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Publishing will never be truly inclusive until those within it are actively and fully supporting creators from underrepresented groups.
Last March I set up the All Stories mentorship programme to support underprivileged writers from underrepresented groups. I’d been seeing that so many debut authors were those with privilege – often with money to spend on courses, MAs or freelance consultants. I wanted to give those without such privilege a chance to succeed – because without that, I couldn’t see how the industry could ever become wholly diverse.
The programme supported 14 writers over six months. The mentors, all freelance editors, each selected their mentee from the applications and met with them regularly via video call to give in-depth feedback and advice on their work. This was complemented by group webinars, each presented by an in-house editor, which gave the mentees insights into the craft of writing and helped to demystify the industry. The mentees’ commitment to the programme for the full duration of the mentorships was impressive, especially in a pandemic – I’d expected that some might fall away as the months passed, but this wasn’t the case at all. It became very clear that the writers were hungry for this kind of support and eager to absorb as much as they could.
Small tokenistic gestures of support to underrepresented communities, such as open submission windows and one-off talks, aren’t necessarily helpful. They can even be a hindrance
I already knew that accessing this kind of help can be very difficult for people from underrepresented groups – that’s why I set up the programme, after all. But I learnt a lot about what creators from underrepresented groups need from the industry if they’re to feel as if they can be a part of it. And until that happens, the industry will always struggle to be fully diverse.
Firstly, I have a new understanding of the importance of in-depth, long-lasting support in combination with a true appreciation of someone’s situation and the barriers they’ve faced. Any support activities that don’t seek to get to know the creators are going to be limited in their effect, because each creator has different needs. Small tokenistic gestures of support to underrepresented communities, such as open submission windows and one-off talks, aren’t necessarily helpful. They can even be a hindrance, because they can imply that this is all someone needs to succeed, and can make those creators feel as if they’re not "getting it" if they don’t.
Secondly, it’s vital for creators from underrepresented groups to see people with similar backgrounds thriving within the industry. There was an overwhelmingly positive response to the webinars where in-house editors revealed their own backgrounds and struggles – the mentees were delighted (and surprised) that there were people in the industry with whom they could identify. We need to celebrate and showcase the professionals in publishing who haven’t come from a place of privilege – and create space for more such people – to show that everyone has a place in it, at every level of a business, no matter your background.
Thirdly, the industry needs to welcome people from underrepresented groups wholeheartedly. This means all publishers commissioning inclusively as standard – with lists that are fully representative. Not acquiring creators from underrepresented groups in a panic to be diverse, but with thought and care and complete support – from acquisition to publication and beyond. New creators need to see people from their communities being celebrated, promoted and prized by their publishers, by awards, by booksellers. It also means agents and publishers showing up for underrepresented creators – advocating for them on social media, for example, as well as supporting the organisations that are working hard on their behalf.
What seems especially important is for everyone in the industry to keep listening, learning and changing. I’m using what I learnt from year one of All Stories to shape the programme for 2022–2023. This time around, the mentorships will support writers of middle grade and YA fiction to offer a more tailored and comprehensive experience, and the duration will be extended to nine months. Year three will then support picture book and young fiction writers, and the programme will continue in that ongoing pattern.
Adapting All Stories’ outreach will be another feature of year two, as we need to make sure we reach the people who will benefit the most. So the programme will pilot writing workshops in local libraries to encourage people from underrepresented groups to write for children, alongside offering online workshops. All Stories will also help to establish writing groups for all workshop participants, to offer long-lasting support. Arts Council England has doubled its funding of the programme in order to make this possible.
I also realised that to fully realise the potential of any programme like this, it was crucial to build connections. So in addition to the partnership already in place with SCBWI (which offers offer free memberships to every All Stories mentee), I’ve established new collaborations with organisations including Metal, Essex Book Festival and Pen to Print to offer further support to writers.
My plan is for the All Stories programme to continue to evolve, learning and growing from experience so it can best serve and support creators from underrepresented groups. I sincerely hope that the industry does too.
Catherine Coe launched the second All Stories programme on 8th April, which offers 10 free mentorships to writers from underrepresented groups who can’t afford to pay for help to develop their talent. The programme also includes in-person and online writing workshops and writing groups, a talk to sixth-formers from underrepresented groups to encourage them to consider a career in children’s books and one-to-one feedback sessions for writers. For more details go to www.allstories.org.uk. You can find out more about the 2021 mentees here.