Top writing mentors can revolutionize your writing journey. Sounds exciting! Doesn’t it? But what is a writing mentor and how do they help you?
A writing mentor or a coach is someone who helps and guides you to become a better writer. Now, if you are someone who believes that writing is something that you are either born with or without, well, I beg to differ. Writing is absolutely teachable. Writing is a skill and you can certainly get better at it with proper guidance and practice. That’s where writing mentors come in. They help you to hone your craft. But how do they do it? Well, they provide you with valuable insights and tips tailored to your specific areas of improvement. They read your work and give you personalized feedback, pointing out what is good in your work and what should be better.
Dear poet/writer, we’d love to know you better.
What are you writing?
In prose, you prefer…
To stay informed about articles related to poetry writing,
would you like to get emails from us?
We don’t spam and you can unsubscribe any time.
In prose, you prefer…
To stay informed about articles related to fiction writing,
would you like to get emails from us?
And we’re happy to throw in two free courses, too
We don’t spam and you can unsubscribe any time.
To stay informed about articles related to prose and poetry writing,
would you like to get emails from us?
And we’re happy to throw in two free courses, too
We don’t spam and you can unsubscribe any time.
To stay informed about articles related to non-fiction writing,
would you like to get emails from us?
And we’re happy to throw in two free courses, too
We don’t spam and you can unsubscribe any time.
How Top Writing Mentors Can Elevate Your Writing?
Not sure if a writing mentor is right for you? You are not alone! The truth is, having a writing mentor is not necessary for everyone. The decision to have a writing mentor is personal and depends on your individual needs. However, I can provide you with some insight into the potential benefits of having a top writing mentor.
- Aspiring writers who are new to writing or just starting their writing journey can learn the basics of storytelling and writing techniques from
- If you are someone who feel stuck in their writing process, having a top writing mentor can help you find your way.
- If you are looking for getting personalized feedback, catering to specific areas of improvement in your writing, having a top writing mentor can be immensely beneficial.
- If you struggle to stay motivated or consistent with your writing goals, a writing mentor can hold you accountable to stay on track.
- Writing is an extremely isolated process. Having a mentor can help you connect with fellow writers or writing communities to hone your craft.
{ Looking for some tips on writing feature articles? This blog post will shed some light on it.}
Finding the Right Writing Mentor
While all mentors on the list may possess expertise, but the key lies in finding the right fit for your specific needs. Let’s take a look at some of the key points to keep in mind while selecting the top writing mentor for yourself:
- Reflect on your writing goals and aspirations. Choose a mentor who can help you to achieve them.
- Make sure that your mentor has relevant experience and expertise in your preferred writing genre or area of interest.
- Figure out your mentoring preference. Do you feel more comfortable in group workshops or individual coaching? Understanding your preferences will help you choose the mentoring style that best suits your needs.
- Remember, the whole point of having a writing mentor is to guide you to becoming a better writer. Be honest with yourself about your goals and communicate them clearly to your mentor to fulfill your writing dreams.
{We have an informative post on Different Writing Styles with Examples that you may want to check out.}
Top Writing Coaches or Mentors: Guiding you to reach new heights
Indian Writing Coaches or Mentors
Anita Nair
Anita Nair is a renowned Indian writer, poet, and bestselling author of nine novels and a short story collection. She has also published six books for children, a collection of poems and a collection of essays. Having published her books in over thirty-one languages, she has been felicitated with multiple awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Central Sahitya Akademi Fellowship.
She is the founder of Anita’s Attic, a mentorship program, which is a joint venture between Anita Nair and a digital agency name *conditionsapply.
Why opt for her services?
- Her comprehensive creating writing course is aimed at nurturing literary talent across multiple genres of writing, including Poetry, Novels, Essays, Travel writing, Screenplays, Short Stories, and Children’s Fiction.
- She offers a specialized program designed to analyze your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Her coaching approach aims to provide valuable feedback on areas that may require improvement.
- Her coaching program which is held annually at Bengaluru, India is limited to carefully selected twelve aspiring writers. By limiting the number of participants, she ensures that personalized attention is given to each and every writer.
Where to find her?
Anupama Dalmia
Anupama Dalmia is a blogger, author, serial entrepreneur, and creative writing mentor. She made the bold decision to resign from her high-paying corporate job to pursue her creative interests. Motivated by an insatiable thirst for creativity, she went on to found multiple ventures, including Beyond the Box, Rhythms & Beats, and Tingle Your Taste Buds, throughout her career.
In 2019, Anupama Dalmia founded Beyond the Box after spending two years mentoring the kids through her workshops. Beyond the Box is aimed at providing a comfortable and non-judgmental environment for kids to pursue their creative passions.
Why opt for her services?
- She aims to help children and aspiring writers discover the joy of writing and develop a love for words. By offering them support and guidance, she strives to ignite their creativity and passion for the art of writing.
- By using unconventional teaching methodologies, she makes learning a fun experience by infusing it with joy. Which is why she is loved among her students for conducting classes which are not only informative but are filled with excitement too.
- She encourages kids to look beyond limitations and help them to become more observant and thoughtful individuals.
Where to find her?
Abha Iyengar
Abha Iyengar is a renowned creative writing mentor, certified by the British Council. With numerous accolades to her name, she has established herself as an internationally published poet, author, editor, and translator.
During her career, Abha has served as a writer-in-residence at the esteemed Sangam House Residency. She was honored with the Lavanya Sankaran Writing Fellowship for her exceptional work during the 2009-2010 period.
Through Creative Writing Workshops, she actively engages with aspiring writers to share her expertise and guidance on various aspects of storytelling.
Why opt for her services?
- As a personal mentor, she provides one-on-one coaching to aspiring writers to help them sharpen their writing skills.
- She believes that each writer has their own strengths and weaknesses. Which is why, she tailors her coaching approach to meet the specific needs and goals of her clients’.
- Her experience as an editor brings a distinct advantage to the writers she works with. She assists writers in polishing their manuscripts and bring out the best in their work.
Where to find her?
Chetan Mahajan
Chetan Mahajan is a Penguin-published author and the co-founder of the Himalayan Writing Retreat. He also works with a few authors as a writing coach. He provides the writer get constructive, directional feedback from a well-informed peer.
Where to find him?
https://himalayanwritingretreat.com/writing-coach/
Pragya Bhagat
Pragya Bhagat is an award-winning essayist and spoken word poet. Her latest book, Swimming in Our Oceans, was published by Zubaan and touted as one of the best nonfiction reads of 2022. [the places i’ve been published in can stay the same]. She currently lives in Goa, where she founded The Poetry Circle.
Why opt for her services:
- Pragya did not study writing formally; she holds degrees in Biology, Education, and Dalit and Tribal Social Work. It is her wide range of experiences that inform both her writing and coaching style.
- She offers both creative writing workshops as well as one-on-one coaching. Both of these services are grounded in the genre of memoir, in the form of poetry, personal essay, or a full length book.
- Pragya published both of her books through an extensive trial-and-error process. In her coaching, she offers the lessons she learned, the writing and reading rituals that worked for her, and the mistakes that she made, so that others don’t have to recreate the wheel.
- She has worked with dozens of writers of all ages, from those in their teens to first-time writers in their seventies to published authors. Her coaching plan is customised to the writer’s individual vision for themselves.
Where to find her?
https://pragyabhagat.wordpress.com/contact/
International Writing Coaches or Mentors
Kathleen Kaska
Kathleen Kaska is an American author with twenty-five years of writing and publishing experience. She has also served as Marketing director of a publishing company for five years. Author of novels, non-fiction books, travel articles, plays, and poems, Kaska’s writing is often praised for its captivating storytelling and well-developed characters.
In her coaching journey of ten years, she has assisted numerous authors in coaching them through their publishing journey.
Besides offering coaching services, she regularly shares valuable tricks and tips with her readers through her blog posts. One of her popular segments, called “Five-Minute Writing Tips,” has gained significant appreciation from readers.
Why opt for her services?
- She is honest and direct in her coaching approach and has been widely regarded as an invaluable mentor by her clients.
- Her creativity and attention-to-detail is highly beneficial for novice writers in churning out stories that connect with readers on an emotional level.
- Her experience in publishing industry provides an added advantage to first-time authors.
Where to find her?
https://metaphorwritingcoach.com/
Jennie Nash
Jennie Nash is an author, book coach and founder of Author Accelerator, a book coaching company. Having published four novels and three memoirs, she has gained extensive experience in the world of writing.
Jenny Nash loves and admires the creative process, not just her own but also that of others. She is fascinated by how people can start with nothing and turn it into something valuable. Which is why, she finds immense joy in coaching, guiding and inspiring others through their creative journeys.
Why opt for her services?
- Jenny Nash customizes her coaching approach to meet the individual needs and goals of each writer she works with.
- She helps writers set realistic goals, create manageable writing schedules and help writers stay focused towards completing their projects on time.
- Her coaching clients have landed top deals from leading publishing houses such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Norton etc. and won dozens of national indie book awards.
Where to contact her?
https://www.authoraccelerator.com/
Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman is an author, speaker and educator, known for her expertise in writing, publishing, and the digital media landscape. With an experience spanning over 25 years, she has worked with numerous authors, writers and industry professionals. Her valuable insights and guidance have helped the writers navigate the ever-changing trends within the industry.
As an educator, she has taught writing and publishing courses at various institutions, including the University of Virginia and the University of Cincinnati.
Why opt for her services?
- Her enlightening lessons are designed to help writers understand key concepts and strategies.
- With a teaching experience dating back to 2009 and an in-depth expertise, she delivers high-quality and engaging classes to her students.
- Her classes are highly affordable. Which is why writers can get access to quality education without breaking their budget.
Where to find her?
Jeff Goins
Jeff Goins is a bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, marketer, speaker and a writing mentor. He has written several books, including “The Art of Work” and “Real Artists Don’t Starve” which inspires individuals to pursue their passions and live a meaningful life. Through his blog and newsletter, he provides writing prompts and exercises to help writers improve their creativity.
Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his books, courses, and coaching, he helps thought leaders turn their good ideas into great ones.
Why opt for his services?
- He assists authors in planning their books before they even start writing. By implementing his strategies, authors are able to produce high-quality books that resonate with their readers.
- He shares his own journey of growth and transformation to help you find your unique voice and share it with the world.
- He has built an online community of aspiring writers to help them pursue their creative dreams.
Where to find him?
Joanna Penn
Joanna Penn is a successful author, entrepreneur and podcaster known for her work in the indie author community. With over 35 books to her name, she has been recognized as a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her books have sold almost a million copies 169 countries. Her famous works have been translated into five languages.
Joanna Penn is an experienced author who can teach you how to write, publish and market your book. She offers valuable mentorship through her podcast, blog, books and online resources.
Why opt for her services?
- Her coaching style is approachable and supportive. She encourages the writers to overcome obstacles and stay motivated on their writing journey.
- With a collection of over 1000 articles and 600+ hours of free audio and video content, her website offers a wealth of resources.
- Besides offering guidance on improving writing craft, she shares strategies for effective book marketing to help authors promote their work.
Where to find her?
https://www.thecreativepenn.com/
Robert McKee
Robert McKee is a renowned author, screenwriting lecturer, and story consultant. For the past 30 years, he has been like a guru for storytellers. He has mentored storytellers from various fields, including screenwriting, novels, plays, poetry and film production. His deep understanding of what makes a story truly magical earned him the nickname “Aristotle of our time” by his students.
His former students include Academy Award Winners, Emmy Award Winners, and DGA (Directors Guild of America) Award Winners.
Why opt for his services?
- Over the course of nearly four decades, McKee has taught more than 100,000 students in his classes held at various cities around the world.
- His teachings focus on importance of understanding the fundamental aspects of storytelling.
- Through his webinars, he engages actively with participants and provides them with feedback on their works.
Where to find him?
Brooke Warner
Brooke Warner is a well-known figure in the publishing industry. She is an author, publisher, and writing coach. During her tenure at Seal Press as Executive Editor, she helped numerous authors in bringing their stories to life. She is also the founder of She Writes Press, a platform dedicated to support women authors.
She helps a wide variety of people to write and complete their books, and get them published. Her clients include fiction writers, memoirists, non-fiction writers and entrepreneurs.
Why opt for her services?
- Her coaching focuses on helping writers bring out the best in their books while enjoying the writing process.
- She regularly conducts workshops, retreats, and writing programs to help writers stay focused in their writing journeys. She also offers one-on-one coaching to writers.
- Besides coaching and publishing, she teaches memoir courses through her program called, “Write Your Memoir in Six Months”.
Where to find her?
Lauren Sapala
Lauren Sapala is a writer, author and writing coach known for helping writers who are struggling to find their unique voice. She has helped numerous authors in overcoming their writing blocks. She is well-known for her expertise in mentoring sensitive and introverted writers.
In 2009, she founded the WriteCity writing group in Seattle to help writers struggling with creative blocks. The success of the program led her to becoming a full-time writing coach in 2013. Since then, she has helped hundreds of writers in bringing their creative dreams to life.
Why opt for her services?
- Her coaching approach is empathetic and compassionate towards the writers. She provides a safe space for her clients to explore their ideas and express them freely.
- She provides effective strategies to help writers overcome their writers block and regain their creative flow.
- She helps writers in cultivating their natural intuition as an integral part of their writing journey.
Where to find her?
Jordan Rosenfeld
Jordan Rosenfeld is an accomplished writer and writing instructor. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher and coach, she has helped writers to nurture, grow and refine their skills in fiction and memoir writing. Throughout her career, she has taught writing classes at prestigious writing conferences such as Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Conference and the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference. She has also taught at various educational institutions, including Gavilan Community College and Brown University.
In her classes, she provides a supportive and personalized online group environment where writers can enhance their writing skills.
Why opt for her services?
- Her teaching approach focuses on creating well-developed and authentic characters to engage readers.
- She provides relevant examples of her own experience as an author of six books on the craft of writing to help writers understand better.
- In her workshops, she shares effective strategies on how to use vivid images to turn bland sentences into captivating ones. By the end of her workshops, the writers learn to express and reveal the emotions of their characters.
Where to find her?
Sage Cohen
Sage Cohen is an accomplished writer, poet, writing coach known for her contribution to the writing community through her coaching, workshops and books. She has authored several books, including “The Productive Writer” and “Writing the Life Poetic”. These books aim to help writers enhance their craft and productivity.
Her books also offer numerous tips and exercises to assist writers cultivate their writing practice and achieve better results. In addition to coaching and writing, Cohen is a popular speaker who is invited to speak at prestigious literary festivals and writing events to share her valuable insights on various writing topics.
Why opt for her services
- Sage Cohen offers a unique coaching program designed to help writers make significant progress in their writing journey.
- This exclusive six-month coaching program is limited to only three writers per year. Which is why she is very selective in picking her clients.
- Her coaching approach revolves around giving individual attention and maintaining a strong focus on her clients’ needs and goals.
Where to find her?
Stuart Horwitz
Stuart Horwitz is a writer, editor, and writing coach who has authored several books on writing and storytelling, including “Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula” and “Finish Your Book in Three Drafts: How to Write a Book, Revise a book, and Complete a Book While You Still Love It.”
He is also the founder of Book Architecture, a method that helps writers organize and refine their manuscripts. Through Book Architecture, he provides workshops and consultations to help writers in giving life to their works and achieving their writing goals.
Why opt for his services?
- With an experience of over 20 years, Stuart has helped numerous writers to become authors. His clients have managed to sign deals with top literary agencies and coveted publishing houses. Some of his clients have made it to the highly esteemed New York Times best-seller list, in fiction and non-fiction categories.
- His coaching approach combines academic theories of storytelling with his own real-life experience as an editor and book coach. Which is why he gives simple and practical advice to writers.
- His contribution towards the success of his clients has earned him rave reviews and a respected position in the writing world.
Where to find him?
https://www.bookarchitecture.com/
Marion Roach Smith
Marion Roach Smith is an author, speaker, and writing coach known for her expertise in memoir writing. To help writers develop their memoirs, she has authored several books, including “The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing and Life.”
As a writing coach, she guides aspiring memoirists to help them shape and refine their personal stories. Through her online classes, she provides guidance on all aspects of memoir writing. These courses are designed to cater to needs of writers at different levels. She offers coaching on entry-level courses as well as more advanced topics like book structure, personal essay writing and writing book-length memoirs.
Why opt for her services?
- Her coaching approach is based on result-oriented methodology. She motivates her clients to write with a clear purpose and intent.
- In her coaching sessions, she doesn’t provide prompts or exercises. Instead, she focuses on teaching and sharing tools and feedback to improve memoir writing skills of her clients.
- She provides constructive feedback and empowers writers to develop their memoir writing skills by highlighting areas for improvement.
Where to find her?
Rochelle Melander
Rochelle Melander is an author, speaker, teaching artist, and professional certified coach. She has written a total of eleven books, including “Write-A-Thon: Write Your Book in 26 Days (And Live to Tell About it)” and “Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity.”
She is also the founder of “Dream Keepers”, a writing workshop dedicated to inspire young people through the power of storytelling. This workshop aims to bring together parents, teachers, and professional writers who work closely with young people. Rochelle has been teaching writing to children and adults at schools, universities, synagogues, corporate events, and art studios.
Why opt for her services?
- Through her workshops, she aims to empower young minds to make positive changes in their lives and communities through the power of writing.
- She provides a nurturing and comfortable environment for young individuals to encourage self-expression and creativity among them.
- Her one-of-a-kind workshop for kids provides an enriching experience for them by helping them discover the joy of writing.
Where to find her?
https://writenowcoach.com/dream-keepers/
Dianne Jacob
Dianne Jacob is a full-time writing coach, author, and teacher specializing in food writing. Before devoting herself entirely to coaching, she held prominent positions as editor-in-chief at leading newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses.
Through her coaching, she has helped writers from around the world with their books, freelance articles, and blogs. Many of her clients went on to sign book deals with major publishing houses, including Chronicle Books, Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
She has authored several books, including the highly acclaimed “Will Write for Food: Pursue Your Passion and Bring Home the Dough Writing Recipes, Cookbooks, Blogs and More.”
Why her?
- Her extensive experience, combined with her passion for food writing, has earned her a reputable place in the realm of food writing.
- In addition to providing coaching on the craft of writing, she also offers guidance on various aspects of publishing, book promotion, and effective use of social media.
- In her coaching, she works closely with her clients to ensure that their books are captivating and marketable. She also offers editing services to improve the structure and overall quality of the writing.
Where to find her?
{We have an article on 17 types of Creative Writing that may help you get started on your writing journey.}
The absence of a top writing mentor is a missing piece in your writing journey. With their expertise and industry knowledge, they can help you enhance your skills. Who knows, with top writing mentor, you might score a sweet deal with a prominent publishing house. You can already picture your name on the bestsellers list, can’t you?
So, buckle up, my writing friends and get those creative juices flowing.