Donkor, Ross and Ali join Middle Way Mentoring programme

The Middle Way Mentoring Project, a professional development programme for Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers in the Midlands, is returning for a second round.

Led by writer and publisher Farhana Shaikh, the pilot was launched in 2018 and supported seven mentees. It is funded by Arts Council England, which has increased its investment to £75,000 for a two-year scheme (up from £35,000 previously). Various partners will support the programme including Bookouture, which will deliver masterclasses on working with an editor and commercial publishing, Renaissance One, which will provide bespoke career coaching to each mentee, and the Literary Consultancy, which will give mentees access to its digital hub and resources. 

The second round will offer 14 new and emerging prose writers mentoring alongside monthly masterclasses. In the first year, mentees will focus on developing the craft of writing. They will be paired with an established author and receive critical feedback on new work. This will be followed by a series of workshops and talks led by industry experts in the second year to help demystify how publishing works. A channel will give writers a chance to connect outside the formal curriculum. Mentors taking part in the scheme include Michael Donkor, Kerry Young, Leone Ross and Kasim Ali. 

Shaikh said: “I’m thrilled that Arts Council England have recognised the need for a scheme like ours, which directs support at those who are often most ignored by the mainstream—writers from culturally diverse backgrounds in the Midlands.

“We’re beginning to see the fantastic outcome of the pilot with all seven writers going on to make outstanding progress on their writing journey.”

Past mentees include Shahed Yousaf, whose book Stitched Up was published by Penguin after securing representation from Simon Trewin. Kalbinder Kaur also took part in the pilot and was a runner-up in the Mo Siewcharran Prize, while Nazira Vania was shortlisted in the SI Leeds Literary Prize.

Shaihk insisted that the scheme was designed to look beyond publication. She said: “The Middle Way Mentoring Project is about exploring possibilities and opening access to networks. We want to support writers on their journey and guide them with the tools to help them develop a sustainable writing practice.”

Applications close on 27th March, with the programme launching in late April. Submissions are open to unagented, unpublished writers from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background who are based in the Midlands. Prospective applicants are invited to join an open Zoom session on March 11th.

For more information, and to apply, visit the website.