How to Become a Mentor to Young Aspiring Writers

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Gain writing experience.

   Achieve a level of expertise in your own career.
   
   You don’t need to be a seasoned veteran or a particular age to be a mentor, but you should have at least some writing experience under your belt.
   
   Working professionally as a writer and gaining experience in the publishing industry gives you credibility as a mentor.
   
   Established mentorship programs may ask for at least two years of experience writing professionally; they may or may not require you to have published work.
2. 2

   Step 2: Learn how to mentor.

   You can find writing mentor courses online and at local colleges or universities.
   
   Alternatively, you can find books on how to be a writing mentor.
   
   Buy the books online, or borrow them from your local library in-person or as e-books.Look for courses or books that address your specific style of writing.
   
   For instance, if you are a technical or scientific writer, a course or book for fiction writing mentorships wouldn’t be the right one for you. , Speak with current mentors of others to get ideas, tips, and best practices.
   
   Consider getting a mentor yourself; learning from a talented mentor will show you how to be useful to a protégé.
   
   Joining a writer’s group locally or online is a good way to find a mentor.
   
   When you find a mentor, be specific about what you’d like help with.
   
   Bring a list of questions with you to the meetings so that you can make the most of the time.Try to be flexible with time when meeting with your mentor.
   
   Don’t try to take up more of their time than you asked for. , Search online for writing workshops in your city or county.
   
   College campuses host workshops, and there are also online conferences and group retreats.
   
   If you’re interested in travelling, you can search the destination you’d like to travel to for writing conferences.Writing workshops and colonies help writers to sharpen their skills.
   
   You will also be able to discuss your craft with other established authors and potentially get feedback on your own writing. , Working for free, especially early in your career, can give you valuable experience.
   
   Become a mentor because you enjoy sharing ideas and reading other people’s writing.
   
   If aren’t passionate about other people’s stories, becoming a mentor probably isn’t for you.For example, if you give a mentee twenty hours of your time, and your mentee subsequently writes several books that you read and enjoy, you receive a return on investment that isn’t a dollar amount., Speak about your experience as a writer, what it was like to be a beginner and your success.
   
   Afterward, let students know that you are willing to help out if anyone is interested in pursuing a career as a writer.
   
   Look for career day events at local college campuses and through industries that are relevant to your field of writing.
   
   Try saying to students, “I know what it’s like to be just starting out as a writer.
   
   I’d like to help you by giving you constructive, nonjudgmental advice that I would have appreciated when I was in your shoes.
   
   Please feel free to contact me.”
3. 3

   Step 3: Talk to current mentors.

4. 4

   Step 4: Attend writing workshops.

5. 5

   Step 5: Don’t do it for the money.

6. 6

   Step 6: Give speeches at career day activities.

Detailed Guide

About the Author