Do you prefer one-on-one learning to a traditional classroom setting? If so, consider a Writers’ Program Mentorship with one of our mentorship instructors in either creative writing or screenwriting!

Mentorships are perfect for students looking to take their project to the next level by working closely with an instructor for one month (or more! Many students sign up for multiple mentorship sessions). Mentorships give you access to an instructor Monday through Friday for 4 full weeks. You receive feedback every 12-24 hours for most work and 24-36 hours for longer material. Tailored to writers’ individual needs, students find the mentorships beneficial to both their works-in-progress and completed works alike.

Rob Reid, online mentorship student of Lynn Hightower credits Lynn and the Writers’ Program with helping him launch his writing career: “I joined the Writers’ Program several months into writing my first novel, when I realized that despite certain charming attributes, it entirely lacked a plot. After several bruising months and many sleepless nights, my novel had a storyline that I was (and remain) very proud of. Random House bid on it less than a day after receiving the manuscript, and eventually made it their lead science fiction title for the summer of 2012. Lynn and the Writers’ Program were absolutely instrumental to Year Zero becoming the accessible, commercial book that it is. Without them, I’d probably still be rewriting it.”

Judy Albeitz has been a student of Claire Carmichael’s novel mentorships for several years: “I’m one of the lucky ones who discovered Claire. She is the most inspiring, demanding, and exceptional teacher I’ve known. I’ve learned so much from her—especially how much I still need to learn. When Claire tears apart my writing, I love her all the more for it.”

Aaron Rollins, a student who worked on his screenwriting project in a mentorship after he was named a finalist for the Writers’ Program Screenwriting Competition was asked about his experience. Rollins responds, “In one word – AMAZING! My mentor was Manny Basanese. I have only great things to say about him and the rewrite experience. When I turned in the script for the competition, I felt that I had taken it as far as I could. After my first meeting with Manny, I was inspired to do a rewrite incorporating the fantastic notes that he had given me. His notes really took the script to the next level.”

A Mentorship in Creative Writing is ideal for writers who:

  • Want a personalized approach to learning based on their level of experience and/or writing goals
  • Want ongoing targeted instruction and both written and verbal feedback as new pages are developed
  • Need guidance on specific craft issues such as structure, dialogue, characterization, balance, and/or pace

A Mentorship in Screenwriting is ideal for writers who:

  • Wish to move forward on a new or existing project in any stage of development
  • Seek ongoing written feedback from a professional writer
  • Have specific writing challenges they want to address. (Students with a story concept focus on developing scenes, characters, and an outline. Students who are actively writing pages receive regular feedback on craft issues. Students with a completed draft focus on revising or polishing their work.)

For formatting guidelines and fees visit our website here. You can also call us at (310) 825-9415.

Alicia Wheeler is the Program Representative for Creative Writing (Online) and Events. Contact her at 310-794-1846 or awheeler@uclaextension.edu.

Pin It on Pinterest