Black Ballad and Curtis Brown Creative launch mentoring programme for Black women writers

Curtis Brown Creative is partnering with the media outlet Black Ballad on a new mentoring programme for unpublished Black women writers. 

The programme is the latest iteration of Curtis Brown’s Breakthrough Writers’ Programme, now in its third year. Since launching the initiative in 2021, Curtis Brown Creative has supported 135 underrepresented writers with free writing scholarships, courses and mentoring opportunities – all funded by the Curtis Brown Group, its agents and "valued partners".

The Breakthrough x Black Ballad Mentoring programme will begin in May 2023, with each of the four mentees being paired with an established author working in a relevant genre. Mentors include the Betty Trask award-winning novelist and short story writer Irenosen Okojie and Man Booker Prize-nominated author Yvvette Edwards. At the end of the nine-month programme (worth £1,500) each mentee will have a one-to-one meeting with an agent from Curtis Brown Group to discuss developing their work and next steps.

One mentoring place will include a free one-year premium membership to Black Ballad (worth £69), and will be awarded to a writer with limited financial means. The three further mentoring places will be awarded to new and existing members of Black Ballad. Membership starts from £4.99 a month and provides access to a digital magazine, events and discounts. 

Anna Davis, founder and director of Curtis Brown Creative, said: “It’s wonderful to be partnering with the amazing Black Ballad, as we continue to grow our Breakthrough Writers’ Programme for talented, underrepresented writers. If you’re a Black woman writing either fiction or non-fiction – and if you’d like expert one-to-one feedback on your work – I would warmly encourage you to apply for this mentoring programme. We at CBC are excited to read the work sent in to us!”

The Breakthrough x Black Ballad Mentoring Programme is now open for applications. Places will be awarded on the basis of proven writing ability, as demonstrated through 3,000 words of material sent with the application form. Applicants can submit a work-in-progress within the following categories: adult fiction, YA or children’s fiction of any genre; a short story collection; memoir or narrative non-fiction. All writers who fulfill the eligibility requirements are invited to apply by Sunday 23rd April. To find out more, visit the website.