Mentorship with Angie Lucas

Apply for a 6-month mentorship with award-winning picture book author Angie Lucas, the co-Assistant Regional Advisor of the Utah/Southern Idaho chapter of SCBWI. Everyone who applies will get a written critique from Angie, and the chosen mentee will have the opportunity to have three additional manuscripts critiqued, set and work toward writing goals, ask questions, and receive career advice over the course of the mentorship. Angie is the author of My Big Dumb Invisible Dragon (SoundsTrue, 2019); My Big Embarrassing Elephant (Marble Press, 2023), which won Best Picture Book from the Association of Mormon Letters in 2023; and Rafa and the Wrong Legs (Marble Press, 2024).

About the Mentorship Program:

The SCBWI Utah/Southern Idaho Mentorship Program was created to help writers polish their manuscripts with the help of established professionals in their field. Over a period of six months, mentees will receive critique and career advice from their mentors to help them succeed in the world of children’s publishing.

This mentorship is open to everyone, regardless of residence in the Utah/Southern Idaho SCBWI region.

Important Dates:

 Application period: October 15–November 22, 2024

 Announcement of mentees: December 13, 2024

 Critiques sent for those not selected: December 13, 2024

 Mentorship period: January 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025

Cost:

 Application Fee (includes a written critique if you are not selected as a mentee)

o For SCBWI members: $50

o For non-members: $65

 Registration Fee: $400 for the selected mentee

Eligibility:

Applicants who have not yet been published as a picture book author or signed a picture book contract are eligible (published illustrators who haven’t been published as an author are eligible). Agented authors and illustrators are welcome to apply if they are otherwise eligible.

Program Description:

Writers interested in the program will register, pay a $50 application fee if they're an SCBWI member ($65 for non-members), and submit a completed questionnaire and writing sample (up to 1,000 words) between October 15 and November 22, 2024 (see below for more information about the writing sample). The mentor will choose one mentee based on the application package. The chosen mentee will pay a non-refundable $400 registration fee (the application fee will apply toward this amount).

Applicants who are not selected will receive a critique of the work they submitted from the mentor. These critiques will be sent back to applicants by December 13, 2024. Because the mentor will be providing critiques, the number of applicants will be capped at 20.

The selected mentees will be announced on December 13, 2024, and the mentorship period will run for six months, from January 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025.

The chosen mentee will receive four meetings with their mentor. These meetings can be in person, by phone, or by video conference. The mentor will set individual goals for the span of the mentorship based on the needs of their mentee. This will include a total of three picture book manuscripts (including the one you applied with). It could also include revisions and/or query letters, depending on the needs of the mentee. The mentor will also give career advice, as needed, and be available for questions by email. The mentee will turn in additional pages or revisions as scheduled with the mentor throughout the six month period of the mentorship.

How to apply:

 1. Click the Register for Event link above (SCBWI members must first log in to receive the member price). Pay the $50 or $65 application fee, payable through the registration form.

 2. Click HERE to download the questionnaire and fill it in. You can fill in the answers on the document using Word or Pages (or print it, write in the answers, and scan the pages). Email your completed questionnaire and your writing sample in .doc format to palcoordinator.utidscbwi@gmail.com between October 15 and November 22, 2024. Please put your name and the category of your work in the subject line (example: Jane Doe, Picture Book submission).

Writing Sample Submissions:

Please submit one completed picture book manuscript as a .doc document, double-spaced in black, 12 pt Times New Roman font with 1” margins. Word count limit: 1,000 words. Be sure to number pages in the header and include a cover page with title, author name, and contact information (cover page will not affect overall page count). Please note that your submissions must be for the project you plan to work on with the mentor. Manuscripts should be text only (no dummies) but may include illustrator notes.

Please name your files as follows:

Questionnaire: [First Name]_[Last Name]_Picture Book.doc

Writing Sample: [First Name]_[Last Name]_[Title].doc

If you have questions, please contact the Mentor Coordinator Janet Johnson at PALCoordinator.utidscbwi@gmail.com