Mentorship

“In the course of my career as a theatre director, college professor, and university administrator, it was very important that I made good decisions. When I began reading YA fiction, the first good decision I made was to put the Bill Konigsberg novels at the top of my must-read list, and the next good decision—when I knew I wanted to try my hand at some YA writing of my own—was to reach out to Bill. His prompt and encouraging response to my application set the tone for what soon became a productive working relationship—a relationship informed by Bill’s keen insight and the detailed application of the things he knew about writing, not to mention the general world of YA fiction, to the work I was sharing with him. And what was most invaluable was the fact that the exceptionally articulate and generous sharing of all these things Bill knew was informed by his warmth, humor, and kindness. There’s no doubt that applying to become a ‘Konigsberg mentee’ was one of the best decisions I ever made!” –William W, New Mexico

“Bill is the kind of coach you want in your corner. In his work as a mentor, he has one mission: to help you make your work the best that it can be. As my loudest cheerleader, he always couches his feedback, which is always constructive and honest, with relentless optimism. He’s always willing to talk about those sticky plot points, and more than once, he’s coached me out of the darkness when I’ve felt like I was in over my head. His advice always uplifts me, and simply put: I am a better writer because of his help. I am eternally grateful to him.” —Joey S., Washington, D.C.

“Bill is a master at guiding you to the truth of your writing–showing you where there is room for improvement and helping you get to the best version of your story. He does all this while always making you feel like he is in your corner, your ally, ready to take on the words with you, and though he is straight-forward with his feedback, his every suggestion is served with such a warmth, it’s like taking advice from a friend. I never left a mentoring session with Bill feeling down on myself or my work, which is such a gift.” —Donna B., Scottsdale, AZ

“My mentorship period with Bill Konigsberg was a rich experience.  His attention to detail in his reading of my work was supportive, detailed and always helpful.  Bill’s expertise and knowledge were critical in keeping my novel on track.  My writing flourished under his guidance, and I now have a full-length manuscript nearing completion.” —Janet H., California

“It was my pleasure to work with Bill as I navigated the process of writing my first novel. In the early stages of drafting my manuscript, Bill challenged me to consider issues such as point of view, backstory, and character development in ways that, had I been writing without his guidance, would never have occurred to me. He encouraged me through the difficulty of writing the middle of the novel, doing everything from suggesting strategies for moving the plot forward to helping me process my own feelings of doubt and fear about the purpose of my writing. As I moved into the final drafts of my novel, Bill spent hours helping me fine-tune and polish the manuscript. He supported me through the process of querying agents and provided much-needed perspective and clarification on the business side of writing. Writing a novel is both an intellectually challenging and emotionally vulnerable experience; Bill’s mentorship is supportive of both. When I begin work on my second novel, I will absolutely reach out to him for mentorship again.” —Katie D., Phoenix