A Gift from the
WRITEHIVE MENTORS
Class of 2026
As part of our commitment to enrich and help the writer community, the Class of 2026 WriteHive Mentors would like to ensure that every mentee hopeful (chosen or not) has the tools and resources to help them on the next step of their journey.
We’ve also included tips and quotes to help keep you motivated because we believe in you and your work.
Your story is important, because you are important. Keep going – you got this.
"This industry can be very exhausting and demoralising at times. Be kind to yourself, and find a good community; protect your sanity and focus on what you can control."
“Write for yourself first. The moment you stop trying to please everyone else and start focusing on the story you want to tell, your voice becomes authentic, and that’s when the magic happens.”
“Something I wish I'd been told (and reminded... over, and over, and over) is that there is literally no timeline to which you need to adhere. There is no one "right" path that lives on some nebulous timetable that you have to keep and compare with your peers. This is also decent life advice in general, I figure! No one path is the "right" path -- what's right is what works for you. I see this so often in my younger peers; brilliant writers in their early 20s, for example, who worry that they're "behind" in some way, or that they're "slacking" if they don't have x number of publishing credits, an agent, a deal, whatever the case may be. There's no schedule; there's no set course. You do what works for you, and you find your own way. Where everyone else is in the race will never, ever matter. In the most loving way, eyes on your own paper!”
"There's a difference between writing and storytelling. Storytelling is the guts and heart and structure of how you progress characters from point A to point B to capture readers. Writing is the window dressing and artistic framework that helps you effectively hone your voice to tell the story."
“Don't define your own success by the things you see others achieving. It is very often outside your control, and you can blame yourself and your writing unnecessarily. This industry is very subjective, that you wrote a novel at all is incredible - don't let anyone belittle you for that, even yourself.“
“Readers don’t care about how much you know or how intelligent you are. They are here for the story; therefore, every word you write should be in service of that story. Writing is an act of setting the ego aside in favor of what works on the page.”
“Take risks. Write the things you think you can’t. Even if you don’t think you are skilled enough, I promise, the challenge will improve your craft and your story-telling ability. And who knows, it might even be the thing that gets the attention.”
“Learn from everything and everyone, but trust yourself to follow your own path to finished work. Your process and goals don’t need to look like anyone else’s to be valid.
Progress in writing often comes project by project. Many writers find an agent with one book and a publisher with another. Each new manuscript builds momentum and opens doors. If you love the work and feel your craft growing, don't doubt that every word is carrying you forward.”
“It's a myth that you're behind schedule if you haven't ‘made it’ yet (whatever making it means to you). You're right on time. In fact, all the time you spend building your skills behind the scenes will (1) make your work stronger once it reaches a wider readership and (2) make you a stronger person who's ready to handle success when it does come.”
"You are not behind, and you are not alone. When discouragement sets in, it can seem as though everyone else is moving forward while you're struggling just to show up. But you are not the problem. We all have slow days, stalled drafts, and moments of wanting to walk away.
I truly believe that the difference between the book that never makes it out to readers and the one that does is persistence. Publishing can be frustrating and is often opaque, but it does reward those who stay. So if all you can do today is keep going, that is enough. Hang in there."
"Make sure you know and understand the rules before you break them. Genre conventions, reader expectations, storytelling and writing rules are all there for a reason and it’s important for you understand what those reason are so you can subvert expectations in an effective way."
“Learn to rest, not to quit. Writing can be so emotionally taxing, and it is a long game. So don’t forget to take breaks as you need and take care of yourself.”
“Don’t be afraid to share your work with someone outside of your area of expertise. For example, my editor’s day job is as a stage manager at a theater. She approaches my books very much from a theater mindset as a result. And discussing things as she seems them—which is a POV from which I have negligible expertise—gives me a ton of stuff to consider that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s also a reason I’ve sought out people who love horror and romance as beta readers despite my books being neither of those.”
“Language is living. What is a rule today may not be tomorrow, so don’t get hung up on shoulds and have tos. Write how you want. It’s your story."
“Be willing to tear your work down to the studs and rebuild it better. It’s a terrifying feeling to let go of words, but I have never regretted trashing scenes and entire subplots for the betterment of my story. Don’t be afraid to do this! The process alone will help you level up as a writer.”
"Every word you write is a step closer to the story only you can tell. The world needs your voice—don’t let doubt silence it."
“Writing continuously, every day, is actually really important for continuity and productivity. I'd heard that before, but it wasn't until I did it myself over long stretches that I appreciated what it does for me.”
“Imposter syndrome is real, and it affects EVERYONE. Always be kind to yourself and give yourself grace. Sometimes it's easy to cheer our friends on without believing the same things for ourselves.”
"Tenacity is your greatest asset, followed closely by flexibility. Work relentlessly, tirelessly on your craft. When you get a rejection, send out your work twice more. But also don't be afraid to pivot and experiment. Don't give up on what you love, but don't be too rigid to change it either."
“Everyone started at a different spot for their writing journey. They also have different lives. One person's success isn't the same. Same with the definition of success.”
"You cannot write for everyone. As amazing as it would be to get a ton of eyes on your work someday, the most important thing is to find your ideal audience and write for them. The more you know your audience, the less negative reviews or critique will hurt. Some is objective, but some you can simply dismiss by realizing your writing isn't for that person, and that's okay."
"Find your people! I was alone in my journey for a number of years. It was only in 2022 that I found an amazing writing group who welcomed me with open arms! I've learned so much from them and vice versa... So yes, find your community!"
“I wish someone had told me that outlining was going to help me IMMEASURABLY in my journey so I could have built that skill earlier on! Writing my self-pub stuff in between trad pub deadlines has forced me to get good at it FAST. My life would have been way easier if I'd gotten a head start on learning my best outline technique.”