Dubai: The Emirates Literature Foundation has launched a Mentorship Programme for emerging women Emirati writers to have their work mentored by award-winning fiction writer, Liz Fenwick.
The writer will mentor one candidate through the process of writing a debut novel from beginning to end.
The mentorship programme will be open to all Emirati women who choose to write in English, irrespective of what stage their novel has reached. The eventual candidate will be mentored in forming the structure of the novel, its concept and theme, and will be offered expert advice along this exciting journey.
“Many of the novels set in the Emirates are written by expats, but there are not enough stories in the English language about Emirati life. It’s going to be immensely hard work for the eventual winner, but I’m here for them,” said Fenwick.
The author of four books, with a fifth releasing in 2016, said the programme is her way of giving back to the country that she has lived in for over 11 years. “My novels are about women, and that’s one of the main reasons I’m looking to mentor a woman writer. It’s an opportunity to hear other women’s stories,” said Fenwick.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Emirates Literature Foundation, pointed out that one of the key aims of the foundation is to find different ways to encourage a culture of reading and writing and to provide young Emirati writers with a platform to launch their writing careers. “With this mentorship programme, we are giving them a fantastic opportunity to tell their stories and hone their creative writing skills,” he said.
On completing the first draft, Fenwick will instruct the writer in the art of self-editing, an important process in making the final draft into a prepared manuscript ready to be sent to agents and publishers. Once Fenwick and the candidate are satisfied with the final manuscript, she will help her pitch the novel to literary agents and publishers.
Candidates should apply online with a 2000-word submission of their novel, along with a brief synopsis and the theme of the book. Submissions close on November 30. The candidates will be shortlisted and the winner of the programme declared in January 2016.
For details on the programme visit diwc.ae/the-liz-fenwick-mentorship-programme