Become a Mentor
Mentor Application - Closed
Mentor Guidelines
Eligibility
RWA members who are
General PAN,
PAN-Eligible, or
PAN-Equivalent, are eligible to apply to be RAMP Mentors. Mentors will be selected by RWA Staff.
Mentors will participate in a four-week reading period followed by a sixteen-week period where they will work with their mentee on a manuscript revision, 50-word pitch or back cover blurb, as well as answer questions about the business of writing and reaching their publishing goals.
While a rewarding act of service, mentorship will require a significant time commitment, so please take this into consideration when applying.
The Process
Once selected, mentors’ bio and wish list will be posted for potential mentees to view. Mentee applicants will submit their manuscripts to mentors they wish to work with. Mentors will have approximately four weeks to read through these submissions, which will include a story summary and first three chapters of a completed manuscript, and choose who they would like to work with.
Mentors will work with their mentees over the course of sixteen-weeks to revise the full manuscript, query letter, a 50-word pitch, and/or back cover blurb, and answer questions about the business of writing and reaching their publishing goals.
The goal at the end of the program is for the mentee to have a manuscript and collateral materials that are ready to submit to an editor or agent, or ready to go to a proofreader before self-publication.
Minimally, we expect mentors to:
- Perform one edit round on the full manuscript and provide feedback to the mentee in a mutually agreed upon format
- Perform one edit round on either a query, pitch, a 50-word pitch, and/or a back cover blurb, depending on mentee’s preference
- Answer questions about the business of writing, publishing, and reaching their indie-author or traditionally-published goals.
Optionally, mentors may want to perform a final read-through of their mentee's manuscript before the showcase begins.
If you have questions, please contact
RAMP@rwa.org or check out our Mentor FAQs below.
What's in a Wish List?
A wish list contains all the information potential mentees will know if you are the right person to whom they should submit their manuscript. A wish list will help them get to know you, what your strengths are, what you’re looking for in a manuscript, what you’re not looking for in a manuscript, and maybe a little about the type of mentee you think you’d work well with.
Some information you can include:
- Informal Bio
- Favorite Books
- Subgenres I’m Looking For
- Subgenres I Do Not Want
- Themes and Tropes I Love
- Themes and Tropes I Stay Away From
- My Mentor Style
- Writing Craft Strengths
- Publishing Strengths
And anything else you feel would help connect the right mentee to you!
RAMP Mentor Forum
Each mentor will have access to a dedicated forum to interact with fellow mentors, sharing advice and encouragement during the run of the program.
Selected 2022 Mentors will have access to their forum beginning April 28, 2022.
RAMP 2022 Community Forum
Each mentor and mentee will have access to this dedicated forum to receive RAMP specific announcements, ask questions about RAMP events, and interact with the REI Committee during the run of the program.
Selected 2022 Mentors and Mentees will have access to the community forum beginning June 16, 2022.
Important Mentor Dates for RAMP 2022
April 13, 2022: Mentor apps open
April 28, 2022: Mentor apps close
May 5, 2022: Mentors announced and their wish lists posted
May 5, 2022: Mentee submissions open
May 18, 2022: Mentee submissions close
May 20, 2022: Mentors receive submissions
June 17, 2022: Mentor selections due
June 22, 2022: Mentor/Mentees announced
July 29, 2022: RAMP Mentor/Mentee Mixer at the RWA Annual Conference
October 8, 2022: Mentor PR/Marketing Master Class
October 10, 2022 - October 14, 2022: RAMP Pitch Showcase
October 15, 2022 - October 16, 2022: Indie Author Weekend
Why Mentor?
“Because we have all taken the journey through the trenches of classes, contests, submissions, rejection, and success. And along the way we were helped and encouraged by those who came before us, who gave us hope that "Yes, this is possible." "No, never give up." They celebrated our victories and wiped our tears at our defeats. And now, we are in a position to carry that torch forward and be the helpers and the cheerleaders, to give back and show the ones just starting out that we are one big family and families HELP one another.” -- Renee Wildes
“Mentor gives the author an opportunity to not only give back to the next generation of writers, but to offer encouragement and guidance, sometimes not received during their own writing process. There are days, when even I, so deep and long in the game, could use an "Atta Girl" when I got it "write". Mentoring offers seasoned authors a chance to facilitate, promote and feed the next great romance writer.” -- Olivia Gaines
“Mentoring is a great way to give back to the organization, as well as to pay it forward to the next generation of authors. For me, mentoring has huge personal benefits too. I've often learned as much from my mentees as they have from me, and I've made lifelong friends through mentoring. I highly recommend it!” -- Romy Sommer
Mentor FAQs
Do I have to be an RWA member?
Yes. Eligible mentors must be RWA members who are General PAN, PAN-Eligible, or PAN-Equivalent.
Do I have to be agented or have prior mentor experience to apply?
We will consider a variety of factors when reviewing mentor applications, but being agented or having prior mentor experience are not required.
What if I am not interested in any of the mentee submissions I receive?
Contact RAMP@rwa.org.
Can I request more information from my mentee applicants?
Yes, you will be able to request more materials or ask questions via the REI committee chair during the reading period.
What if I choose the same mentee as another mentor?
In the event mentors choose the same mentee applicant the committee chair will check the application to determine the order in which the mentee lists each mentor (i.e. 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice). The mentor who placed highest on the mentee’s list will mentor that mentee.
What if I am selected and can't complete the mentor requirements?
Contact RAMP@rwa.org immediately so we can attempt to reassign your mentee.
What if I can't get in touch with my mentee or am having other issues?
Contact
RAMP@rwa.org.