I’m so excited to be a mentor! I was lucky enough to be selected as a Write Mentor mentee in 2018 (and a Pitch Wars mentee in 2016), and I am so grateful that I finally have the opportunity to give something back. I went on to sign with my amazing agent (Heather Cashman) in May 2019, and my YA fantasy (CHASING BLOOD & SCOUNDRELS) is currently on submission with publishers.
This year I’ll be co-mentoring with my critique partner, Claire Winn & we can’t wait to get our hands on your YA manuscripts! We’ll be offering a full manuscript critique & will help you polish your sub package until it shines!
My strengths as a mentor will be developing compelling character arcs, sharpening dialogue, & crafting an irresistible pitch. Claire has one of the keenest editorial eyes around (I regularly pinch myself that I get to work with her)!
What we’re looking for:
Claire and I share a love of character-driven stories & world building that feels fresh and exciting. Fantasy is near & dear to my heart, but we’re also open to Science Fiction, Adventure, Paranormal, Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Contemporary.
I’d love to see…
– A compelling fantasy with a romance I won’t forget.
-Complex female characters with agency (bonus points for witty dialogue).
-New takes on magic.
-Adventure stories that are packed with plot twists.
-Atmospheric settings (if you consider your setting a secondary character, I REALLY want to read).
-Stories celebrating diversity.
-Mystery.
-Compelling villains & antiheroes.
If you can comp your book to any of the following, we would love to see it:
Authors/Books- V.E Schwab, Leigh Bardugo, Claire Le Grand, Kiersten White, Adrienne Young, S.A Chakraborty, Renee Ahdieh, Emily A. Duncan.
Movies/TV shows: Guillermo Del Toro movies, Dragon Prince, Stranger Things, Princess Bride, The Witcher, Killing Eve, Derry Girls (I’m obsessed), Fleabag, and Taika Waititi movies.
I’m not a fan of pushy love interests, lack of consent, or stories that aren’t inclusive.
I’m a big fan of craft books. If you’re chosen as our mentee, you should expect some homework as well as an edit letter. We’re eager to work with a writer who is determined to make their story shine & is open to honest & considerate feedback,
A little about me!
Nicole A. Brake was born in a small coal mining town in the South Wales valleys. Her earliest childhood memory is convincing her younger sister that she was radioactive after she used a torch to make her sibling’s hand glow red.
After graduating from Swansea University with a degree in History, she settled on the South Wales coast with her two mischievous children. She is proud to be a member of 2016 Pitch Wars and 2018 Write Mentor alumni.
When she’s not writing YA fantasy about headstrong, capable young women or devouring an ever-growing TBR pile, you’ll likely find her fangirling over all things geek, baking sweet treats, indulging her wanderlust, or wrangling her two small children on a Welsh beach.
Nicole loves nothing more than curling up somewhere cozy with a great book. Her favorite authors include: V.E. Schwab, Leigh Bardugo, S.A. Chakraborty, Renee Ahdieh, Katherine Arden, Katherine Rundell, and Sabaa Tahir.
Nicole A Brake 