The Writers’ Trust of Canada has announced the recipients of this year’s Writers’ Trust Mentorship program.

The annual program sees one unpublished writer in each of three genres (nonfiction, fiction, and poetry) receive support, guidance, and one-on-one instruction from an established writer, with the goal of bringing their manuscript closer to publication. Mentees receive $2,500, and the work period of the program runs from August to December.

Shams Erfan was chosen by Antonio Michael Downing as the nonfiction recipient for his manuscript “The Woman on the Bus,” a memoir of his journey from Afghanistan to Canada.

Min Jia was chosen by Thea Lim as the fiction recipient for their manuscript “Mechanical Tail,” which is described as a fantastical coming-of-age story wherein an unnamed protagonist adapts to a world where people grow tails and communicate like cats.

Kris Kaila was chosen by Jónína Kirton as the poetry recipient for her manuscript “Narratives of My Body,” which is described as exploring ancestry, colonialism, mental health, gender, and relationships.