Affirm Press Mentorship Program 2017

Thank you to the editorial team at Affirm Press for selecting the writers that will participate in the Varuna & Affirm Press Mentorship Program 2017. These writers and their manuscripts are: 

Edita Mujkic for her memoir From There to Here

Kathryn O’Connor for her literary fiction novel Inheritance

Kerry Littrich for her fiction novel The Grand Pacific

Varuna received 127 manuscripts from writers across Australia for the 2017 Affirm Press Mentorship Program. The manuscripts were each double-read in the first selection process, and a shortlisted selection as well as the complete set of applications with manuscripts were sent to Affirm Press for their final selection. The Affirm Press editorial team made their decision partly based on the strength of the writing, and the potential of each book to connect with an audience. 

This Affirm Press Mentorship Program includes a one-week residency at Varuna including the opportunity to work with Affirm Press editors Ruby Ashby-Orr and Cosima McGrath while in residence. 

Thank you to all of the writers who submitted, and we wish you the best with your writing. Thank you also to the Affirm Press editorial team Martin Hughes, Ruby Ashby-Orr and Cosima McGrath who were dedicated, thoughtful and supportive to our applicants throughout the process and to Varuna readers Carol Major, Vanessa Kirkpatrick and Helen Barnes-Bulley.