AN INKLINGS MENTOR:
YOUR WRITERLY GUIDE
Your writer’s voice is as unique as a fingerprint. At Young Inklings, our mentors help youth grow in craft, imagination, and creative confidence — so they not only write better, they believe in their ability to create.
How INKLINGS Mentorships Work:
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Weekly 1:1 sessions with a professional author-mentor
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Personalized for your writer’s age, interests, and goals
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Flexible duration: some join for a season, many continue for years
A SNAPSHOT OF YOUR FIRST TWELVE SESSIONS
When writers begin their Inklings mentorships they might be:
A new writer dipping their toe into creative work for the first time.
A passionate writer full of ideas and stories, but who isn’t quite sure how to finish or share their work.
A prolific writer who’s already finished a draft or two on their own, ready to take their writing to the next level.
In your writer’s first twelve sessions, they’ll get to know their mentor, experiment with new tools, and begin shaping a project that excites them. By the end of this time, most writers feel momentum and clarity about their next step. Many choose to continue, diving deeper into new projects and growing their creative confidence.
Program Structure
Matching & Schedule
When you enroll, our team carefully reviews your application and pairs your writer with a mentor whose style and experience are a great fit. Mentorship sessions are 45 minutes, usually held once a week by video, though we can also arrange bi-weekly or monthly sessions if that works better for your family.
Duration
Mentorship is designed to grow with your writer. We suggest starting with twelve sessions to experience a full creative cycle, but most mentees continue beyond that, moving from project to project as their confidence and skills deepen.
Tuition
Tuition is $125 per session, with a one-time $100 enrollment fee to begin the matching process. Need-based scholarships are available. Learn more and apply here.
MENTORSHIP FAQ
How long does mentorship last?
Each writer’s journey is unique. We recommend beginning with twelve sessions so your writer can experience a full creative cycle from idea to draft to revision. Many families choose to continue beyond that as their writer discovers new projects and goals.
What if my writer is new to writing—or already has a big project in progress?
Mentorship is designed to meet writers where they are. Some begin by exploring shorter pieces, while others dive into novels, scripts, or collections. Mentors tailor each session to your writer’s age, experience, and creative goals.
Do mentors use AI in their sessions?
No. At Society of Young Inklings, we believe strongly in helping youth discover and trust their own creative voices. While some professional writers use AI thoughtfully in their own revision process, our mentors do not bring AI tools into youth mentorship. If a student independently mentions AI, mentors have clear guidelines for how to respond and will also provide parents with a guide outlining our perspective.
How do mentors help build confidence?
Our approach is rooted in relational imagination. We pair supportive relationships with playful, metaphor-based strategies that help writers see their ideas in fresh ways. This process builds not just skill but also creative confidence: the sense of “I can do this!” that fuels a writer for the long run.
What if my writer is hesitant about drawing, improvisation, or other creative activities?
Mentors use a wide variety of strategies to spark imagination and help youth writers tap into their creativity and writerly intuition. Activities may include mapping a character’s world, sketching a scene, or even “freezing” a moment in a story through gesture. These strategies aren’t about artistic skill. They’re tools for thinking, helping youth writers see their stories more clearly.
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Check out additional FAQ here
Contact us at info@younginklings.org
Every writer deserves a mentor who believes in their voice.
Whether they’re just starting out or ready to publish, we’ll meet them where they are and help them grow.
