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Mentors Program

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Meet the 2026 Mentors Pricing FAQs

Applications for the July–November 2026 Mentors Program are now closed. The February–June 2027 round of the program will launch in August 2026. Sign up to our newsletter to stay in the loop!

What’s included in a KYD Mentorship?

A mentorship consists of close reading and reporting on your work-in-progress (10–12,000 words at a time, totalling up to 60,000 words), along with five consultations in-person, over the phone or on Zoom over the five-month period. Our mentors are experienced, award-winning writers, editors and teachers, with valuable insights into both the publishing industry and the creative regime required to craft a long-form manuscript.

The process of being mentored will leave you inspired, motivated and armed with many new skills to take your manuscript from a work-in-progress to submission-ready. But don’t just take our word for it—check out the testimonials of previous mentees below!

Meet Our 2026 Mentors

Mentors

Memoir, Narrative Non-Fiction, Adult Fiction

Amal Awad

Amal Awad is a Palestinian Australian writer, director and performer whose work explores culture, identity and belonging. She is the author of eight books across fiction and non-fiction. Her most recent novel, Bitter & Sweet, was selected by readers as a favourite in the 2024 Better Reading Top 100. An AFTRS screenwriting graduate, Amal is also an award-winning screenwriter.

‘Creativity is essential to our existence. As a creative, I know the power of finding and using your voice. As an experienced storyteller, it’s exciting to help others discover what truly interests them as writers, and guide them to tell stories with authenticity, from their unique perspectives.’
Mentors

Short Stories, Adult Fiction, Memoir, Narrative Non-Fiction

Murray Middleton

Murray Middleton’s first collection of stories, When There’s Nowhere Else to Run, won the Australian/Vogel Literary Award. His second book, No Church in the Wild, was shortlisted for the Readings New Australian Fiction Prize. He is also the winner of the Age Short Story Award. In 2016, Murray was named one of Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelists. His third book, U Want It Darker, is out now.

‘As a writing teacher by trade, I find that mentoring intense students—those whose fever is the same strain as my own—stretches and snaps the parameters of my own knowledge. I’m looking forward to the shared discoveries that lie beyond this snapping.’

Mentors

Short Stories, Adult Fiction

Omar Musa

Omar Musa is an author, visual artist, rapper and poet from Queanbeyan, Australia. He has written two novels, three books of poetry, five hip-hop records and two plays. His work has appeared in Poetry Magazine, The Best Australian Stories and Best of Australian Poems. His debut novel Here Come the Dogs was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and the Miles Franklin Award, and he was named one of Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Novelists in 2015. His latest novel, Fierceland, won the 2026 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award’s Prize for Fiction.

‘I love brainstorming with other writers to find the right literary vessel for an emotional or intellectual risk. I especially like the process of complexifying character dynamics and helping someone add layers to the text, then polish it, so that the writing has both shine and depth. I hope that sharing my experiences will help potential mentees amplify their own voices.’

Mentors

Crime/Thriller, Memoir, Adult Fiction, Narrative Non-Fiction

Peter Papathanasiou

Peter Papathanasiou is the author of five books, including the 2019 memoir Little One and internationally acclaimed DS Manolis crime thriller series commencing in 2021 with The Stoning. He has a Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing from City St George’s, University of London, a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the ANU and a law degree from the ANU. He has completed writing residencies at The New School in New York City and Arvon Foundation in the UK. Peter is now working on writing his next novel and adapting his books to the screen.

'What excites me most about mentoring is the chance to walk alongside another writer at a pivotal moment in their creative life. The opportunity to guide someone to clarify their ideas, steady their voice and trust their instincts is a real honour. I’m looking forward to helping writers navigate uncertainty and build a creative practice they can rely on.'
Mentors

Adult Fiction, Memoir

Rebecca Starford

Rebecca Starford is the publishing director of Kill Your Darlings. She is also the author of the novels The Visitor and The Imitator, and the memoir Bad Behaviour, which was adapted by Matchbox Pictures into a Stan Original series. She is a former editor at Text Publishing and Affirm Press and has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland.

‘Life can feel so busy and rushed, which is why I relish the opportunity to work closely over time with other writers as they develop their projects. Editing will always be my first love—these conversations produce such wonderful ideas, enabling writers to genuinely enhance their manuscripts and get a much stronger sense of the intention of their project before taking the next step with it.’
Mentors

Adult Fiction, Memoir, Narrative Non-Fiction, Experimental/Hybrid

Jayne Tuttle

Jayne Tuttle is a performer, bookshop owner and bestselling author of Paris or Die, My Sweet Guillotine and The Sea in the Metro. She is a graduate of the University of Melbourne and the Lecoq Theatre School in Paris, where she learned creative writing through physical experimentation and performance. In 2026, she is a laureate of the City of Paris, and she has received literary awards and residencies from Varuna Writers’ House, La Napoule Art Foundation, Bundanon and Les Récollets.

‘I love to read new work and provide clear and honest critique, just as I’ve had the privilege of receiving myself. Without mentors I’d have never published a thing! We need that sounding board, that fresh set of eyes, to help the work refine and define itself, gather momentum, become real. Along the way I’ve learned so much from great writers and artists, I can’t wait to share that with others.’
Mentors

Memoir, Adult Fiction, Narrative Non-Fiction, Essays

Lyn Yeowart

Lyn Yeowart has over thirty years of experience writing and editing everything from captions for artwork to award-winning novels. Her debut novel, The Silent Listener, won the 2022 Indie Book Award for Best Debut Fiction, was shortlisted for three other national awards and was a finalist in the UK People’s Book Prize. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Literature and Linguistics) and a Master of Creative Writing, and has worked on numerous books written by aspiring, emerging and established writers, advising on structure, voice, character development, plot and style.

‘It’s such a fulfilling and uplifting experience to help writers improve their manuscripts. A KYD mentorship gives both of us the rewards of working together long-term, allowing us to focus on the big picture as well as the smaller details of a work-in-progress, and it’s so good to see mentees develop their confidence, skills and enthusiasm.’

Total Mentorship

$3899

Initial Booking Deposit

$299

First Installment

$1800

Second Installment

$1800

Jasmin Taylor, Past Mentee

‘The mentorship has been a valuable investment, not just for my manuscript, but for me too. I feel I’ve gained greater insight into myself as a writer, my self-editing processes and why I’d formed certain habits with my work.’

Amy Taylor, Past Mentee

‘The generous, insightful and objective guidance I received allowed me to clarify what was working well and what wasn’t…There are very few programs out there that offer this kind of one-on-one feedback and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to participate.’

Gina Rushton, Past Mentee

‘The mentorship was invaluable because it gave me the editorial guidance and encouragement I needed to write and deliver my book in nine months…Not many people have the luxury of getting reassurance from a non-fiction great when they’re in the grips of self-doubt.’

Caris Bizzaca, Past Mentee

‘I’ve been working on this novel for a number of years and kept hitting the same roadblocks to the point where I felt a little helpless. Now I have never been more confident that I will finish it. I feel like everything I’ve learned these past six months will be helpful, not just with this story but for many years to come.’

Julia Faragher, Past Mentee

‘This editorial mentorship gave me the extra motivation I needed to complete the latest draft of my manuscript. I found my mentor’s wisdom extremely valuable, particularly her advice on the path to publication as well as her detailed notes on my manuscript.’

Members Receive $50 Off Mentorships!

Plus you will unlock the latest articles and short stories, writing opportunities, generous course discounts, exclusive creative resources, and publication guidance and advice.

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