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Since 2018, The Word's Editor-Writer Mentorship has annually paired upcoming writers with experienced editors for a yearlong mentorship experience. 

I have to thank everyone involved with my amazing mentorship! Not only is my manuscript transformed, but I have felt so supported and uplifted . . . and I am so grateful.

- Shifa Saltagi Safadi, 2022 Mentee,
2024 Winner National Book Award Young People’s Literature
for Kareem Between

The Editor-Writer Mentorship was an invaluable support in my development as a writer, [and] shifted the way I approach storytelling. Additionally, the community of The Word has been amazing and I am also so lucky to have met other mentees and to expand my writing community. 

- Noreen Nanja, 2022 Mentee,
2025 publication of The Summers Between Us

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Meet our 2025 Writer Mentees 

*click for full bios

Meet our 2025 Editor Mentors 

*click for full bios
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MARGARET RAYMO

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers: Hachette


2025 Picture Book Mentor

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FEATHER FLORES
EDITOR 

Atheneum Books for Young
Readers: Simon & Schuster

 

2025 Middle Grade Mentor

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ANUM SHAFQAT

ASSISTANT EDITOR

McElderry and Atheneum Books for Young Readers: 

Simon & Schuster

2025 Young Adult Fiction Mentor

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CAT CLYNE

SENIOR EDITOR

Graydon House & HQN: 

HarperCollins
 

2025 Adult Romance Mentor

This experience was life changing.

- Alyssa Reynoso-Morris
2020 Mentee, author of Gloriana Presente, The Bronx is My Home, Platanos Are Love, and Bold, Brilliant and Latine

The Word Mentorship has opened doors that have been closed to me and other writers like myself for many years. I’m eternally grateful for the encouragement and opportunity.

- Kim Fears
2022 Mentee 

The Word is a uniquely empowering and effective outlet within the literary and publishing world, with a tremendous ability to foster both community among creators, and connections between aspiring authors/artists and publishing professionals. The organization’s programming allows for institutional barriers to be dismounted between traditionally underrepresented creators and publishing companies, thus directly creating faster pathways to publication for their members.

- Jessica Anderson
2020 Editor Mentor

Alumni Mentee News

The alumni network of Editor-Writer graduates have now published over 70 titles. Explore their works on The Word's Bookshop.org list of Mentee Successes. 

Samuel Kọ́láwọlé, 2019 Mentee
The Road to the Salt Sea
2024 Whiting Award Winner

Alyssa Reynoso-Morris,

2020 Mentee
Platanos Are Love

Maleeha Siddiqui,
2018 Mentee
Bhai For Now

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