So hard to find a mentor!!!

[psm0904]

I had a really good one, and she had to quit for family reasons. Since then, I can't find another one. I have ten chapters written on my romance novel, and have no idea how to go about finding another one. I'm willing to pay, but I still can't find anybody. I like to do chapter-by-chapter. Does anybody know how to find a mentor? Anyone here, with experience, want to be one? I'm open to all ideas. You can answer here, or my e-mail is psm0904@gmail.com
Thanks!

[ANNIE]

psm- I know it is frustrating to find someone to help with your dream, there is a thread on the board designed just for finding a mentor! believe it or not called the mentor thread. Read the guidelines they will tell you what people want to know in order to be your mentor- also what you expect of one. Just remeber these people have other jobs and families and are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts, the knowledge and wilingness to share it is amazing on these boards. Sometimes if you post some of your work in the 'share your work" section, prospective mentors can see your style to see if its somthing they would be interested in. Be patient. Sometimes it's just a matter of people here getting to know you a bit first.


Try posting there and see what happens- Good Luck!

Annie
:)

[Cathy C]

Hi, psm! Welcome to the forum.

I agree with Annie. You should definitely post over in Mentors, but you also might want to wander over to the Romance board and think about posting a few paragraphs for people to critique. Lots of people post samples there. The trick with finding a chapter-by-chapter mentor is that you really need someone who writes in your specific genre, but the authors who are doing this for a living often don't have time to do much more than "drive-by" mentoring. Still, we've got some TERRIFIC authors, both pubbed and unpubbed, over in Romance, so give it a shot. You might get lucky! :)

[psm0904]

I did! Nobody ever answered. In my case, I'm willing to pay. I just want some good input :)

[jackie106]

I just want some good input :)

Are there any critique groups in your city?

Jackie

[LightShadow]

honestly, I never understood the need for mentors. does that make me a freak of nature?

[aadams73]

Nope, I don't get it either.

[KTC]

I would suggest finding a local writing circle or founding one. Sounds like you're looking for a critiquer...someone to help guide you through your book. In my area there are plenty writing circles and they're all easily found through an umbrella circle. You can always start your own...advertise in libraries, grocery stores, malls, etc. There are always writers interested in joining them. Good luck.

[psm0904]

Well, I didn't understand the need for a mentor (somebody who was already published) until I got one. THey know things we don't, such as what is acceptable for publication and what not to do and also what to do. THey were able to tell me some of the things I do wrong, like making my conversations too long and wordy, and I tended to put in stuff that isn't necessary for the reader. Lots of little things pointed out to me that I never would have guessed. I would have kept making the same mistakes over and over again. So I value those who have BTand DT greatly. I don't see much use for a critique group, as they are just people like me who basically don't know a whole lot...lol. Therefore, thanks for the advice, but I'm going to keep looking until I find another good mentor. I feel that mine have been worth the price. My own writing has improved 80%. Thanks again :) More advice, still appreciated on the topic of finding mentors :)

[JERETHAL]

It seems to me that writing is an art. I don't think a mentor can teach a person to write anymore than a mentor could teach me to paint.
True artists are non-conformists. They stay true to their art and themselves.
Art, be it writing,drawing,sculpture, has power. Even in subtlety; it has power.

If you are a born artist, stay true to your art and yourself. Write with the power you have been born with. I promise you, you will come across legions of phonies who claim to be artists and experts-MENTORS. If a mentor tries to counsel you on "whats acceptable" or "whats popular" or "how it's usually done-DUMP THE FOOL; THEY'LL NEVER STOKE YOUR FIRE.

When i write, you "feel" my power. A mentor would try to tell me to tone it down a bit. Hogwash! Anybody who has ever read anything I wrote can remember it years later. Most people can't even remember what they read in today's paper.

Not a day goes by before a person comes up to me and talks to me about something I wrote. They remember my story better than i do. They'll coyly quote a line from one of my stories and grin like it's an inside joke I'm supposed to get. Often i have no clue what they're talking about.

People write me letters and emails, call me on the phone, come to my door to tell me I'm great. People will come up to me in restaurants and bars while I'm trying to eat and start talking to me about things I wrote 15 or 20 years ago.
My writing professor saw me recently for the first time in 25 years recently. He bumped into me at the printer's shop. He talked about things i wrote in his class in the 70's. He recognized me; i didn't recognize him. He said he still uses my writing in his classes. I had no idea.

When my friends introduce me to people, they always throw in "he's a genius" after the introduction. Girls cry when they talk about a line i used in a story. Men have threatened to kill me. Kids laugh with joy at stories I've written.

Mentors have always told me to edit,change, delete things that people love me for writing. People shake with fear at what I write. They laugh hysterically, they get goose bumpy at mysticism, they get angry and it ruins their day, they get so horny they have to find immediate release, they jump up and yell "DAM!!", they have to put it down for awhile because it gets to be too much.

If I listened to my mentors, I'd be a Absolute write discussion board superstar and you all would love me. But I would be miserable because I sacrificed my soul at the altar of acceptance. SCREW A MENTOR- BE ONE FOR SOME OTHER WEAK TIMID SOUL THAT HAS NO SPIRIT.