The Tabor Creative Writing Mentorship is born of Tabor’s highly effective Masters of Creative of Creative Writing and Communications program. The aim of the mentorship is to give writers access to the wealth of experience and material support to help them achieve their specific, personal creative writing goal. That could be creation of a book, novel, or collection of material, in any genre and for any purpose.

Unlike the Masters program, which is designed to equip writers to establish a professional career in writing, the Mentorship is created for writers who have a specific, discreet project they are passionate about completing.

How long would my Mentorship last?

As long as you need, sort of. One of the advantages of this mentorship is that it takes your writing from being a sometimes hobby and turns it into a professional pursuit. With your mentor, you will establish what are realistic deadlines and targets for you as you move toward shaping, growing and completing your work. Some writers will be further along, some writing projects will require different types of mentor input. For example, a children’s picture book concept will be different not a collection of devotional messages. In your initial conference with your potential mentor and the Tabor centre, the three of you will discuss your needs and agree on a time scale and timetable plan that will best suit you and the work you desire to complete.

Who would be my Mentor?

Information about the mentors is available on this page. Have a look at the work they have done and their personal comments about their own writing style and methodology to see who might be the best fit for you and your project. Or, if you prefer, when you submit your application, you can let us suggest who might work best with your project. The mentor will be a professional within the publishing industry as a published author, publisher, academic or a combination of these, and will be chosen/offered in terms of genre and experience, to the specific needs of the writer. The writer will choose their mentor.

What does the mentorship cost?

The detail of this would be worked out in your initial conference and no costs are incurred by you until you are happy with your mentor and the timetable you agree on. The costs of administration of the program and resources are being absorbed by Tabor, so the only payment you make will be direct to your mentor. The basic pay structure for the program is based on a 48-week mentorship, with 2 contact hours per week at a rate of $50 per hour – totalling $4800. In discussion, mentor and writer should negotiate an appropriate time-frame and cost structure. NB. There is a one-year upper limit on the mentorship and a minimum three months, after which the timetable can be reconfigured. The use of this time, how much time is used etc, will be agreed upon by the mentor and the writer depending on their personal needs. (For example, some writers will want to have regularly fortnightly feedback, whilst others will want check in after larger chunks of working time and so, perhaps, longer monthly catchups might be organised.)

The program will also allow for a change of mentors. This will most likely occur as work progress and the project requires a different mentoring overview. For example, a Self-published textbook on Ministry practice will benefit from a mentor with experience in the ministry field, at first. But past a certain point, it will require the unique insights of a mentor with self-publishing expertise to guide that stage of the project. Or a children’s picture book, which will require mentoring from an experienced writer of children’s book and then, as the writing develops, may require the involvement of a children’s book animator as the mentor. As the writer moves from one mentor to the next, so will the pay structure, as agreed in combination with all parties.

Who Can Apply?

Anyone really. The mentorship relies of you, as the writer, having a solid idea of what you want to achieve, the commitment to see it through and the ability to pay your mentor for their professional support and experience.

When can I apply?

Since the mentorships operate independently of the academic system, they can begin and be completed at any time that suits your personal life.

How do I apply?

To apply for a mentorship, writers will be asked to submit a brief outline of the project they seek to pursue and a brief example of their work, past or present. This will determine their suitability to enter the mentorship. Once this is done the writer will be invited to a conference with their potential mentor and a representative of the centre, who will then work through the following steps to formalise a contract for the execution of the mentorship that will suit all parties.

A form, to be filled out at this conference, will consider these things and note the outcomes.

What if…?

There are so many variables, so many things that a writer and mentor will consider as they take this journey. If there are any sticking points or if things need a bit of help, the Tabor Centre will be there to help smooth things out, offer guidance, share further resources, anything else that might come up. It’s not just you and a mentor. The mentorship will welcome you into the large and very successful community of professional writers and communicators at Tabor. So your ‘what ifs’ are all part of the process and we’re here to help.

The Submission(Application)

To apply to join Tabor’s Creative Writing mentorship simply send the following:

1. A letter introducing yourself, a little of your writing history (if you have one) and a brief, concise explanation of the work that you are passionate about bringing to the mentorship. This will be discussed more when you get together with your mentor so it doesn’t need to be too detailed, just enough to let us know where you’re going and perhaps why. This letter will also give us some indication of who might be suitable as your mentor, in consideration with…
2. Some of your written work, including work that you have put together in relation to the specific project you are seeking to work on with your mentor. This, again, doesn’t need to be a huge amount. Maybe half a dozen pages.
3. Your choice of mentor/s from the list available below. Perhaps an explanation of why you’ve selected a particular mentor. If you can’t decide, we can talk about it with you. Also, if you have someone else in mind who is not on the list, we can certainly look at that as an option.

Applications

Application documents to be sent to Dr Peter Court (PCourt@adelaide.adelaide.tabor.edu.au)

Mentor details

Roseanne Hawke

Rosanne enjoys writing for children about culture, belonging, family, and cats. She also enjoys mystery and adventure. Rosanne was an aid worker In Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates for ten years and has taught Creative Writing at Tabor Adelaide for over ten years. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and usually publishes traditionally through mainstream publishers such as UQP, Allen & Unwin and WombatRhiza.

Rosanne has written over 30 books for children and YA including Taj and the Great Camel Trek, Marrying Ameera, Shahana Through my Eyes and Kelsey and the Quest of the Lost Doll. Her latest release is Pepper Masalah and the Flying Carpet for younger readers. Rosanne’s non-fiction title is Riding the Wind: Writing for Children and Young Adults.

“I had a difficult and rather public beginning to my writing career. There were not many workshops and no writing courses like Tabor Adelaide’s, so I learned to write fiction from reading. I sent manuscripts to publishers too soon, not realising how bad they were, until I began getting feedback from said publishers and learned quickly how to rewrite and rewrite, and rewrite again. So I know what it is like to have a dream and want to see it come to fruition. I like to encourage new writers and to bring the best out of them. I believe everyone is creative and capable of telling their story.”

Steve McKenzie

I’m S. J. (Steve) McKenzie, a fantasy author of varied interests, none of them involving macho swordsmen or wise old men with beards; those guys aren’t coming to save us, so we’ll have to do it ourselves. I write fantasy novels about ordinary folk, as well as folklore short stories, nonsense fiction, and mystical visions. Some of my writing combines a few of these things! I’ve got a background in academia and have published there too, too, but I’m retired from that now. I live in Adelaide and write something most week-days, also fitting in part-time work, gardening, birding, and time with my kids. I read widely, but slowly, and often have three or four books on the go at once.

Novels
The Ballyman Waits (Stone Table Books / Morning Star, Melbourne 2017).
The Frost on the Mirror (Stone Table Books / Morning Star, Melbourne 2018).

Short Stories
The Blue Men of the Minch and other water monsters from the Celtic Imagination (self-published on Amazon KDP April 2020).
The Green Woman of Kittlerumpit and other witches from the Celtic Imagination (self-published on Amazon KDP August 2022)

Academic Books
Harris H, Wiejesinghe G & McKenzie S (2013). The heart of the good institution: Virtue Ethics as a Framework for Responsible Business Management, Springer, Dordrecht.
Willis P, McKenzie S & Harris R (2009). Re-thinking work and learning: Adult and vocational education for social sustainability, Springer, Dordrecht.
Potter E, Mackinnon A, McKenzie S & McKay J (2007). Fresh Water: New Perspectives on Water in Australia, MUP, Carlton.

If your work is a little unusual, I want to know about it. I’ve read my fill of stuff that does what I expect, and when I think back on all my favourite books, my first reaction was almost always one of surprise. I’m sure there are as many ways to write as there are writers, and I’m interested in helping you find your own unique style. I can also assist with structural editing, character and setting development, and with pitching to publishers and agents. But the most important thing is: what makes your work stand out? As a mentor, my main goal will be to help you explore and develop it.

Steve McK.

Catch Tilly

You’re on this page looking for a mentor. You need to know who I am, what I’ve done, what I’m passionate about and how I can help you. (And how I can’t.)

First, I love helping people with writing. I am currently mentoring a thirteen-year-old girl and an 84-year-old lady so I’m confident I can manage different age groups.

Second, the writing I am passionate about is genre fiction for all ages. Romance, mystery, fantasy, kids’ books about underpants, these are the stories I love. If you prefer literary fiction, then I am not the mentor for you but if your goal is popular fiction then I can help.

Third, I worked for fifteen years as a scriptwriter, five of those for the Christian market, so am very familiar with the needs of a playscript for secular or Christian audiences.
And finally, though I have written mostly for the YA market I am neither an artist nor a poet. If you are interested in verse or graphic novels, then you would be better off with another mentor.

Some very nice things people have said about my writing

The novels
‘A brilliant novel by a local ex-teacher’ Katherine England: Advertiser
‘This book stayed with me long after I had finished it.’ Sue Mauger: GLAMAdelaide
‘A sci-fi epic that grips the imagination and won’t let go’ Poppy Nwosu

And for the plays

‘Providing clear messages of life, faith and hope. These original plays will touch at many points of your own experience, and yet stretch your perception of reality.’
Rev Robert Voigt (Pres-Lutheran Church SA/NT)

Or check me out further at www.catchtilly.com.au