The One, the Only
The Spark Mentorship Program

In a world of quick fixes and shortcuts that draw on the indolence inside of us, it can be a challenge to find the best way to really work on your writing. No one has found a shortcut yet: regardless of entry-level or seasoned skill, the only way to get better at writing is to practice. You must write those awkwardly structured sentences and embarrassing descriptions of beauty before one day, in what feels like a miracle, but is really the natural evolution of your craft and the culmination of all of the hard work you put into it, you pull from your worn-out mind and onto the paper or screen in front of you, that sentence that will stick in your reader’s mind forever, and make them go, “Yes, exactly that!” It’s not that it gets easier—you just get better.

Practice is the only way to build our writing muscle, but we all have our limitations. How do we know what we don’t know? How do we know what is working, what is not working and, maybe most importantly, what will a reader think of it? Writing courses may be inaccessible or unavailable to many writers, perhaps they are too costly in this economy, or you simply don’t have the time. You can always join a peer-writing group, but sometimes those have limitations as well, depending on the time-commitment or skill level or those peers, no matter how sincere their intentions. What I think many writers wish they had is access to the knowledge and experience of a professional editor working in the publishing industry. Now, how cool would that be?

Well, let me tell you about something called the Spark Mentorship Program.

What is the Spark Mentorship Program?

Started in 2020, the Spark Mentorship Program is a subscription-based service that connects you, the writer, with a Word Alive Press professional editor who will read, review, and provide customized feedback for your manuscript. For $250/month, the SMP grants you up to 3,000 words for tailored editorial one-on-one feedback. There is no minimum monthly subscription; how many months you subscribe to the SMP for is totally up to you. Perhaps you only need three months to polish up your novel, or perhaps you would like to commit to a full year before submitting to the next Braun Book Awards—either way, the level of commitment is up to you and your writing needs.

Who is the right fit?

Anyone can be the right fit for the SMP! The expert feedback the editor will give you will be tailored to meet you where you (and your manuscript) are at. New writers will benefit from having a seasoned writer and editor share their knowledge about the craft of writing and the tools needed to really elevate your craft. On the other end of the spectrum, experienced writers will benefit from the SMP if for no other reason than to get out of their own heads, have their writing basically peer-reviewed, and exercise their writing muscle to avoid becoming inert in a craft that, like your smartphone, requires regular updates to keep up.

What are the benefits?

You will learn a lot from the SMP, lessons you can not only apply to your current manuscript, but to any future writing endeavours as well. The feedback you receive from the editor will be honest and direct. Friends and family are typically our first beta readers, but often their feedback can be shrouded with well-intentioned bias. Your best friend might not know how to tell you that the dialogue in your novel falls flat, or that you have mastered the run-on sentence. She’ll probably focus on what you did right and what she likes to keep you encouraged…and the friendship intact. Don't worry! The Word Alive Press editor will be nice, but most importantly, they will be straight with you because they want the best for your manuscript (and they don’t have a decade-long friendship at stake). Participating in the SMP increases writing confidence: once you show your writing to one stranger, and you see that they didn't laugh in your face and they, in fact, gave you a few sincere compliments as well, it will get easier to share your writing with more people. And who knows, maybe one day how you share your writing with more people will be from a bookstore shelf. With a flexible subscription, there is nothing to lose. Many participants have even been inspired and ready to publish their manuscripts at the end of the SMP.

The Spark Mentorship Program is truly one of a kind in the modern publishing industry. I can’t think of anything quite like it out there. If it sounds too good to be true, this is the exception to that rule! If you would like to sign up for the SMP, or if you simply want more details about the program, please reach out to your project manager or via our website.

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Did you enjoy this post? You may also be interested in one author's experience with the Spark Mentorship Program, or in this blog: New WAP Services Offer Coaching.

Read more by Marina Reis, here.

About this Contributor:

Marina Reis is a Senior Project Manager who joined Word Alive Press in 2017. She graduated from the University of Winnipeg in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.