During our thirty-seven year history, we have been fortunate to have many editors, agents, art directors, authors, and illustrators volunteer their time to work one-on-one with aspiring writers and artists who attend our annual conference. What makes this conference unique are the one-on-one ratio of mentor to mentee and the small intimate nature of the program, designed for professional networking and informal schmoozing.

We greatly appreciate the many talented authors and illustrators who have participated as mentors over the years. Recently, the number of volunteers has exceeded the mentor slots available. In order to provide the most rewarding experience for our applicants, we have established a list of requirements for mentor eligibility.

If you are interested in being a mentor at One-on-One, please read the list below. If you believe you qualify, contact us at ruccl.org@nac.net. Include your background information and list of publications.

RUCCL PROCEDURES FOR SELECTING AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR MENTORS:

We look for authors and illustrators

• with a minimum of three children's or young adult books that have been published by an established publisher recognized by the Children's Book Council (CBC)
• whose most recent book has been published within the past five years
• who have professional experience critiquing manuscripts (either as a member of a writers group, as a writing instructor, or as a former or current editor)
• who are knowledgeable about current trends in children's book publishing and able to answer questions their mentees might have regarding the profession.

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Depending on various factors, the Council may be required
to make occasional exceptions to these guidelines.

Please note: The number of mentor volunteers varies from year to year. Available slots are limited.