Young Emerging Authors (YEA)

Young Emerging Authors (YEA) is a free, paid, 15 month-long writing and publishing program. Every spring, we select four Maine writers to write, edit, and publish their own books.

●      All genres welcome!

●      Students work independently within an intensive writers’ group and one-on-one with seasoned mentors

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! Applications for the Telling Room’s 2025 - 2026 Young Emerging Authors Fellowship will be open March 13th 2025 through midnight on April 6th, 2025. Apply here.

Left to Right: Mo Drammeh, Atticus Prinn, Calla James, and Nazik Adam celebrate the launch of the 2023 YEA titles at SPACE Gallery

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WHO: Maine residents in 8th - 12th grades.

WHEN: Young Emerging Authors is a 15 month program that runs from June 2025 - August 2026. YEA meets biweekly over Zoom over the first summer, weekly on Thursday afternoons from 3:30pm - 5:30pm from October 2025 - June 2026, with a launch in late summer 2026. (see FAQ below for more details)

WHERE: Typically YEA meets in our writing center at The Telling Room at 225 Commercial Street in Portland. We will consider a hybrid option for those limited by transportation (see FAQ).

COST: Free! We realize that YEA is a big commitment. Fellows are paid a stipend in recognition of the extensive work that takes place over the year and to help offset any costs to participate.

CONTACT: Questions can be directed to Jude at jude@tellingroom.org

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Meet Our 2024 - 2025 Authors!

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Beetle Rooke-Dutton

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Ramona Rowe

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Sophia Tyutyunnyk

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Ruby Van Dyk

Meet Our 2023 - 2024 Authors!

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Jo Ellis

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Margaret Horton

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Natalia Mbadu

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Maddy Turgelsky

Browse Young Emerging Authors Books

FAQs

What does the application include?

A one-page pitch that includes what the book is about, why you're the author for it, and why now; an excerpt of up to 2500 words or 5 poems; and a letter of recommendation.

Be specific in your one-page pitch. Talk not just about themes (what the book’s "about") but also about plot (what happens). Remember that the beauty of the words is important, but we're looking for good bones. We love scene-based writing and vivid imagery. Poetry, short fiction, and narrative nonfiction are appealing. We also love children’s books and realistic fiction for a YA audience. Comic or illustrated chapter books will be considered. We do consider fantasy and sci-fi, but sweeping epics with lots of world-building are very difficult to write in a year—realistic stories with fantasy or sci-fi elements might be more successful.

I do not live in Maine. Can I do the Young Emerging Authors Fellowship? (YEA)?

Unfortunately, YEA is only open to Maine residents. 

What if I live in Maine but can’t get to The Telling Room studio every week?

YEA offers a hybrid option to students who live more than an hour’s drive from Portland or who have regular transportation limitations. These students may participate via Zoom but will be required to attend in-person for the kick-off retreat, as well as three sessions throughout the academic year and for the book launch in August.

Do you publish books in other languages?

Currently, we only publish books in English, although they can contain phrasing, parts, or dialogue in other languages.

English is not my first language. Can I apply? 

Yes! Multilingual students with intermediate-to-advanced English are encouraged to apply.

I’ve applied before and did not get in. Should I apply again?

Definitely. Many authors apply multiple times.  

What does the year look like?

Spring 2024
- Interested writers apply to the program
- Applications due: Midnight on April 3, 2025
- Four Fellows are accepted
- Fellows announced: May 1, 2025

Summer 2025
- Fellows work on their first drafts independently, with virtual group check-ins every other week
- Kick-off retreat: July 10th and 11th, 10am - 3:30pm @ The Telling Room
- Every other week 1-hour meetings June - August via Zoom

Fall 2025
- Authors finish and hone their manuscripts in an intensive writing workshop
- Weekly meetings Thursdays 3:30pm - 5:30pm starting September 25th, 2025

Winter 2025 - 2026
- Fellows receive support through one-on-one sessions with professional mentors
- Weekly meetings Thursdays 3:30pm - 5:30pm

Spring 2026
- Fellows receive additional feedback from second readers and complete final revisions
- Weekly meetings Thursdays 3:30pm - 5:30pm through early June 2026

Summer 2026
- Authors assist in the production process, considering book design and marketing, and launch their books in August with public readings and events
- Meetings online and in-person as needed
- Book launch: TBD in late August

Who owns my book?

YEA authors sign a book contract at the start of the program. They retain the copyright to their work (the manuscript) but allow The Telling Room the exclusive right to publish it as is. They are free (and encouraged!) to adapt the work and to publish excerpts or sequels.

Does the idea for the book have to be a new one? I have several ideas I've been working on over the years.

The book should be the story you really want to tell. It can be an old idea or a new one, but you should be committed to seeing it through. The idea should also be fairly fleshed out. The most successful participants in this program have written much of a first draft when they start, or at least are clear on the content and/or plot of their books.

How long will my book need to be?

Quality over quantity! We ask that novels be no longer than 65,000 words. There is not a minimum, but to feel like a book, prose typically runs at least 20,000 words. For poetry, think at least 20 poems.

My idea is a series. Does the book have to be a stand-alone?

We do not publish sequels or series. The book should feel complete in and of itself.

Is it necessary to have a title for my story when I apply?

Nope!

I have a lot of school, work, and extracurricular commitments. How much time am I expected to spend writing?

It is A LOT of work to write a book in a year. Authors are expected to prioritize writing their first draft over their first summer in the program. During the school year, authors are expected to spend at least several hours a week writing and revising—often more. Before applying, consider whether this is a project you can and want to prioritize. And be aware that the program now spans two summers, including pre-publication work and a book launch in the second summer.

Do you publish fantasy and sci-fi?

We do! This genre, however, requires a lot of worldbuilding, which takes time and can make for long books. The most successful speculative fiction projects come to us as complete (or almost complete) drafts. How much of a draft has already been written will be heavily considered when reviewing applications in these genres.

What about content? My writing might be intense for some readers. 

You should write what you want to say. We don’t consider any subjects off-limits at The Telling Room. However, this program does include younger participants. It's enormously important that all the authors trust and feel respected by each other. When we consider applications and subject matter, we keep this in mind.

COVID-19

As we welcome students back into our space for in-person programs, we will be implementing social distancing protocols to ensure that our space remains a safe and hygienic environment for students to participate in our programs.