Book Mentoring
helping authors give birth to Mormon books
literary midwives
In Nauvoo, women like Ann Carling, Vienna Jacques, and Patty Bartlett Sessions were called to an important work: serving as midwives for the Latter-day Saints gathering from different backgrounds to build new communities and a new identity together. As the Saints crossed the Plains and settled in the West, midwives and others cared for the needs of Zion’s mothers and regularly met in council to discuss women’s and maternal health. Though many converts had left networks of family and community to settle among the Saints, pioneer women were not alone in the work of giving birth.
At the Mormon Lit Lab, we take inspiration from our forebears in the faith. Though a book hardly has the same value as a baby, we recognize that opportunities for support and counsel and ease any creative process. Over the years, we’ve created opportunities for dozens writers to create short work that reflects their identity as Latter-day Saints or plays with Mormon themes and heritage in some way through the Mormon Lit Blitz contest. We’ve connected contest finalists with thousands of readers, who have seen new possibilities for Mormon literature in their work. As the next step in our group’s work as literary midwives, we are launching a new program to support past Mormon Lit Blitz finalists who want to develop a book.
Mentoring Benefits
Goal Setting
Funding
On-going Support
About the Mentoring Program
Applying to the Program
We are currently not accepting new applications for our mentorship. Join our mailing list to be notified of future opportunities! Our mentorship is only open to past finalists in the Lit Blitz.
Mentorship
Our literary midwife program consists of three main elements:
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Goal Setting: Each accepted writer will attend a group orientation and get a one-on-one follow up planning session with an experienced Mormon Lit Lab advisor, culminating in approval of a process and budget plan.
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Financial Support: We will match writers with a sponsor or sponsors who provide a small budget, typically up to $1000, to cover costs associated with the book’s production and promotion. Grants will be dispersed in stages, according to the pre-approved plan.
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On-going Education: We will hold a series of online council meetings to provide guidance on different elements of writing, publishing, and promotion. Attendance at each will be optional, based on writers’ plan and sense of their own needs.
Publication
Writers interested in publishing under the Mormon Lit Lab brand will have that option at the end of the development process. Publishing with us is not, however, a requirement. Writers who are accepted into a given year’s development class retain all rights to their work and are free to submit their book to other publishers. Our interest is helping books come into being.
Support our program
Even a small budget can help make someone’s dream project a reality.
To help bring these new titles into the world, make a tax-deductible one-time or monthly donation to the Mormon Lit Lab today. Whether you are able to contribute $20 or $100, any and every contribution will make a real difference.
If you are interested in making a larger contribution and would like the chance to be matched to a project you feel strongly about, please reach out to us via email or Facebook message.
Past books from the Mentoring Program
Two Masters
Jared Forsyth
Halfway to Heaven
Merrianne Hales
Hemingway in Paradise
Scott Hales