Nevada Mentorship Program
Our 2026 Mentorship Program is now open for qualified mentors to apply. If you would like to be considered, please contact [email protected] for a link to the application form.
2026 Mentorship Timeline:
- August 1, 2025: Mentor applications open.
- September 15, 2025: Mentor applications close.
- September 29, 2025: Mentee application process opens.
- December 15, 2025: Window closes for all mentee applications.
- December 18, 2025: Appropriate applications are distributed to mentors.
- December 28, 2025: Deadline for mentors to choose their mentees.
- January 2, 2025: Announce mentorship pairings.
- January 10, 2026: $500 payment due.
- January 11, 2026: Mandatory kick-off event on zoom. Presentation about "Best Practices."
- SIX MONTHS of working together. Mentors must check in with their mentees at least once a month. We will send out an email update each month telling all in the program where everyone is with their project goals.
- July 12, 2026: End of mentorship program. Mandatory zoom meeting to talk about the experience and share wins and challenges. Presentation about "Next Steps."
Meet Our 2026 Mentors!
Meet NV Mentor: Jenny MacKay
Jenny MacKay is looking to mentor a Young Adult, Middle Grade, or Chapter Book writer. She is especially interested in fiction, nonfiction, and stories with a bit of crossover appeal (narrative nonfiction, or fiction with some realistic elements). She is drawn to anything with a spooky, mysterious, or unsettling edge!
Meet NV Mentor: Jacci Turner
Jacci would prefer to mentor a middle grade or young adult fiction writer. She enjoys fantasy and most genres except for sci-fi or romance.
Meet NV Mentor: Linda Kay Hardie
Linda Kay Hardie would like to mentor a picture book or middle grade writer. She loves working with humor, SFF, mystery/crime, horror, and historical subjects. She has a lot of experience with nonfiction and is open to all subject matters, although prefers cats, animals, nature, space, science, and biography.
Meet NV Mentor: Naz Ford
Naz would like to mentor a Picture Book, Early Reader, Chapter Book, or Middle Grade fiction writer. She would not be interested in nonfiction or rhyming manuscripts.
Meet NV Mentor: David McMullin
David is interested in mentoring a Board Book, Picture Book, Early Reader, Chapter Book Fiction or Children's Poetry Writer. He enjoys humor, quirky, and unconventional stories.
Meet NV Mentor: Bonnie Kelso
Bonnie Kelso is interested in mentoring a picture book writer/illustrator or children's book illustrator who is developing their portfolio. She is fond of informational fiction, humor and writing with an emotional hook. She also has experience with lyrical writing and nonfiction.
Fees:
Our mentorship program has a $15 non-refundable application fee.
After pairings have been made, each selected mentee will pay Nevada SCBWI: $500.
Although we will do our best to accommodate every applicant, applying to our program does not guarantee placement.