The Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships scheme gives talented First Story alumni the opportunity to be mentored for one year by experienced, acclaimed writers from the Folio Academy.
On 15 July our 2022/23 cohort gathered at the historic London Library to read new work they have produced through the scheme, and celebrate their achievement alongside their mentors, family and friends.
About the scheme
The mentorships scheme launched in 2017, as a high quality progression route exclusively for First Story participants who complete our intensive Young Writers Programme. Our partnership with Folio is an opportunity for talented young writers to pursue their creative writing ambitions, develop their craft and strengthen their voice, with one-to-one support from an established writer.
Over the course of an academic year, each pairing corresponds regularly and mentees benefit from personalised feedback and support, meeting online and in-person. At the end of a year working together, the showcase event provides an opportunity for participants to perform their work publicly. Mentees are also gifted book bundles, containing titles specially selected by their mentors, plus a free Arvon Masterclass to further develop their writing craft.
This mentorship is such an incredible opportunity… Writers are often the best support for other writers.
Antonia Byatt, CEO First Story
Our 2022/23 pairings
Juno, a student at Cranford Community College in west London, was mentored by London-based poet and editor Emily Berry who is the author of three books of poems all published by Faber & Faber.
Juno put a lot of published writers to shame with the amount of work they produced – especially since they were doing a levels.
Emily Berry, 2022/3 Mentor
Frankie, who was a student at Chelsea Academy when he took part in our Young Writers Programme and is currently backpacking around Germany, couldn’t attend the showcase. His mentor, Sam Byers, read a new piece that Frankie had written on his behalf. Sam’s work has been shortlisted for many Prizes including the Costa First Novel Prize, the RSL Ondaatje Prize, and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.
Lily from The Dukeries Academy in Nottingham was mentored by Diana Evans a British author of Nigerian and English descent, who has written three critically acclaimed novels including Ordinary People, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and the Rathbones Folio Prize.
Before taking part in the mentorship, I didn’t trust myself with my writing, and I was constantly doubting myself. Working with Diana has allowed me to embrace the things I write and learn to reflect on it with an objective view to improve it. With all this in mind, I think this has boosted not only my confidence with my writing, but also my confidence with reading my work to others.
Lily, 2022/3 Mentee
Sadiqah from George Green’s School in east London was mentored by Frances Leviston a poet, critic and short story writer. Her first collection of poetry, Public Dream (2007), was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize; her second collection, Disinformation (2015), was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize.
Qudsia, who was at Holland Park School when she took part in the Young Writers Programme, was mentored by Chris Power whose debut story collection, Mothers (2018), was longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize.
It was a great opportunity to work one on one with a writer to improve your work.
Qudsia, 2022/3 Mentee
Diana, from Leeds Sixth Form College (previously at Co-op Academy Grange in Bradford), was mentored by Momtaza Mehri a Prize-winning poet and essayist and former Young People’s Laureate for London.
I have drastically improved my confidence as a writer. I now know how to view my work as never being perfect, but this is something to be embraced, because this means there is always a chance to improve it and deliver an even stronger message with it. I used to have a lot of issues with thinking that, no matter what I wrote, it’s not good, nor will it ever be. Or when I did write something I liked, I’d think I’d rarely ever write something as good as that again. This programme has helped me embrace that imperfection, and that helped me gain a lot of confidence in my writing.
Diana, 2022/3 Mentee
Read more about our partnership with Folio here. Photos by Huxley Andrews, Tanya Andrews and Annette Brook.
