Mentoring for Writers
Writers interested in mentorships are welcome to contact me via the email form on this page. I offer mentorships from three hours in length up to thirty hours, and work closely right through the process of writing a novel, teaching all aspects of the craft from structural considerations, to character and the craft of writing, right down to the final details of every sentence, working closely with my mentees and sharing my knowledge of writing and the publishing industry. Having been a full-time author for eight years now, I know what editors and agents are looking for, and I can help writers build their skills and knowledge toward working in the industry as a professional novelist. I mentor via email, and Zoom sessions. Feedback is always constructive, and I genuinely love to share my knowledge of the craft and the industry, and to help. I have been mentoring for several years in all genres of fiction- historical fiction, women’s fiction, fantasy and romance (I’m not a huge expert on thrillers or science fiction) but have also mentored many writers with their literary fiction.
As well as being an author, I am a fully qualified and experienced teacher.
I also help writers prepare cover letters and synopses for agency and editorial submissions and I have experience working with and knowledge of the Australian, United States, and British publishing industries and their requirements.
Testimonials:
‘I don’t think I could have found a more ideal mentor than Ella Carey. I found her suggestions not only insightful but very refreshing. Her attention to detail in editing my synopsis and structuring the first few chapters helped me greatly. I found Ella to be empathic, intuitive and very professional. I loved her friendly attitude and would highly recommend her as a mentor.’ Meena, writer.
“Choosing Ella Carey as my mentor was one of the best decisions I made on my journey towards securing a literary agent for my first novel. From editing my synopsis to providing constructive feedback on my whole novel to sharing her knowledge on literary agencies around the world, she has taught me a lot. She is professional, insightful, and incredibly supportive. Thanks to Ella, I am now on the next stage of my writing career. I would recommend her to any aspiring author.” Yichen, writer, July, 2021. *Yichen’s first novel, mentored by Ella Carey is to be published with Allen and Unwin in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in a British and Commonwealth book deal. Yichen also signed with a major international literary agency directly after her award winning mentorship with Ella Carey through the Australian Society of Authors.
“I have had two books published, each of which went through strong structural and detailed editing. I had also had my current manuscript of 89,000 words vetted by both professionals and writing group members in the past and they were certainly helpful – but no-one cast fresh analytic intelligence and, obviously, long publishing experience on my synopsis and on my MS writing style and character-building in such revolutionary, perceptive and exciting way as Ella Carey did.” Nancy, author.
“I highly recommend Ella as a writing mentor. Ella reviewed a draft synopsis and the opening to a novel I am working on and her feedback and experienced input have been so valuable. Ella gave helpful comments on improving the opening chapter but also constructive suggestions which I will be able to use in the rest of the novel. Ella zoomed out to consider the story as a whole and how to reflect this in the synopsis, and zoomed in with hugely helpful comments on sentence structure, setting and tone. I had more ‘ah-ha’ moments in a few hours of discussion with Ella, than in whole novel writing courses I have taken. Fantastic value.” – Jac (aspiring!) writer.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Ella’s mentoring service. She kindly reflected on the story structure of my novel. She was very professional, respectful, and supportive. Her guidance was very clear, logical, well-considered, and helpful. She is very knowledgeable and her input was worth every cent.” Lexi, author.
“I am a novice author, and Ella’s mentorship has proven instrumental in offering constructive feedback and a thorough comprehension of the expectations established by the writing industry. Simply put, it is a wonderful experience. I remain surprised at the level of detail, and Ella’s passion to help improve my craft has helped me to chart a better course for my novel. With her advice, I have been able to refine my synopsis into something more appealing towards prospective agents and editors. In doing so, I have come to understand what aspects of a story to emphasise and work on. Ella has also helped review my writing style and narrative structure for grammatical inconsistencies and overall tone. I have much to improve upon, which I would never have been able to refine if not for her guidance. I can not thank Ella enough for her mentorship, and I thoroughly recommend this experience to any aspiring author.” Smit, writer.
“My novel is currently receiving mentoring guidance from Ella Carey. Her instruction and organisational approach to novel development is bringing me to a new understanding of my work. Ella’s encouragement is greatly appreciated and certainly enabled me to move my novel forward.” Andrew, writer.
“Ella Carey is an empathetic teacher, with a manner both perceptive and professional, her structural input especially invaluable.” Ian, author.