Applications for The Writers’ Block’s Young Writers Mentoring Programme 2023-2024 are now open!

Six lucky applicants will FREE access to:

  • 4 x one to one creative writing mentoring sessions
  • 12 monthly creative writing workshops, including online sessions and live masterclasses with published writers
  • A chance to share your work at a final celebration event

The programme is aimed at writers aged 11-16 (from Year 7 upwards), whatever their genre or form. Mentoring sessions will offer a chance to share work and receive feedback, ask questions about areas of writing you are struggling with, discuss your ambitions for your future as a writer and how to work toward this, and receive support in producing a piece of work to share at the end of the project.

Funded by the Amazon Literary Foundation, the Young Writers Mentoring Programme will run September 2023 – May 2024.

To apply, answer the following bullet points and email your responses to [email protected]

  • What are your ambitions as a writer?
  • How do you think you would benefit from partaking in this scheme?
  • How will the workshops and mentoring fit with your other commitments?
  • Send us a sample of some writing of which you are proud (up to one A4 page).
  • Include your name, age, address, and a contact phone number. Please include an email address of a parent or carer.

Deadline for applications is 5pm on Thurs 27 July 2023

We will let you know if your application has been successful by Fri 4 August 2023.

Workshops will run on Saturdays: the eight Online sessions are 10am-12pm using Zoom, and the four Masterclasses will be held in-person 10am-1pm at The Writers’ Block in Redruth. We will publish the workshop dates by end of July.

Successful mentees will be expected to attend all of the 12 workshops, though of course we understand there may be unforeseen circumstances affecting attendance. Young people with exams in May 2024 are welcome to attend the April/May workshops but we understand they may need to focus on revision.

Due to face to face masterclasses, this programme is only really suitable for young people within 2 hours of Redruth.

  • Our Young writers workshops are run by Cornish writers Olivia Lowry and Casey Bottono. They are a relaxed environment to meet fellow writers, practice your writing and find your voice. These workshops involve quick creative writing exercises and opportunities for writing longer pieces. Each session has a different theme, decided in response to the group’s interests.
  • Masterclasses are led by published writers based in Cornwall and offer a chance to meet professional writers and learn from them the skills of writing in their style. We have poets, journalists, travel writers and directors speaking.