2021 Mentee Interviews

Tell us a little about yourself. Who are you, what do you write, and what are you working on right now?

HI HELLO EVERYONE I AM SO HONORED AND EXCITED TO BE HERE!! I’m Evelyn, @evelyndingbooks on Twitter and Instagram. I’m a teen and I write YA fantasy and romance but I am always experimenting with other genres. Right now I’m working on my WTMP book, a YA contemporary fantasy romance (best genre ever hehe) titled DELICATE AS A FLOWER that’s TO ALL THE BOYS meets SIX OF CROWS. It’s set at a mysterious and gossip-addicted boarding school, and it’s about a hopeless romantic girl who escapes reality through daydreams; a flower that determines her fate; the heist to steal it; and her tumultuous fake dating relationship with a boy who manages to be charming, arrogant, and tragic at the same time. ,’:) Being Kalie Holford’s mentee is the most AMAZING, SURREAL experience ever. I love her so much. She’s a genius when it comes to brainstorming, incredibly humble, the physical embodiment of sunshine, and she’s the best at giving compliments. (Also before I heard about WTMP, I already looked up to Kalie because she was a cool successful teen writer and I wanted to be her friend so bad. So this is a DREAM COME TRUE!)

What kind of stories are you interested in exploring in your career as an author?

I’m still a teen and a relatively new writer compared to those who are like 10 books in so I’m still experimenting. So I look forward to dabbling in different genres like mystery or middle grade??? But I predict I’ll always have a soft spot for fantasy and romance and YA—because of the messy first love that seamlessly blends with the supernatural. Because of feelings becoming all-too-real, and magic that breaks down the wall between what's impossible and what’s not. I’ll always be open to exploring diverse characters, writing people who look or think like me onto a page, and cooking up unique second worlds that draw parallels with our reality. I hope to write books that make you feel things. Books that make you swoon and experience grief and joy and magic as if you’re the main character. Books that *I* want to read and hope you do too!!!

What's the best thing about you as an author?

Lolol after much thought, I’d say it’s the fact that I'm a teen who writes YA. I know what it feels like to be a teen, in today’s day and age. All the raw, unfiltered emotions and angst. The pain of unrequited crushes. The energy of Gen Z. The need to focus on studying, but the urge to daydream anyway. I hope to translate that onto the page. But that’s not where it ends! I’m also still growing as a teen, and I’m experiencing friendships or rivalries that cross into ~something more~ (joking but I wish lol), opening myself up to new experiences, and exploring this through writing just gives me a rush of serotonin. Honestly, writing brings me so much happiness. I love sending my friends snippets of my writing, talking about my characters, making fun of my tragic himbo LI, and brainstorming more tropes to throw into my book!! I also strongly believe that teens can offer valuable insight when it comes to writing. After all, we’re the target audience of YA! We can pinpoint exactly what teens are looking for and what they aren’t, and write about teen emotions without it feeling forced or cliché.

How have you developed as an author during this mentorship period? Is there anything that you didn't think before about the craft that you think now?

YES YES YES. I guess I should mention that when I started writing this book, I had no idea that authors had contracts and deadlines (I thought writing a book was easy and painless because writers were just that magical). I had no idea that it took years and years of rejection before making it to publication, and no idea how to write with structure or beats. I didn’t even know about Nanowrimo. I just pulled images from my head and my favorite books and started typing whenever we had free time in class. I was sooo oblivious omg but it was also super nice to write without worrying about querying or my impending revisions. Sure, I was drafting hours every day for an entire year, and I absolutely infused my writing with passion and gave my very best, but did it also suck craft-wise?? Yup. My book’s first draft is so unbelievably cringy.

Although I revised for over six months by myself (and even after swapping chapters with some lovely people on Twitter), my book still Wasn’t There Yet. So when I became a mentee—and got the opportunity to work with an experienced writer to completely transform my book—I was so shocked and happy and it was 100% perfect timing (especially since results were announced right after my birthday!). Kalie choosing me as her mentee gave me the rush of confidence and motivation it took to set my mind on a complete rewrite, and she continues to inspire me.

If every book is a book baby, then it takes a village to raise a book. Are there any people who stand out to you as people who helped you in your writing journey?

Omg when I was a kid I always thought writers just came up with an idea, wrote it quickly and painlessly and perfectly on the first try, and just published it. But now I’m faced with the reality lol but I’m so lucky to have some amazing humans in my corner. 

This goes without saying but THANK YOU KALIE FOR PICKING ME AS YOUR MENTEE!!!! Kalie is a wonder to work with. She is so positive and open to new ideas, and she’s the best cheerleader, mentor, and friend I could ask for, especially because we click so well (we’re both teens!! it’s literally meant to be!). 

Next up: I must thank my IRL friends for being hyped whenever I send them a chapter (and for bullying my love interest, which is always amusing). Specifically, AVA AVA AVA. She’s my best friend IRL and is also an extremely talented editor. I hear people say that if you hand your manuscript to a friend you’re close to in real life, they’ll be overly nice and won’t point out the plot holes. But my friend group is drastically different from the norm (maybe all of Gen Z is... who knows). My friends love tearing apart my work lol, especially Ava but she is SO GOOD at it!!! She’s the editor I didn’t know I needed. I also want to thank Yvette for being my first true CP. And my mentee sibling, Safa Ahmed, for letting me go nuts fangirling over her book. And also everyone who supports me on Twitter; you guys literally brighten my entire day. 

What do you think is the biggest necessity for a group of writing friends?

First find your writing community (tips below!). Once you have a group of writer companions, keep this in mind: If someone gets a book deal or agent or into a mentorship program, please don’t be jealous. Your time will come if you work hard and fight for your writing. Cheer your friends on. Scream (happily) at them. Plus, if they’re ahead of you, then you can gain inside industry knowledge extra early!! Trust your critique partners. Trade manuscripts, and be constructive and honest with your feedback but not brutally mean. Basically: Be helpful, considerate, and enthusiastic. Those are the main things I look for when finding CPs and friends.

Any parting words for young writers looking for guidance, or a community?

I had so much trouble with this when I was starting out. I scoured so many articles and Youtube videos lol. First, join Twitter!!! The writing community is SO active here. If someone posts a thread about their WIPs and it sounds interesting, just follow them, gush in their comments, and if you build up these interactions over time, ask them to swap pages!! Or just comment a bunch of emojis. (Also try to post a thread about your own WIPs to engage even more!!) If you like their chapter and feedback style, and they like yours, then proceed to swap partial or full manuscripts. Try to be as helpful and constructive as possible with your feedback. Match their level of enthusiasm and effort. If you’re a newer writer, I’d also recommend entering programs like Pitchwars, Author Mentor Match, WriteMentor, or WTMP. You might get into one! And even if you don’t, make friends with other mentee hopefuls. Slide into DMs. Comment on tweets. Become friends with mentees who do get in. Mentees and mentee hopefuls are all very nice people!! Best of luck on your journey! Remember you can DM me any time on Twitter or Instagram @evelyndingbooks if you have any thoughts or questions!!!

What about your own craft, interests, and abilities drew you to your mentee and their work?

I’m a fierce lover of both fantasy and contemporary, so I LOVED that Evelyn’s contemporary fantasy used all the best rom com tropes INSIDE a book chalked full of magic and whimsy. Her descriptions are lush, her banter is so much fun, and she’s got such a brilliant eye for detail! All of these things had me knowing I wanted to work with her, but beyond even that, I loved the fact that she’s another teen writer. As an eighteen-year-old who’s been querying since I was twelve, seeing a fourteen-year-old author writing with such heart and tenacity filled me with so much joy. I connected with Evelyn on such a personal level at the same time I was bursting with excited ideas about her book. Honestly, her saying yes to working with me in a mentee/mentor program felt like the moment I’d been waiting for. It was pretty full circle for me and I’m forever grateful I got the chance to work with her.

Do you have a message for anyone interested in your mentee's work?

Evelyn is beyond brilliant. The amount of thought, detail, and time she puts into her work and revision plans is above and beyond. She takes feedback so exceptionally well and her persona is just like sunshine personified. She’s a pleasure to talk to, a joy to listen to, and a wonder to work with. I think teen writers are often viewed as less experienced but I swear 5 minutes of hearing Evelyn talk about craft and you’ll know she can keep up with anyone.