New York City — The aspiring writers mentoring program of the National Writers Union Service Organization (NWUSO) is taking off in March with nine writing trainees to boot.
Since its inception in February 2015, a steady stream of applicants in New York have signified their intention to join,
particularly those who wish to be professional writers or simply be excellent at writing. The nine trainees, the pioneering batch, have already been given project orientation and have determined their story plans.
The NWUSO’s mentoring program is for enthusiasts who are in schools and universities as well as those in local communities. It is part of the effort of experienced writers to bring out the voices and stories of “unheard” ordinary people, workers, and women of color.
This is a synergistic project that integrates the existing talents and experiences of NWU writer-members with the energy and enthusiasm of school-based and community-based writers, said project director Marivir Montebon.
Issues on immigration, social justice, human and labor rights, culture and arts, and women’s rights and issues will be the main content of stories tackled in the mentoring program while developing the writing and journalistic skills of writers.
Participants will be guided the process of writing news features, essays, and other journalistic forms, as well as poems. Those interested in non-fiction novel writing, publishing and marketing will likewise be catered to.
The articles produced during the mentorship period of three months will be published in www.workerstories.org and syndicated in www.justcliqit.com, www.nwuny.org, and other allied websites and social media.
The NWUSO Volunteer Mentors include Terry Schwadron, former NY Times Senior Editor, Tim Sheard, publisher of Hard Ball Press, Marivir R. Montebon, publisher of OSM! online magazine, Gregg Morris, professor of the Dept. of Journalism at Hunter College, Esther Cohen, book writer and poet, Peter Benjaminson, non-fiction novel writer, and Ninothchka Rosca, journalist and novelist.
The NWUSO aims to pursue excellence and ethics in journalism through this program, said Montebon. The Len Ragozin Foundation, a New York-based private group providing support to innovative media and education projects that promote equality and justice, has initially provided funds for the project.
Registration is free and open for the second batch which begins in summer 2015. Please contact the project director at marivirmontebon@gmail.com for details. (Photo by Carla L. Mayol)
Leave a Reply