LONG FORM FOOD WRITING WITH CHARMAINE O'BRIEN

The ICA Mentorship Program aims to provide support and guidance to Indian food writers. Established writers will work with you on different aspects of food writing and publishing to improve your craft. 

 

Overview:

Food writing in India is full of unrealised potential. The diversity and complexity of the land is yet to be fully reflected in its food writing landscape. The ICA Mentorship Program will bring together published authors and well-known experts to guide talents across the full spectrum – research, documentation, story telling, writing and pitching.

The program does not include or assure writing contracts. There is no employment or monetary compensation. It is designed as a skill enrichment program that makes you better equipped to write about Indian food.  

Meet The Mentor 
Charmaine-OBrien-featured-image
Charmaine is a food writer and historian of global repute with multiple books to her name, three of them based on India. Eating the Present, Tasting the Future: Exploring India Through Her Changing Food (2023), Flavours of Delhi (2003) and The Penguin Food Guide to India (2013).  She is the author of World Food: New Orleans and was awarded a Harry A. Bell grant from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2001. She was part of the team that set up Symposium of Australian Gastronomy in Sydney.
 
Long form Food Writing Mentorship Program

This is a development program, so you need to have some writing on food you wish to develop. The writing can be short or long form. It does not have to be a completed work but you need to have some ideas at least sketched out for your writing project/s. If you are writing in short form you might work with your mentor on several short pieces over the course of the program, if you are writing a book this might be the focus of the entire program.

The aim of this program is to support and mentor you as you develop your knowledge about writing about food and enhance your writing in the process. There are no publishing deals or guarantees of publication associated with the ICA mentor program, however we may help you with contacts if appropriate.

The ICA mentor program runs over 3 months. We offer 6-8 sessions depending on your need and the capacity of the mentor. You will need to come to each session with a piece of food writing to discuss and develop.

 

How it works:

Mentorship programs will be announced through the ICA website and social media handles. All applications must be received by the deadline. No application submitted after due date will be entertained. All applications must be submitted through the prescribed channel only. Once submitted, applications will be reviewed by an internal panel and six writers will be shortlisted for this edition of the mentorship program. 

 What to expect:

The ICA Mentorship Program is designed to offer one-on-one interactions and personal guidance based around your writing aspirations and projects. Mentorship will be conducted via weekly calls, email, phone or video conference. The program will include mutually agreed upon tasks and milestones. 

Who can apply:

·        Be an Indian citizen and current resident of India

·        Must be 18 or older

·        Should have previously published work, whether in print or digital

·        Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply  

Key dates:

Applications Open: 4th January

Applications close: 20th  January

Announcement of selected mentees: 30th January 

Fees: 

Rs.10,000

(If you are a student or from economically underprivileged category, do write to us at connect@indianculinaryagenda.org for a discounted fee.)

If you have any questions that were not answered here, email us at connect@indianculinaryagenda.org

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