me that my characters “laughed” too much and suggested that I could substitute the word, “chuckle.” But, for me, the word, “chuckle” has very specific connotations: an old man can chuckle, but my MC would never chuckle! The word didn’t fit my manuscript’s voice, in my opinion. Timidly, I explained this to Mónica. And of course she replied with something like, “Okay, no problem, just find other ways to fix your overuse of ‘laugh.’”

I believe communication is the key to a successful mentor-mentee relationship. Don’t understand a suggestion? Communicate. Wondering when you’ll get notes? Communicate. Disagree with something? Communicate. Confused by what other mentees are saying? Communicate. Completely and utterly freaking out about everything? Communicate.

Respect

At the same time, mentors have varying communication styles and schedules, and it’s also important to be respectful of your mentor’s time. Communicating every time you’re unsure of where to put a comma would probably be a bit much.

Your mentor selected your manuscript from among the many they received, and they are volunteering their time because they believe in you and your manuscript and want to help you move forward with your writing dreams. By respecting your mentor’s time and effort, and communicating honestly, you can make the most of your Pitch Wars experience.

Questions or tips about finding and working with a mentor? Please add a comment!

Monica lives in Chile, and I live in Arizona, but we got a chance to meet in person on a beach in Florida.