When I've picked my mentee, I first send over a detailed edit letter and a copy of their full manuscript with my initial thoughts/comments. Then I hop on a call to address any queries they might have before they begin developmental edits. Of course, none of my revisions/suggestions are compulsory, because no one knows your story better than you, and you’re free to take or pass on whatever notes you like! After those are done, I might send over more revisions, or move on to line edits with more comprehensive thoughts in the comments of the revised manuscript. While the mentee tackles further revisions/edits, I would ask them to send over their pitch + query letter + synopsis, and help tighten their submission package. 

Even after the mentorship and showcase, I'd love to discuss querying strategies and potential offers. As for during the course of the mentorship, I will be available to communicate and chat via Email/WhatsApp/Zoom/Google Meet. I am a friend first and a mentor second, and I hope to be there for the mentee even after the mentorship is over. I hope to be the person that the mentee can excitedly text no matter where they are in their writing journey, someone they can confide in about moving on and growing with each rejection they might receive, and someone who not just encourages them to power on, but also reminds them to take breaks.

My first SmoochPit mentee, Cynthia Timoti, went on to receive two offers of representation from agents after the mentorship was over, and eventually clinched a two-book deal with Bramble, a romance imprint at Macmillan. The same book, 'Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice,' is out now. My second mentee, Yi-Jun O, whom I mentored two years back for their alternate historical science-fantasy, 'Fractured Beginnings, Fracturing Ends,' received an offer of representation within ten days of the SmoochPit showcase. My third mentee, Susan Hong, is querying at the moment, and prior to jumping into the trenches, I set up a call with one of her favourite authors, the one who'd written a book she'd comped her project to, helping her gain fuller perspective about the genre she is querying. I love making my mentees feel special, and tailored my mentorship style to suit each of their needs. I'm still in touch with all of them: I blurbed Cynthia's sophomore novel, yapped about Yi-Jun's second project with them, and met Susan in person during my first-ever trip to NYC! I have nothing but endless respect and love for them, because these are some of the most important relationships in my life!

I know exactly what it takes to make an agent hit the full request button, because I've gone from receiving 300+ query rejections to garnering 30+ full/partial requests for the novel that got me my first agent back in 2022, and then recently receiving 7 offers of representation when I re-queried this year from top literary agents, eventually leading me to sign with Patrice Caldwell at The Caldwell Agency. I have conducted multiple successful publishing workshops, and done hundreds of query and submission package critiques. More than even my knowledge of this industry, I love being a mentor, and will bring endless enthusiasm, passion, and support to the table if I do end up picking you, and we find ourselves the perfect fit!