ALCS is proud to be a co-sponsor of the All Stories initiative, which provides 14 free mentorships for up-and-coming children’s writers who otherwise may not have the means to break into the industry. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators will also offer a year’s free membership to each mentee.

Children’s book editor Catherine Coe founded the All Stories programme out of her determination to tackle privilege and  lack of diversity in the industry. She said: “Many, if not most, debut authors today are those who’ve been able to afford courses, mentoring and/or MAs. Change is essential if we want to improve the diversity of authors, and in turn ensure young readers see themselves reflected in the books they read.”

Patron Patrice Lawrence said: “Many talented writers aren’t privileged enough to get support and their stories are never seen. This is a much-needed project to help those hidden stories rise up.”

About the programme

• There are 14 free mentorships available to aspiring children’s book writers from under-represented backgrounds unable to pay for such support.
• Open to those writing children’s books in any genre and age group – from picture books to young adult novels.
• Applications close at midnight on 31 May 2021.
• The mentorships will run for six months from September 2021 to February 2022.
• Fourteen freelance editors will mentor the writers, while seven in-house editors will present webinars to the mentees on the industry and craft of writing.
• An online community will be available for the mentees, where they can discuss their work, raise questions, support each other and share experiences.

For more information and to apply for this scheme, visit allstories.org.uk.