Kidlit One-on-One 6-Month Mentorship with Eric Bell

*Acceptance decisions made on a rolling basis.

Please do not pay for the mentorship until you receive a formal acceptance notification via email.

Click HERE to Apply Now. Early applications are encouraged as space is limited.

Any questions about this mentorship? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Application Process:

Complete Application Questionnaire.

Instructor Bio

Instructor Eric Bell (he/him) is the author of ALAN COLE IS NOT A COWARD (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins) and ALAN COLE DOESN'T DANCE (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins), two middle-grade novels about a gay seventh-grade boy dealing with bullies, crushes, the power of art, and coming out. The books were nominated to the Rainbow Book List for LGBTQ Books for Children and Teens and have been translated into multiple languages. Eric is also featured in the queer middle grade short story anthology THIS IS OUR RAINBOW: 16 STORIES OF HER, HIM, THEM, AND US (Knopf). Eric has taught courses on writing children's books through the Highlights Foundation, Blue Stoop, Murphy Writing, and other places. He is a packet exchange instructor at Drexel University's Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing program. Eric's teaching philosophy is about meeting students where they are in the process and helping them bring out their natural storytelling voice.

Who is this mentorship for?

This mentorship is designed for writers working on any age category of children's fiction: picture books, chapter books, middle grade, or young adult. The ideal applicant is a writer committed to pursuing traditional publication, whether they are just beginning a draft or deep into revisions. This online writing mentorship is open to all levels—what matters most is the desire to work hard and learn.

What to expect:

This is a flexible, personalized one-on-one writing mentorship. You will begin with an initial consultation with Eric where the two of you will assess your needs as a writer and develop a tailored plan for the six months ahead. The specifics of the mentorship may involve writing assignments, sample chapters, entire drafts, reading exercises, query and synopsis reviews, or other related work depending on your project and goals.

Eric will be available for the duration of the mentorship via email and will check in via Zoom calls at a minimum of once per month. The mentorship will include personalized big-picture and line edits (where appropriate), including edit letters, at a rate decided upon between you and Eric. You will also receive oral feedback following up on written feedback during your monthly check-ins. Eric will weigh in on goal statements where appropriate, helping you stay focused and accountable throughout the creative writing course.

Eric brings deep experience mentoring kidlit writers toward publication. His mentees include Meg Eden Kuyatt, whose middle grade novel GOOD DIFFERENT—which Eric helped edit—won a Schneider Family Book Award, and Chad Lucas, whose middle grade debut THANKS A LOT, UNIVERSE launched a career spanning four novels. Whether you are brainstorming your first picture book concept or polishing a YA manuscript for querying, Eric will meet you where you are and help bring out your natural storytelling voice.

Click HERE to Apply Now.

What are the writing goals?

The goals of this mentorship will depend on each student's individual needs, but overall, you and Eric will work toward the macro goal of producing material ready for traditional publication. In this writing mentorship, students will produce polished writing at whatever stage of completion fits their project, generate ideas for current or future stories, become more knowledgeable about the writing process and the children's publishing industry, gain a greater sense of confidence in their own work and process, and read comparable published books in their genre and age category.

Readings

Eric will assign reading material based on each student's writing projects. Assigned books may include titles outside the student's genre or even age category, if Eric believes they will benefit the work.

COURSE OUTLINE

This is a flexible, individualized mentorship. There is no fixed weekly syllabus. Upon acceptance, you and Eric will design a personalized work plan during your initial consultation. A general framework for the six months may include:

Month 1: Initial consultation to assess your needs, goals, and project. Establish a work plan and communication cadence.

Months 2–5: Ongoing writing, revisions, and feedback cycles. Eric provides big-picture and line edits, edit letters, and oral feedback during monthly check-ins. Reading assignments tailored to your project. Query and synopsis review as appropriate.

Month 6: Final feedback cycle. Wrap-up consultation to assess progress, identify next steps, and set you up for continued momentum beyond the mentorship.

Actual schedules will be individually tailored after the initial consultation, and the mentorship can be adapted as your project evolves.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Produce polished writing ready for traditional publication (exact stage of completion depends on your starting point and project goals)
• Generate ideas for current or future children's fiction stories
• Develop a deeper understanding of the writing process and the children's book publishing industry
• Gain greater confidence in your own work, voice, and creative process
• Read and analyze comparable published books to strengthen craft awareness
• Receive personalized editorial feedback including big-picture edits, line edits, and edit letters

TESTIMONIALS:

"Eric was one of the first to write middle grade books for queer kids, and he brings that same spirit of inclusivity and care as a mentor. He celebrates all identities, meets writers where they are, and helps them grow with kindness, insight, and a great sense of humor. I am so lucky to have worked with him. If you're considering doing so, stop considering and do it! It will change your writing and your life." — Elizabeth Catanese

"Eric helped me SOOOO much with my revision process! I finished my manuscript in 2021 and kept making small edits on my own, but I never felt ready to query agents until Eric read it! He read my entire (80,000 word) Middle Grade epic fantasy and gave me the best insights I've ever received. I finally have a path forward! I know what edits I am going to make and after those edits are complete, I feel confident enough to query agents. Eric made all the difference. He told me where my novel really took off, what the strengths of the manuscript were (and thus what scenes I should really lean into and what I should cut). He shared 2 VERY BIG ideas that will reshape the novel into the book that I want it to be! He is witty, creative, and great at generating plot ideas and brainstorming new ways forward. He also gave me many smaller edits-- teaching me how to rewrite internal dialogue, translations, cut redundancies, make more 3 dimensional villains, and so much more! In the revision process with Eric, I always felt uplifted, supported, and encouraged. In all of my years of receiving writing feedback, this was the best experience by far. His comments felt like gold treasures. He explained his suggestions in a way that helped me to open up and let in new possibilities. His current knowledge of the children's book market and the publishing industry, and his expertise in writing a book pitch were also a great asset! I can't thank you enough, Eric! I'd highly recommend having your whole novel (or chapters) read over by Eric!" — Anne McGinness

"Eric helped me sharpen my characters, strengthen my climax and improve my Middle Grade manuscript in more ways than I can count. Beyond his keen insight, I appreciated his encouragement, his humor, and his willingness to be a sounding board in the stressful moments. Eric was a mentor in the very best sense of the word—he didn't just help me write a better book, he helped prepare me for everything that came next." — Chad Lucas, author of Thanks a Lot, Universe

"Eric is such a thoughtful and thorough reader, and provides feedback for you to help clarify the ideas you care about and gain confidence in your story. From the beginning, he proved that he "got" my book and gave it such incredible attention, care and passion. He really helped strengthen my manuscript in areas I particularly struggle, such as tightening focus, heightening stakes and tying my plot lines together. He also reminded me how important it is to put the main message of the story front and center, and helped me reinforce the message of my novel in revisions. All of Eric's edits made sense, and were very clear and concrete, so I found the editing process to not be as difficult as I feared. He's also an incredible cheerleader; his encouragement helped me believe in my writing again. I can't recommend working with Eric enough!" — Meg Eden Kuyatt, author of Schneider Family Book Award Honor-winning Good Different

"Working with Eric for my Middle Grade Adventure story critique and editing needs was an absolute game-changer. His keen eye for detail and insightful suggestions were invaluable, particularly in strengthening my story structure and bringing my characters to life. Not only did Eric catch errors, plot holes, inconsistencies, and areas in need of improvement, but his feedback was incredibly constructive and actionable, providing clear pathways for improvement rather than just pointing out issues. The communication was excellent, and he truly understood my vision and offered great recommendations for bringing it to life. I highly recommend Eric to anyone looking for top-notch editing and story critique services that deliver impactful results!" — Dominic Plavny

"Eric provided such lovingly detailed, meticulous, and well-rounded feedback that gave me the tools to re-craft and fine tune my manuscript. He invested far more time and care into helping my book become a better story than I ever could have imagined. In the most challenging of times, Eric's knack for understanding the ins and outs of storytelling kept me inspired and gave me the confidence to make major changes in my writing. Ultimately, working with Eric gave me a clearer vision for my book and sharpened my skills as a writer in ways I'm still uncovering. His patience, knowledge of the industry, and passion for writing made him an invaluable part of my writing education." — Jesse James Keitel, Out Magazine-honored actress

"I'm so thankful I had the chance to work with Eric! He provided thoughtful, detailed feedback on my middle grade manuscript and helped me brainstorm ideas. Thanks to him, I went from "stuck" to ready to revise … and now, that manuscript is submission-ready! Eric takes the time to analyze what's working with your writing and offers suggestions for improving big-picture issues as well as smaller details. He is supportive and encouraging, too. I gained confidence and craft skills that I'll be able to apply to all my future projects. I highly recommend working with Eric – it's been a game-changer for me!" — Kelsey Gross

Click HERE to Apply Now.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $4,495 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Eric Bell
• Format: One-on-One 6-Month Mentorship
• Applications accepted on a rolling basis
• The mentorship is fully online and students may participate from anywhere
• Monthly check-ins via Zoom; ongoing communication via email
• Tuition is $4,495 USD.