Need a critique? The 2024 MWA-NY Mentor Program Officially Opens On March
1!
The MWA-NY Mentor Program committee invites members of the New York Chapter of
MWA, unpublished and published, to submit their work for critique by an active
member of the chapter.
The MWA-NY Mentor Program committee invites members of the New York Chapter of
MWA, unpublished and published, to submit their work for critique by an active
member of the chapter.
Features of the program:
1) Submit the first 35 pages of a manuscript, or one short story up to 35 pages. Only
crime-related submissions will be accepted.
(2) Your submission must be an example of a crime genre, such as cozy, traditional
mystery, hardboiled, thriller, suspense, romantic suspense, noir, or police procedural.
(3) Pay a small cost to participate.
(4) An active member of the New York chapter will provide constructive feedback in
writing.
For a fee of $25, you may submit up to 35 pages of a novel-in-progress, or one short
story of 35 pages or less. A slightly shorter or longer submission is fine if a scene or
chapter ends a few pages before or after the 35-page limit.
A synopsis of 500 words or less (needed to help us match you to a mentor) is preferable
for novels. The synopsis should describe the whole plot for completed novels and what
you know of the plot so far for works in progress. If you do not have a full synopsis then
please add a paragraph at the end of your extract saying how you believe this story will
end.
If you are submitting a short story, include a paragraph describing it but not a synopsis.
Please read and follow the submission requirements very carefully or your submission
will be rejected.
(1) All manuscripts MUST BE submitted electronically. DO NOT SNAIL MAIL anything
but the application/release form and your check.
(2) Only MS Word documents in .doc or .docx format will be accepted (no .pdf or .rtf or
anything else).
(3) Submissions open March 1, 2024, and close on March 31, 2024. Submissions are
forwarded to appropriate mentors on a rolling basis.
(4) The 35 pages of the manuscript/short story and the synopsis/paragraph must be
double-spaced with one-inch margins all around. Use either a Times New Roman or 12-
point Courier font. Include your name, the title and the page number at the top of each
page.
(5) Include the 35 pages, followed by the synopsis/paragraph, in a single MS Word file
with your last name as the file name. Example, Smith.doc.
(6) Attach the MS Word document to an e-mail addressed to mentors@mwany.org.
Include in the body of the e-mail:
Your full name,
Phone number,
Address,
E-mail address,
Title of Manuscript
Whether Novel or Short Story
Your subgenre, such as cozy, traditional mystery, hardboiled, thriller, suspense,
romantic suspense, noir, or police procedural. State more than one subgenre to
characterize your work if necessary. Short stories do not require a subgenre.
Remember to attach your Ms Word file!
7) Download the application and release form here: 2024 Application-Mentor
Program. Send the completed form to the following address, by snail mail postmarked
no later than March 31, 2024, along with a check for $25 payable to MWA-NY. DO NOT
SEND YOUR MANUSCRIPT.
SHEILA MAYHEW (ATTN: MWA-NY MENTOR PROGRAM)
49 MORSE AVENUE
BLOOMFIELD, NJ 07003
Critiques will be e-mailed to you as we receive them from the mentors, but no later
than May 15, 2024.
One final note. The active members of the chapter who serve as mentors do so without
payment. Their only commitment is to critique the work in writing. This program does
not involve face-to-face discussion or an ongoing relationship between mentor and
mentee, unless initiated by the mentor.
Refer to the chapter website for additional information about the program and e-
mail mentors@mwany.org if you still have questions. The subject line of your e-mail
should be “Mentor Program.” We look forward to receiving your submission.