Working to develop diverse writers and diverse books, We Need Diverse Books™ (WNDB™) announces a mentorship program partnering award-winning writers and illustrators recognized for their diverse publications with upcoming writers and illustrators who are diverse or working on diverse publications.

Year-long mentorships will be awarded in five categories: picture book text, illustration, nonfiction, middle grade fiction, and young adult fiction. The WNDB™ mentors include an impressive lineup: Coretta Scott-King Award winner Nikki Grimes, Robert F. Sibert Honor recipient Patricia Hruby Powell, William C. Morris and Lambda Literary Award finalist Malinda Lo, and Newbery Honor recipient Margarita Engle. The illustrator-mentor will be announced within the coming weeks.

“Writing is often a lonely venture, and this industry can be perplexing,” says committee chair and VP of Outreach Miranda Paul, who in her early career received a year-long mentorship through a different organization. “A mentor offers support and guidance, but also access to knowledge and experience that can prove invaluable. That’s what we want to provide for upcoming writers and illustrators who are diverse or working on diverse books.”

Children’s writers and illustrators seeking mentorships are invited to submit applications between October 1 to October 31, 2015. The applicants will be reviewed for mentorship need and readiness, and manuscripts will be evaluated on such elements as craft, story, and diversity. WNDB™ mentorship recipients will be announced in December 2015, and mentees will begin working with mentors in 2016. Additional information about the mentorship and applications are available on the WNDB™ website: About/Apply