Supports Increased Diversity and Inclusion in Romance Publishing
Mentorship opportunity aims to find new talent and bring more stories
representing diverse and own voices to romance readers
Today, Harlequin launched a mentorship initiative that offers aspiring romance writers from underrepresented communities the chance to work one-on-one with a Harlequin editor for a year on writing a romance novel and includes an offer to publish their book and $5,000 (US) to support their writing. The Romance Includes You Mentorship is part of Harlequin’s active efforts to find new talent and bring more stories representing diverse and own voices to romance readers.
Harlequin is accepting submissions starting September 1 to select a recipient living in North America for a 12-month mentorship with a romance editor who will provide editorial guidance during the writing process and share firsthand insights and knowledge on the romance market and the publishing industry. The aim is for the selected writer to develop a manuscript during the mentorship that Harlequin can publish in one of its 12 series romance lines or Carina Press.
This opportunity is open to unpublished or self-published writers from underrepresented communities who have a strong desire to write romance fiction for adult readers and want to add their diverse voices and own voices to the romance genre. The first phase of this program is offered to writers living in North America and may be followed by additional opportunities in other regions.
“We’re committed to publishing diverse and inclusive voices so that readers see themselves reflected in the stories we publish,” said Loriana Sacilotto, Harlequin’s Executive Vice President. “We are actively working to acquire more traditionally underrepresented and diverse voices. We are reaching out with an exciting opportunity for writers that offers a publishing contract, $5,000 to support the creative process and the chance to develop a working relationship with an editor at a major publisher.”
Submissions for the Romance Includes You Mentorship will be accepted from September 1 to October 15, 2019. The final shortlist of submissions will be reviewed by a judging panel whose representatives have broad experience editing, publishing and marketing multicultural, interracial and LGBTQ+ romance fiction.
Submission criteria and more details are available at http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/mentorship/.
This initiative is part of Harlequin’s ongoing outreach activities to encourage story submissions from traditionally underrepresented and diverse voices through submission drives and to broaden diversity, representation and inclusion in its publishing program. Harlequin supports writers conferences and organizations promoting inclusion and diversity in publishing, and regularly participates in #DVpit story pitching events on Twitter that connect editors with marginalized writers.
About Harlequin
Harlequin is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. The company publishes more than 100 titles a month, in both print and digital formats, that reach audiences globally. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, the publisher is home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Through HarperCollins’s global publishing program, Harlequin titles are published in 17 countries and 16 languages. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.
