2024 QWF Mentorship Program: Call for Applications

Call for Applications from Emerging and Established Writers, Dramaturgs, and Translators

2024 QWF Writing Mentorships
and
2024 Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation

Deadline: October 16, 2023

The QWF Writing Mentorships and the Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation are designed to help promising emerging writers and translators make the transition to the next stage of their careers. This call for applications is for both prospective mentors and mentees.

Over a period of four months, mentors are expected to devote 35 to 40 hours to reading and responding to their mentee’s work and to giving guidance towards the goal of publication or production. Mentees are expected to commit a minimum of 15 to 20 hours per month to the program. Remuneration for mentors is $2000. The only cost to mentees is a $25 non-refundable application fee. 

These mentorships are intended for emerging writers and translators who do not have other resources at hand for professional mentorship. As such, priority will be given to those not currently enrolled in a writing or translation program, and authors working with a professional editor or publisher, or those who have already had a QWF mentorship, are ineligible.

The two programs have different eligibility criteria and application requirements; please see below for details. 

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The 2024 QWF Writing Mentorships

Emerging Quebec writers of English-language fiction, non-fiction, poetry (including spoken word), plays, screenplays, and young adult literature are invited to apply to be mentored by an established author over a period of four months (February 1, 2024, to May 31, 2024). They should also be available for a public reading in Montreal in June.

Prospective mentees must pay a $25 non-refundable submission fee and, if selected, must be members of QWF throughout the mentorship period. In exceptional cases of financial need, QWF will consider offering selected mentees a one-year complimentary membership as part of their mentorship upon request.  

Established professional Quebec writers who work in the above-mentioned genres and professional dramaturgs who wish to be mentors are invited to apply at this time as well. Mentors must be professional members of QWF throughout the mentorship period. Remuneration for mentors is $2000.

Both mentors and a shortlist of potential mentees will be selected by an independent jury. The mentors will choose the person they work with from the shortlist. There is no guarantee that all genres will be included in the final pairings. Depending on geographical location, the mentorships may be conducted primarily or exclusively by email and Zoom.

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The 2024 Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation

Emerging Canadian translators of literary work into English are invited to apply to the 2024 Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation.

One emerging translator will be chosen to be mentored by an established translator over a period of four months (February 1, 2024, to May 31, 2024). The mentee and mentor should be available for a public reading in Montreal in June.

Prospective mentees must pay a $25 non-refundable submission fee and be members of either QWF or the Literary Translators Association of Canada (LTAC) throughout the mentorship period. In exceptional cases of financial need, QWF or LTAC will consider offering selected mentees a one-year complimentary membership as part of their mentorship upon request.  

Established professional Canadian literary translators who wish to be mentors are invited to apply at this time as well. Mentors must be full or associate LTAC/ATTLC members throughout the mentorship period. Remuneration for mentors is $2000.

Both mentors and a short list of potential mentees will be selected by an independent jury. Depending on geographical location, the mentorships may be conducted primarily or exclusively by email and Zoom.

For more information on eligiblity criteria and how to apply, follow the instructions below.

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To Apply for a Mentor

Eligibility Criteria

Quebec-based aspiring or emerging writers working in English and translators with English as the target language are invited to apply. Authors working with a professional editor/publisher and those who have already had a QWF mentorship are not eligible for this program. Priority will be given to writers and translators who are not currently enrolled in a writing or translation program. 

Those selected for the QWF Writing Mentorships must be QWF members in good standing throughout the mentorship period.

The person selected for the Karin Montin Mentorship in Literary Translation must be a member in good standing of either LTAC or QWF throughout the mentorship period.

How to apply

To apply for one of the mentorships, prepare the appropriate document for the program you are applying for (described below) and then log on to “Submittable.” Be prepared to pay the submission fee by credit card or PayPal.

Follow the directions at Submittable to set up a free account if you don’t already have one.  Then complete the online form and upload the document you have prepared, which must include the components below combined into a single document (PDF or WORD) that does NOT have your name or other identifying material anywhere in it.

For the QWF Writing Mentorships, please prepare one document containing:

1. A one-page pitch telling which genre you are applying in, where you are in your development as a writer, and how your writing will benefit from a mentor’s guidance at this time;
   
2. An eight- to ten-page sample, double-spaced if prose, from the project you wish to work on. No more than ten pages will be forwarded to the jury.

Do not put your name on this document.

For the Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Writing Mentorship, please prepare one document containing:

1. A one-page pitch telling which genre you are applying in, where you are in your development as a translator, and how your translation practice will benefit from a mentor’s guidance at this time; 
    
2. An eight- to ten-page translation sample, double-spaced if prose, from the project you wish to work on. No more than ten pages will be forwarded to the jury. 

Do not put your name on this document.

If you cannot submit online, you may mail a copy of the document described above, along with your contact information on a separate sheet, and a $35 CAD cheque made out to “Quebec Writers’ Federation” to:

Mentorship Program
Quebec Writers’ Federation
1200 Atwater Ave., Suite 3
Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

Cheques must be made out to “Quebec Writers’ Federation,” not “QWF.”

All mail submissions MUST BE IN THE QWF OFFICE by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 16, 2023.

Successful applicants will be notified by December 15, 2023.

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To Apply to Be a Mentor:

Eligibility criteria

For the QWF Writing Mentorships: Established professional Quebec writers of English-language works of fiction, non-fiction, poetry (including spoken word), or young adult literature with at least one book published by a recognized professional publisher or an equivalent professional level of achievement, and playwrights, dramaturgs, and screenwriters with at least one full-length professional production are invited to apply. Dramaturgs need not have had a play published but must have professional credentials. Those selected must be QWF members in good standing throughout the mentorship period.

For the Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation: Established professional Canadian literary translators with a target language of English and at least one book published by a recognized professional publisher or an equivalent professional level of achievement are invited to apply. Those selected must be full or associate LTAC members in good standing throughout the mentorship period.

Teaching or mentoring experience is a significant asset.

How to apply

To apply to be a mentor, prepare the document described below and then log on to “Submittable.” There is no fee.

Follow the directions on the Submittable site to set up a free account if you don’t already have one.  Then complete the online form and upload the document you have prepared, which must include the following components combined into a single document (PDF or WORD).

For the QWF Writing Mentorships, please prepare one document containing:

1. A one-page bio listing your publications/productions, outlining your teaching experience, and listing the genres/disciplines on which you are qualified to advise;
   
2. A short description of your approach to mentoring;
   
3. A declaration of your availability during the period November 15, 2023 to June 30, 2024. (If selected for the program, you will receive applications from the shortlisted candidates in your genre in November and be asked to rank your choices within a short timeframe. The actual mentoring takes place from February 1 to May 31, 2024, with a public reading to be scheduled in Montreal in June 2024.)

For the Karin Montin LTAC/QWF Mentorship in Literary Translation, please prepare one document containing:

1. A one-page bio listing your publications/productions, outlining your translation experience, and listing the genres/disciplines on which you are qualified to advise;
   
2. A short description of your approach to mentoring;
   
3. A declaration of your availability during the period from November 15, 2023 to June 30, 2024. (If selected for the program, you will receive applications from the shortlisted candidates in your genre in November and be asked to rank your choices within a short timeframe. The actual mentoring takes place from February 1 to May 31, 2024, with a public reading to be scheduled in Montreal in June 2024.)

If you cannot submit online, you may mail a copy of the document described above to:

Mentorship Program
Quebec Writers’ Federation
1200 Atwater Ave., Suite 3
Westmount, QC H3Z 1X4

All mail submissions MUST BE IN THE QWF OFFICE by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 16, 2023.

Successful applicants will be notified in early December and will be asked to select their mentee from a short list prepared by the jury by December 11.

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The Quebec Writers’ Federation gratefully acknowledges the assistance of:

For more information:
Telephone: (514) 244-9088  |  [email protected]