Our mentors are editing, our mentees are revising, and we hope you’re making progress on your own manuscript! While we’re all working toward the Agent Showcase starting on February 6, 2019, we hope you’ll take a moment during your writing breaks and get to know our 2018 Pitch Wars Teams.
First up, we have . . .
Breeny N. – Mentee
Erin Foster Hartley – Mentor
Erin, why did you choose Breeny?
I mentored Breeny for the Teen Pit contest in April, and we won! I fell in love with her story immediately. We’ve both written multi-POV books, so I knew the pitfalls and difficulties that come along with that structure. Breeny is a hard worker and is a champ at taking feedback, so I’m happy to work with her in Pitch Wars!
That’s wonderful! Congratulations, Breeny and Erin! For those who don’t know what TeenPit is, it’s a contest for young writers. The prize for the winner is participating in Pitch Wars with their mentor.
Breeny, why did you choose to submit to Erin? (Yeah, we have to ask this still or her answer won’t make sense.) 😉
Funny story, I actually didn’t submit to any mentors! Erin and I connected through TeenPit, earlier this year in April. I was almost finished with the first draft of You Truly Assumed at the time, and I decided to submit the first 250 words and a 50 word pitch to TeenPit and see what would happen. Erin ended up selecting me and my manuscript, and together we worked my first chapter and 50 word pitch into shape. I won TeenPit, and as a result I’m now able to take part in Pitch Wars! Luckily, Erin connected with my work during TeenPit, and I’m so happy to have her as my Pitch Wars mentor!
Erin, summarize Breeny’s book in 3 words.
Friendship Trumps Hate
Breeny, summarize your book in 3 words.
Black Muslim changemakers.
Erin, tell us about yourself. Something we may not already know.
I’ve recently been diagnosed with fructose malabsorption (not as serious as it sounds, thankfully) so now I’m trying to wean myself off sugar. (BOO!) Please send lots of emoji chocolates.
Breeny, what do you hope to get out of the Pitch Wars experience?
Pitch Wars is a great opportunity to make connections with other writers and refine projects to really make them sparkle. I’m looking forward to making my manuscript the best it can be while also forging long-lasting relationships.
Breeny, tell us about yourself! What makes you and your manuscript unique?
I’m currently a senior in high school, who’s juggling revisions and college applications. Something that I think makes me unique is the fact that I’m a teen writing for teens. You Truly Assumed is set during the summer before the senior year of all three POV characters, and I just finished my summer before my senior year a few months ago. It’s easy to put myself in the headspace of my characters because I’m going through similar things currently. You Truly Assumed also focuses a lot on teen activism and online friendships, which are two of my favorite aspects of the manuscript. I also think my identity makes me and my manuscript unique. I’m a Black Muslim, and all three POV characters in You Truly Assumed are Black Muslims as well. This is really important to me because I’ve seen parts of myself represented in YA books with Black main characters and YA books with Muslim main characters, but I’ve never seen all of me, both Black and Muslim, represented before. It’s always been OR — Black or Muslim– and with You Truly Assumed, I really want it to be AND.
Thank you for supporting our Pitch Wars Teams! The Agent Showcase is February 6 – 11, 2019. We hope you’ll join us to support our teams on the Twitter hashtag #PitchWars.