LGBTQ+ Editors Association Mentorship Program

The LGBTQ+ Editors Association mentorship program offers members the opportunity to help diversify the editorial profession at all levels.

LGBTQIA+ communities know deeply the power of sharing collective knowledge across generations and forging supportive peer networks. Here we put those skills to work building the publishing industry and wider editorial profession we want.

Mentees get expert-level guidance, personalized feedback, and resources from LGBTQIA+ editors in their fields, which mentees can put to use as they build their careers. Mentees learn about different editing career paths and professional networks, as well as develop new skills and find inspiring role models in other LGBTQIA+ professionals.

Mentors have the opportunity to give back to the editing profession, create a vibrant pipeline of LGBTQ+ editors and publishing professionals, and nurture new editors and one another in their career journeys. Mentorship is also a key way mentors can build a lasting legacy in a publishing industry and wider editorial landscape that has given our communities so much but also has a long way to go toward equity and inclusion.

We offer group mentorship office hours as well as one-on-one mentorship options. Participation is free and open to all current LGBTQ+ Editors Association members.

Mentorship program coordinator: Dr. Cathy Hannabach (channabach@proton.me)

Group Mentorship Office Hours

Office hours are one-hour themed group discussions led by a mentor on Zoom or in our private Slack workspace. Mentees can ask questions, get feedback, learn about resources, and explore issues related to professional editing careers.

Mentors come from a range of editing specializations (fiction, academia, memoir, medicine, nonprofits, government, corporate communication, etc.), and each session is limited to a small number of editors to ensure everyone has time to get feedback.

Can’t make it live to an office hours session? Pop into the #Editor-Advice channel in our private Slack workspace whenever you want for asynchronous chat, answers to your questions, and advice.

Upcoming Office Hours

Editing Indie Fiction: Starting Out and Getting Your First Client

Register for this session
Mentor: Sam Keir
When: June 11, 2025. 7:00 – 8:00 am US Eastern (convert to your time zone)
About: Building relationships with indie authors, finding edibuddies, social media marketing, establishing clear working practices, and volunteering can all play a part in securing a steady stream of fiction-editing work. Join us for a discussion about getting fiction editing clients when you're first starting out.

Editing with Chronic Illnesses, Disabilities, and Neurodivergent Bodyminds

Register for this session
Mentor: D. Scott
When: July 17, 2025. 12:00 – 12:40 pm US Eastern (convert to your time zone)
About: It can be challenging to work with a bodymind that doesn't feel reliable. Join us for a discussion of experiences of editing with chronic illness/disability/neurodivergence, where we'll explore potential ways to structure our business and/or working life to support ourselves.

Past Office Hours

Sessions and mentors

Working with Underdeveloped Manuscripts

Mentor: Dr. Cathy Hannabach
When: May 6, 2025

Getting Started Freelancing with Upwork

Mentor: Shelly Zevlever
When: March 18, 2025

Helping Indie Authors Beyond Editing

Mentor: Brenna Bailey-Davies
February 24, 2025

Editing Indie Fiction: Starting Out and Getting Your First Client

Mentor: Sam Keir
December 11, 2024

Social Media Best Practices

Mentor: Shannon Scott
November 3, 2024

Getting Started as a Sensitivity Reader

Mentor: Karen A. Parker
October 15, 2024

Coaching Writers

Mentor: Micha Rahder
September 24, 2024

When Your View Clashes with the Style Guide: Language Politics in Editing

Mentor: Merryl A. Sloane
July 11, 2024

Connecting with Target Clients

Mentor: Tanya Gold
May 22, 2024

Prepping Fiction Editing Projects

Mentor: Lara Zielinsky
March 26, 2024

Productivity Hacks for Neurospicy Editors

Mentor: Shannon Scott
February 11, 2024
February 10, 2024

Getting Started as a Medical Editor

Mentor: Vee White
January 29, 2024

Editorial Self-Assessment: Reflecting at Year’s End

Mentor: Dr. Cathy Hannabach
December 6, 2023
December 5, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be a mentor if I’m still relatively new to editing?

Yes, we all have something to teach. Tell us your areas of expertise in the application form, and we’ll let you know about any potential mentee matches.

Can I be both a mentee and a mentor?

Yes. This is a great way to share your knowledge while also learning new things. For instance, if you love helping new editors learn how to present at conferences (mentor), but you also are branching out into a new type of editing and want some advice (mentee), consider signing up for both roles.

What is the time commitment for mentors?

For a group office hours session (1 hour):

Propose an office hours session.
Host a one-hour Zoom call or Slack discussion on a topic of your choosing.
This is not a lecture/presentation, so you don’t need to prepare slides or similar materials unless you want to. During the session, you’ll answer questions, share resources, offer advice, and provide feedback.
All registration logistics and communication are handled by our mentorship coordinator Cathy Hannabach, so you just need to manage the Zoom meeting or Slack chat (we will set you up with a private Slack channel if you host the session there).

For an individual mentorship cycle (1 month):

Apply to be a mentor.
Commit to being available during your chosen month at the frequency that you and your mentee agree on—for example, you may agree to do six email exchanges across that month or meet weekly for one hour.
Communicate your availability with your mentee and decide together on a schedule for your mentorship month.

What is the time commitment for mentees?

For a group office hours session (1 hour):

Register for an office hours session.
Attend the Zoom call or Slack discussion. Bring questions, discussion topics, or things you want to learn about that pertain to the mentor and session topic. Preparing ahead of time and actively participating ensures a productive session for all.

For an individual mentorship cycle (1 month):

Apply to be a mentee.
Commit to being available during your chosen month at the frequency that you and your mentor agree on—for example, you may agree to do six email exchanges across that month or meet weekly for one hour.
Communicate your availability with your mentor and decide together on a schedule for your mentorship month.

Can I apply for multiple months of mentorship?

Yes you can apply for multiple months of mentorship—both individual and group sessions. Let us know your availability in your application, and we'll do our best to accommodate your preferences. We're committed to ensuring a fair distribution of spots for both mentees and mentors, making sure everyone has a chance to participate.

Program Vision

Establishing mentorship options for LGBTQIA+ editors was founder Vee White’s motivation for creating the LGBTQ+ Editors Association. They envision the program as a way for peers to support one another in their career goals, foster growth, and forge connections.

This vision recognizes that mentors and mentees come from a variety of lived experiences (accessibility needs, geographic regions, and socio-cultural differences) and diverse backgrounds (including but not limited to race, ethnicity, and different aspects of the LGBTQIA+ umbrella).

We ask our mentors to approach each session with humility, understanding their experience and approach are not always applicable to the lived experiences of others, and often mentees are best positioned to uncover the “answer” with support and encouragement from mentors. This can take the form of mentors asking questions, actively listening, collaborating with mentees in discussion, providing connections, or suggesting resources.

To better ensure accessibility in the individual mentoring program, mentors and mentees can meet in various ways as suits their needs (video conferencing, text-based chatting in Slack, email, phone, etc.).

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