Erica Bell Mentorship Program awarded to four Tasmanian Writers
Tasmanian Writers’ Centre
“Writing is a long and lonely road, so when I saw the Erica Bell Mentorship Program advertised, I saw the opportunity to approach my rewrites with a guide. I’m really looking forward to drawing on the wisdom of someone who’s been through it all before” – Tania Walker, an inaugural Erica Bell Mentorship Program recipient
The Tasmanian Writers Centre has selected four talented and experienced writers to take part in the inaugural Erica Bell Mentorship Program.
Successful applicants include Tania Walker (The Blade and the Bow), Karen Johnson (Anzientia), Terry Whitebeach (The True Love Story of David Collins and Terra Nullius), and runner-up Ben Walter (A Guide to Bushwalking in Tasmania: 25 Short Walks).
Close to 30 Tasmanian writers applied for the mentorship, each submitting the first 10,000 words of their manuscripts for a chance to secure their place. Writing was accepted across a range of genres including fiction, memoir/biography, and young adult fiction.
Administered by the Tasmanian Writers Centre, the program will pair each participant with an acclaimed Australian author who will provide invaluable feedback and advice on the raw manuscripts.
Tasmanian Writers Centre director Chris Gallagher joined with a small pool of published authors to assess the manuscripts. She said the positive response to this program “demonstrates both the strength and the diversity of Tasmanian literature”.
“It has been exciting to receive applications from writers at every stage of their careers…regardless of how long you’ve been writing for, there’s always more to learn,” Ms Gallagher said.
The Erica Bell Mentorship Program follows the success of the inaugural Erica Bell Foundation Awards, which were established in 2014 and awarded grants of up to $10,000 to celebrate excellence in Tasmanian literature and medical research.