My daughter recently called for advice. I’ve noticed that as she’s matured, she does this more often. This time it was a sensitive situation with a co-worker who was struggling to deal with cancer in the family while working to support everyone. Clearly what she needed to do was take on the role of mentor; it was her time to make the transition from being a mentee. When she called back to say that both my husband’s and my advice had worked, she bemoaned the fact she had no experience being a mentor.
I don’t think anyone has that experience when they make the transition. You just hope that what you’ve learned from the people who mentored you and your own life experience will serve you well. I’ve had three wonderful mentors in my scientific life, all men, and rued the day when I became so senior, there was no one left to mentor me anymore.
Entering the writing world, I immediately looked for mentors, because that’s the way you move ahead and succeed. But this is a different world. You are not part of an organization; writing is solitary. However, I discovered my critique groups were a valuable source of support and information and that speakers at our North Carolina Writer’s Network Conferences provided invaluable advice.
Who has mentored you in your writing career? Where do writers look for mentors?
A couple of very good writing friends have made a difference because they were dead-honest. I wanted praise, but they gave me the truth in a nice way. But I always find interesting people, and they are very close to ‘home,’ as in the writing community.