Mentorship FAQ Page
What's New?
While some aspects of the mentorship are changing, the basic concept remains the same: you work with a mentor for an extended period of time to sharpen your skills and polish your project. The other thing that remains the same is that people have questions. There are a lot of moving parts, so of course you do! But we have answers.
Can you explain my two mentoring options?
You can choose to work with your mentor on either developing your portfolio in more depth, or you can choose to work on a dummy or storyboard.
Portfolios are important for illustrators seeking attention from an agent or from an art director looking to hire someone to illustrate other authors' manuscripts, amongst other illustration projects in the publishing industry.
Dummies are important for author-illustrators seeking attention from an agent or editor to have their own manuscript and illustrations published. This could also appeal to illustrators confident in their portfolios while seeking to strengthen their skills and knowledge in illustrating a manuscript using an existing text.
Are you serious about that 3-illustration limit?
Dead serious. We limit the number of illustrations for two reasons: One, we do not want to overwhelm our superstar supersecret judges and want to be respectful of the time they are devoting to our chapter. Two, if all the entrants have the same number of illustrations, no one has an unfair advantage.
Is the 25MB file limit flexible?
No. This is a limitation with our Google mail address. If you need to know how to compress your file to make it smaller, there are lots of resources out there specifically geared toward graphic files.
I’m not very tech savvy. How do I figure out how to create a PDF and ensure it is the right file size?
Google is your friend. So is SCBWI. Use the listserv to ask for advice, request website links or blog posts that can help, or check out the main SCBWI Discussion Boards (formerly the Blue Boards). Word of caution here, the Mentorship Coordinator will be of no help in this department. Apologies in advance.
This registration process makes it easier for the mentorship coordinator to organize submission materials, and it is a peek into industry practices. While each agent, editor, or publishing house may have different submission requirements, consider the mentorship process as a dress rehearsal for when you begin querying. Your manuscript and/or illustrations may be the best of the bunch, but if you fail to follow directions, it won’t matter how good you are because you will never make it out of the slush pile. And you won’t be able to ask them for help.
What is the cost to enter?
$55 (non-refundable)
How do I pay the entry fee?
You will be asked for credit/debit card information when you register.
Do I have to be a member of SCBWI?
Yes. Proof of current membership may be requested.
Not sure if your membership is up to date? Log in to scbwi.org, click on “My Profile” on the left side of the screen, then click on “My Membership” on the right side of the screen. This will tell you when your membership expires. If it already expired, you can renew right there.
Do I have to live in Michigan?
Yes.
Can I apply if I only live in Michigan for part of the year?
Sure. Proof of part-time residency may be requested.
Are there any exceptions to the “Won and Done” eligibility rule?
Yes. If you have won a picture book or novel text mentorship, you are still eligible to enter for an illustration mentorship.
Will I be notified when my submission materials have been received and are being considered?
Yes. You will receive an email confirmation of your submission.
How long do I have between registering for the mentorship and uploading my submission materials?
24 hours. Failure to send materials by the deadline (or failure to follow submission guidelines) will invalidate your registration without a refund.
Exactly what do you mean by anonymous submissions?
Don’t put your name on any submission materials unless specified in the submission guidelines, and don’t announce on social media that you are entering.
Can I enter if I have already been published, have a PAL book under contract, or have an agent?
Yes. The mentorship is open to all Michigan members.
Where can I learn more about the upcoming mentorship changes?
On the Mentorship page, to the right of the block that says “What’s New for the Mentorship,” click on See More.
I want to know more about previous mentorships. How do I find that?
At the bottom of the Mentorship page, click on Mentorship History to see previous awardees and mentors.
What if I have a question that’s not on this list?
Contact Mentorship Coordinator Jay Whistler.