Round Table Mentor is a year-long writing mentorship program that pairs writers with mentors in order to guide them through revising their novel, and I’m very, very excited to say that I’m going to be a Round Table Mentor for 2026! Mentee applications run from Nov 6-21. Obviously, do check out the mentor lineup and individual wishlists on the RTM website, but here’s more about me, how I approach mentorship, and a more detailed explanation of my wishlist.
about me
Outside of the information in my bio page, here are some facts that are pertinent to my being a mentor:
During Pitch Wars, I completely rewrote my middle grade dragon fantasy. (Literally. I salvaged two scenes.) I also did multiple rewrites of my next novel, a young adult fantasy, in the process of getting it ready for submission. So I’m very familiar with tackling tough developmental edits.
I was a Write Team Mentorship Program Critique Mentor in 2024 and have donated query package critiques to multiple programs and fundraisers, which have encompassed a wide range of genres.
In terms of full manuscripts, while I have yet to critique one in an official mentorship or donation capacity, I’ve critiqued upwards of thirty full manuscripts, mostly in the adult and young adult spec fic space.
my mentorship style
I’ve previously posted about my approach to giving critique and receiving critique, which I think gives a good sense of how I approach revising books in general. But for some more clarity and detail about mentorship, which is a much more collaborative and extensive process than beta reading, here’s some extra info:
I’m not looking for a perfect book
As mentioned, I’ve done hefty revisions before, and would be hoping to guide a mentee through similarly hefty revisions in the way I was once guided. So I’m not looking for a perfect book. In fact, I’m looking for a book that needs work—one where I have a vision for in terms of what that work needs to be.
However, I do have to fall in love with a story, so there does need to be some level of polish. For one, on a line-by-line level, it’s easier to read through a story that is clearly and cleanly written. For another, it can be difficult to look past surface-level inconsistencies, if there are too many of them, to visualize a broader plan of revision.
I’m not going to make the book *my* book
Does doing big revisions equal compromising the vision of the book?
My feedback is never intended to transform someone else’s story into what *I* think it should be or how *I* would’ve written it. The intention is always to unearth the best version of the story that the *author* wants to tell—and sometimes that requires killing darlings to get to the heart of things.
what you can expect from my mentorship
Round Table Mentor’s program involves two revisions, but of course the amount of work every story will need might differ; my goal is to guide my mentee through a year’s worth of revisions to get a novel into query-ready shape, however many rounds that might end up being. My exact amount of feedback will vary depending on how much the story needs, but some basic things I’d offer are:
A detailed edit letter that points out the overarching, foundational aspects of the story (characters, setting, large-scale plot issues) that might need more work.
Inline comments in the manuscript that point out scene- or line-level issues. These might not be provided for the first revision; in cases where the story needs major reworking, pointing out scene-level issues is rarely helpful. But when the manuscript is ready for it, comments will be given a-plenty.
Brainstorming session(s) via video chats or calls or other methods to figure out a revision strategy together.
Review of the story’s major plot points and act-by-act outlines. I prefer to collaboratively work out a story’s new plot before the actual revision begins, to make sure things won’t go in the wrong direction and become wasted work.
Query material aid: at the end of it all, we’d of course work together to put together a query, synopsis, elevator pitch, etc to prepare for querying.
my strengths as a mentor
Not to toot my own horn (but to maybe toot it a little bit), here are some areas where I think my feedback would be particularly helpful:
I’m a big fan of world-building. My world-building documents are frequently thousands of words long, replete with naming systems and vocabulary lists and magic system rules. If you’re looking for someone to make sure your second world setting hangs together, I’m your person.
Similar to the above, I have a STEM background and am annoyingly science-minded. If you have a fantasy illness, a research facility, a plague outbreak, or real-world medicine in your story, I will put on my spectacles and poke at every facet.
Again, similar to the above, I’m very detail-oriented. I usually turn out pretty clean first drafts and am very sensitive to little incongruities in stories.
I focus on identifying foundational issues in stories. Despite being, to put it bluntly, rather anal, I pride myself with being able to see big-picture issues and thus suggest transformative revisions rather than only completing surface-level edits—which often fail to significantly improve a story.
My feedback is versatile. I’m a literary-leaning writer and reader working in traditional publishing, so I think I strike a good balance between commercial considerations and authorial intent with my feedback.
… and my weaknesses
However, I will readily admit that there are things I’m not good at:
I am unfamiliar with self-publishing. I am and have always written with a mind for traditional publishing, and self-publishing is a whole other playing field.
I have little experience writing and critiquing low stakes stories. As in, I am probably not the best fit for a “cozy” or romance-centric story.
It has been years since I last queried. While I’m confident in my query- and synopsis- critiquing capabilities, I’m not super versed in newer agents and literary agencies.
my manuscript wishlist
In the broadest sense, I’m looking to mentor adult or YA novels in the genres of: fantasy, horror, sci-fi, thriller, and mystery. Looking deeper, what kind of story am I hoping to mentor? I’m always open to being surprised, but here are some elements that are likely to catch my interest, with genre-specific wishlists, an anti-wishlist, and books I love to follow:
In general, I prefer upmarket stories, as in stories that combine literary writing and thoughtful critique with a genre hook and tight pacing. (Tight pacing is not the same as fast pacing to me; it just entails that every event is essential.) I also tend to gravitate toward stories that are centered on the main characters’ emotional plights, rather than grand and sweeping political adventures.
In terms of concept, I’m interested in anything that can be described as “weird and gross” or “literary and tragic.” My favorite premises are ones that combine a classic element with a fresh, offbeat twist. I love a good genre mashup, one that makes me go “damn, how has no one ever thought of doing this before?!” I’m also a sucker for an interesting narrative structure, such as multiple timelines or mixed media or confessional-style narration, etc.
I USUALLY prefer writing that leans lyrical—writing that has rhythm and flow and paints lovely imagery. However, I don’t love overdone writing (writing that hampers rather than enhances) and greatly enjoy stories that are snarky and humorous. I think the key is having a voice that draws me in.
I always enjoy compelling characters, as in characters that complex and nuanced and realistic. It means a character isn’t easily defined by simple characteristics. It means they have a backstory and good and bad traits at the same time. It means I can empathize with them even if they’re horrible. Realistic, believable dialogue is essential for me to love a character; witty, fun banter earns extra points.
I’m keen on stories that represent people, cultures, and settings that have been traditionally sidelined in mainstream media.
fantasy
Magic systems that are so well-crafted they feel almost scientific. This doesn’t mean I’m not into unexplainable eldritch magic or the like. It’s just that my eyes will pop out into hearts of appreciation if there’s a magic system that makes me feel like I could potentially learn it. Overall, I prefer magic systems with defined consequences rather than “the plot needs him to faint from magic overuse.”
Settings that feel real and atmospheric. This is a multi-level thing. On a base level: the world and its elements feel natural, organic, rather than being constructed by throwing every cool thing into a blender. On a higher level: the world feels real, like a HBO-level set rather than underfunded CGI.
Settings that draw from something other than Medieval Europe. Medieval Europe is not a hard no, but it’s so done that a really fresh take would be needed for this setting to stand out to me. Extra points if you can comp The Empress of Salt and Fortune.
sci-fi
Stories that are less about hardware and more about humanity. While sci-fi technology is fun and interesting, what I most look for is what the author believes will happen in humanity’s future and what parts of our nature led to that. In plain speak, I’m interested in the thought process behind a futuristic setting.
I’d love something with a dystopian or apocalyptic bent—but done in a fresh way.
horror / thriller / mystery
I prefer psychological, emotional tension over tension that stems from jump scares and killing off random inconsequential characters. As in, I want situations that are horrific in a way that resonates with the character personally, in a way that says something beyond “boo!”
This is not to say that I don’t love some goriness—I love disgusting and horrifying descriptions that make my insides squirm, but are also so well-written and fascinating that I can’t look away.
In terms of horror, specifically, I love weird girl horror and body horror and horror where the setting itself is a character.
In terms of thriller and mystery, I’m less interested in fast-paced stories following traditional genre plot beats, and more interested in stories with a literary bent, something that feels inventive and has a distinct voice. (Think: A Certain Hunger, which is a prison confessional of a food critic, female serial killer, and cannibal.)
things that are not likely to interest me
Road trips: I have nothing against them; they’re just usually not to my taste.
Romance-centric stories. See: my lack of expertise with low-stakes stories.
Main characters that are royalty.
Hard sci-fi that goes very heavy on describing tech.
Retellings that have been done extensively already. (Eg: Beauty and the Beast, Greek Mythology.) Stories inspired by these are fine if there’s a significant twist. (Think: The Salt Grows Heavy.)
Dark academia that happens in an academy but does not critique the academia. This is more of a pet peeve, really. I love stories set in academies! But that doesn’t mean every story set in a vaguely creepy school is dark academia.
books I love
I’m loath to put together an official list of comp titles, because I find them more useful for marketing purposes than for telling me whether or not I’ll like a story. But here are books I love, in no particular order, to provide a sense of my reading tastes:
Gideon the Ninth, The Empress of Salt and Fortune, She Who Became the Sun, The Secret History, Immortal Dark, What Moves the Dead, Vicious, The Song of Achilles, A Certain Hunger, The Dead Husband Cookbook, This is How You Lose the Time War, The Six Deaths of the Saint, The Scorpio Races, Starling House
Hope that this is helpful! Looking forward to reading submissions!
i am beyond thrilled for this!