BIO
Kevin van Whye was born and raised in South Africa, where his love for storytelling started at a very young age. At four years old he quit pre-school because his teacher couldn’t tell a story. Kevin’s childhood was one filled with imagining make believe worlds and playing pretend. It wasn’t until he was much older that he realized those worlds and characters he created could become real if he wrote them down. And thus his love affair with writing began, and led him to not only study script writing but to also eventually try to get published. Kevin currently lives in Johannesburg, where he’s constantly wrestling ideas into submission or ruining his characters’ lives.
EXPERIENCE
I went to film school and majored in script writing so my writing has a cinematic twist to it. It’s something that if love to be able to help someone with. I also understand pacing, action and have a knack for dialogue. Also because of my film school background I know how to pitch, so I actually enjoy writing queries. (The first ever query I wrote was the one that landed me multiple offers from agents.)
OVERVIEW
Above all else I am most interested in voice. Give me characters and worlds that feel real. Also surprise me!
I’m interested in fantasy of all kinds. Work inspired by different mythology from all over the world and interesting retellings. Have you twisted a classic somehow? I love dark fantasies with villainous leads just as much as I love a good hero.
Sci-Fi with interesting characters and out of this world world building…get it?
MENTORING STYLE
Revising is my favorite part of writing! I’m hoping my passion for the process can help someone who maybe prefers drafting over it. I’m good with big picture edits and filling plot holes but I also tend to do a lot of line editing.
I like to ask questions and make a lot of comments and suggestions. I tend to give examples of what I mean, as well. I want my mentee to use what they like and leave what they don’t. Basically I just want to help you tell your best story!
IDEAL MENTEE
Basically I’m looking a passionate writer open to suggestions and critiques on their work. I’d be interested in writers from other countries, as long as their work is in English.
FAVES
Some of my favorite tv shows:
Anything Shonda Rhimes,
Smallville, Heroes, Game of Thrones, The 100, Veronica Mars, Riverdale, Avatar- last air bender, Terra Nova, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Some of the books I adore:
Harry Potter
Twilight (this is the book that got me into YA writing)
The Wrath and the Dawn
An Ember in the Ash
Throne of Glass
The Lunar Chronicles
A song of ice and fire
Elantris
Mistborn
The Young Elites
The Grisha Trilogy
The Raven Cycle
MSWL
*own voices
*diverse works
*stories from all around the world. (As long as they are in English)
*interesting world building and magic systems.
*retellings.retellings.retellings
*the weird and the wonderful.
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