mentorship packages

Apply to work with your top three choices on a Mentorship or Coaching Program, and then we match you with the ideal Author-Mentor, subject to availability. Our panel of authors are New York Times Bestsellers, International Bestsellers, have both judged and been nominated for major literary awards, written for popular television series, have been selections for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club and The Today Show Book Club, had their work optioned for film, and have seen their work translated into dozens of languages. Many of them teach creative writing at universities across the country, and all of them are, of course, at work on a new book.

our COACHING & MENTORSHIP programs

• *The Consult: A single hour of consultation (no reading)

• The Grace Paley: A single session of two hours, with a longer single submission (one for the mentor to read one 4000-word submission and one hour to discuss)

• The Gabriel García Márquez: Twelve hours of six sessions (six hours for the mentor to read six 4000-word submissions (up to 24,000 words), and six hours to discuss; not to exceed seven months)

• *The Toni Morrison: Sixteen hours of eight sessions (eight hours for the mentor to read eight 4000-word submissions (up to 32,000 words), eight hours to discuss; not to exceed nine months)

• The Dostoevsky: Twenty hours of ten sessions (ten hours for the mentor to read ten 4000-word submissions (up to 40,000 words), ten hours to discuss; not to exceed twelve months)

• The Shakespeare (scriptwriting): Eight hours (breakdown to be determined by the mentor, not to exceed four months)

• The Judy Blume (YA): Ten hours of five sessions (five hours for the mentor to read five 4000-word submissions (up to 20,000 words), five hours to discuss; not to exceed six months)

• The Slush Pile: The Submission Process, for a total of four hours, not to exceed six weeks

• *The Book Proposal: A step-by-step guide to writing your non-fiction book proposal (please contact us for details)

• *The Bespoke Package: We can tailor-make a program that suits your needs. First step is to book The Consult for one hour so we can create exactly what you need with the right person.
  
  *Our most popular packages

  
  Process

  At a glance:
  Each session is two hours and includes advance reading, written notes, and a live conversation focused entirely on your submitted work.

  Full explanation:
  Each session is structured as a two-hour meeting to allow the Author-Mentor one hour to read your submission in advance, prepare thoughtful written notes, and then engage in a focused, in-depth discussion with you. Each session includes a submission of up to 4,000 words, ensuring your work receives careful and individualized attention. So, for example, a Toni Morrison mentorship package includes eight sessions totaling sixteen hours, covering up to 32,000 words over approximately nine months. Once a match is made through Onward, the Author-Mentor and Writer begin working together and set a schedule that works for both.

  COST

  Private mentorship programs start at $185/hour (not session), though some authors may charge a higher fee.

Onward mentor bookshelf