Thirteen emerging writers have been selected for the The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Mentorship Programme 2021, from what the judges described as: ‘an incredible and unprecedented 132 applications. These came from across the literary spectrum. Poetry, speculative fiction, creative nonfiction, literary novels, genre fiction and stage plays were all represented in the applications’. This made it a difficult task for judges Siobhan Harvey, Kiri Piahana-Wong and Paddy Richardson.
NZSA 2021 mentees from all across Aotearoa are emerging writers with unique voices and we congratulate:Sally Franicevich (Auckland), Nicole Colmar (Auckland), Carolyn Cossey (Pukekohe), Kristene Cristobal (Melrose), Michael Gould (Wellington), Emma Hislop (New Plymouth), Lily Holloway (Auckland), Mandy McMullin (Auckland), Airana Ngarewa (Patea), Talia Parker (Auckland), Bethany G Rogers (Queenstown), Rochelle Savage (Amberley), and Ariana Sutton (Southland).
They will spend the remainder of 2021 honing their skills and developing their craft under the mentorship of some of New Zealand’s finest professional writers.
Pictured: From left, top to bottom) Bethany G Rogers, Kristene Cristobal, Rochelle Savage, Talia Parker, Nicole Colmar, Airana Ngarewa, Michael Gould, Ariana Sutton, Carolyn Cossey, Sally Franicevich, Mandy McMullin, Emma Hislop, Lily Holloway
Selection panel convener Siobhan Harvey commented: ‘ Our congratulations to these authors. We trust your journeys through the 2021 NZSA Mentorships will prove creatively fruitful. We look forward to seeing your names on the covers of forthcoming books. We believe that the exceedingly healthy growth in applications (nearly double 2020 applications) reflects a thriving emerging authorship in Aotearoa’.
Mentorships are offered by the NZSA every year with the intent of fostering and developing emerging writers with the support of established practitioners. The NZSA has run a highly successful mentoring programme for writers since 1999. Many previous mentees have gone on to win awards and receive accolades for their work. The NZSA Mentor programme is supported by funding from Creative New Zealand.
