How to Use Mentor Texts As an Author

What are you writing? A magazine article? A memoir? A humorous fiction book? A young adult nonfiction book? I am certain a mentor text could help you strengthen your manuscript! And if your writing project isn't coming together, it is likely time to study a mentor text.

What Are Mentor Texts for Writers?

A mentor text is a writing model to study. Professional writers use mentors texts. Third grade teachers use mentor text with their students.

Mentor texts are published texts. They can be books, poems, articles, or anything else--even social media posts. Writers notice what other writers do that work well and work to include it in their writing.

Why Are Mentor Texts Important to Writers?

Every book, poem, or article demonstrates something that can be studied. Mentor texts truly help writers improve their writing. AND mentor texts help writers get published.

How Do Writers Use Mentor Texts?

It's common knowledge that artists and musicians at all levels study the masters with great interest and intensity. The great artists and musicians help 10-year-olds and 52-year-olds understand the craft. It typically begins with imitation. Then they incorporate some of the techniques and skills they learned into their original art and music.

I believe it was author Marci Seither who reminded me that mentor texts provide a "recipe" for writers to follow. And just like you might tweak a recipe to make it better fit your taste, you can study a mentor text and make adjustments to better fit your personal writing project.

How Is Using a Mentor Text Different Than Reading?

Writers who want to improve their writing should read widely in their genre. After a writer identifies a weakness in their own writing project or observes something in a published book or article they want to include in their own manuscript, it's time to study the text.

The writer might examine the structure and format. They might study the word choices, length of sentences, word count, and the voice. They might do all of that and more.

Want to write for a certain magazine? Study the magazine! Before submitting an article, recipe, or anything else, be sure to study the content of the magazine. Pay attention to voice. Pay attention to format. Notice the length, headings, and sidebars. How many of each?

Annette's Big Tip for Mentor Texts

When you examine a mentor text and study it, go the extra step. Outline the structure of each chapter as well as the whole book. Type out the text. Really.

If you write middle grade, young adult, or adult books, type out an entire chapter or several. If you write short-form such as articles or picture books, type out the entire thing! Really! It makes a big difference.

Also, if you are looking to traditionally publish, your mentor texts should be recently published books. Another tip: Your mentor texts can be mentioned as your comp titles!

Mentor Texts for Picture Book Writers

If you're a picture book writer, you should already be reading loads and loads of books every year. A hundred picture books is not too many, and many suggest not even writing until you've read at least 100 recently published books. No one expects you to buy a hundred books. But you can borrow books and request books at your local library.

You can chose any, but you might start with some nicely reviewed ones or award winners. https://imaginationsoup.net/35-best-aka-my-favorite-picture-books-of-2025/ Then, type out the manuscript from a few favorites. Pay attention to length of sentences, length of paragraphs. Word count, word choice, and more.

There might be back matter, layers of text, sidebars or other features. Type it all!

Also, try to choose books as mentor texts which are similar to what you want to write. If you only want to write fiction, skip nonfiction. If you want to try a lyrical book, focus on those.

You might still read a variety! You never know what will inspire you! Many will be helpful and beneficial!