mentor wanted- literary fantasy

I'm looking for a mentor. i think i've talked about myself too much already in previous threads, so i'll just say i'm 14, writing my first fantasy book, and need some help with writing. i've posted the very beginning in "share your work", though it's not my best work. actually, i'm having some trouble with the beginning.

anyways, i really appreciate mammamaia's dedication to helping aspiring writers, but unfortunately my work doesn't meet her standards as far as violent content goes. therefore, i'd appreciate it if someone else could help out.

any other mentors out there?

Re: mentor wanted- literary fantasy (not mammamaia)

to be sure, flawed!... in re the violence aspect, that is... i appreciate your pointing out that your thread subject didn't mean i was unacceptable to you [as some may like to believe], but vice versa... i hope you find someone here to give you a hand... love and hugs, maia

Re: mentor wanted- literary fantasy (not mammamaia)

no problem maia- i wouldn't want anyone to think i had anything against you. i really admire you.

Sorry, lad

For the sake of decorum I think you shoulda gone with just asking for a mentor.

Re: Sorry, lad

Richmar- i wouldn't have mentioned the mammamaia thing, except that i thought that if i didn't say anything, people would just decide to "let mammamaia take care of him"

my reckoning is that the chances of someone else volunteering to mentor me are increased if they know that mammamaia won't.

thanks, rich!

i appreciate the concern... it does look a bit like a slam, but i've weathered much worse and i do know the kid didn't mean any harm...

it might be less misleading if you change the topic line a bit, flawed... maybe instead of 'not mammamaia' you could substitute 'mammamaia can't' or '[note: includes some violence]'... or some such thing, if you absolutely have to make a point in the topic listing, that i can't help you with it...

hugs, maia

Re: thanks, rich!

is this better?

better...

thanks for the change... extra hugs, maia

Re: better...anyone out there?

anyone?

Re: better...anyone out there?

Hi FC

Okay, I read your Chapter One over in shared work and thought about it for a bit and here is where I am.

I have a degree in Anthropology. I wrote non-fiction articles for about 10 years and got quite a few published in small press publications that pay in contributor's copies and tee shirts and the like. I've been working on fiction for about 3 years. I've finished one novel, have another novel that I'm revising and some partially completed other stuff. I haven't sold/published any fiction yet, but that's my current goal.

I believe that I could help you with your writing, and I'm sure I'd learn from you as well. I'm posting a snip of my work in shared works so you can look at it and think about whether you think we're compatible as writers.

I'll offer you lots of nosy comments on your work and entertain (or bore!) you with my theories on writing. I'd expect you to beta read for me on occasion and remember that my advice is only advice and ultimately you must follow your own muse. And feel free to negotiate here; I'm just throwing out a basic proposal.

Best Regards,

Terra

Re: better...anyone out there?

cool- i'll read your clip, though i'm sure sopme more experienced people will have advice to offer too.

Re: better...anyone out there?

Okay. Not really looking for a crit, just letting you know what it is that I write. :grin

Re: better...anyone out there?

oops, too late.

Re: better...anyone out there?

Dear FC,

I think I'm not a good choice for a mentor or writing partner for you after all. Good luck in your writing endeavors and I'll enjoy chatting with you around these boards.

Best wishes,

Terra

Re: better...anyone out there?

ok, that's fine.

could you tell me why?

it might be helpful for future reference.

Re: better...anyone out there?

well, since i don't seem to be able to fnd an online mentor, what other ways would you recommend i leanr to write?

i'm working on starting a critique group at my library.

i know a few writers, who i've talked to some, but not serious intereaction focusing on my book.

what else should i be doing (besides, of course, writing, which i am doing.)

Re: better...anyone out there?

Tell you what...I'll take you on for a month, and we'll re-evaluate after that. I've seen your other posts and like your spitfire. I started about your age (why yes, we DID have dinosaurs back then :grin ), and didn't have the internet, and would have loved for someone to help me out. Perhaps I can do the same for you.

Check out my websites (home page and my e-zine) under my profile there and see if you think I have anything to teach you. I, personally, am not interested in a writing partner, as I've already got plenty of those. But I've got time off for the summer, and will be starting a fiction writer's club for my students next year -- this will give me some practice. If you're interested in me as a mentor, email me through the message board.

Re: better...anyone out there?

I'm thinking we don't have particularly compatible communications styles. No blame on either of us for that! I see you have another possibility, hope that works out well for you.

See you round the Cooler,

Terra

Re: better...anyone out there?

thanks to both of you.

i'm going away for the weekend.

i checked out your website, and teh colums on writing were pretty cool.

"spitfire"- i like that.

Not Sure You Need Mentor

Flawed, I'm not sure that you need a mentor. You appear to have an innate ability to tell a story.

I've read your sample and some of your other posts on these boards, you have a better sense of what you should and shouldn't do than most.

Could your writing be tighter? Of course it could. But much of the tightening, etc. takes place in the rewriting process and the more you write, the better you will get.

If I were you, I'd keep writing. Write the whole thing, get it down on paper. Once you have a completed draft, THEN you should look for guidance from someone who can help you make it better.

Some of the the feedback you received was very sound. But you run the risk of line-editing the life out of your work at this point.

The important thing is to get your story down in your own voice. Trust your instincts, they appear to be very sound.

Re: Not Sure You Need Mentor

well, Simon, thanks for the praise. i find it interesting that i've received this kind of warning twice now.

however, i have to disagree with you. 'm arrogant, but not this arrogant.

" Flawed, I'm not sure that you need a mentor. You appear to have an innate ability to tell a story."

(thank you. maybe i do. unfortunately, to be a good writer requires more than to be able to tell a story. i can orate reasonably well, but writing is both technical and artistic.)

I've read your sample and some of your other posts on these boards, you have a better sense of what you should and shouldn't do than most.
(thanks again. however, i'm not looking for advice from most, i'm looking for advice from someone who can write well. )
Could your writing be tighter? Of course it could. But much of the tightening, etc. takes place in the rewriting process and the more you write, the better you will get.
(this is true. however, i hope that someone to work with and point out my needs for improvement will makew this easier.

i'm having some trouble with my writing. all the skills i have that i use on other people, i don't have for me. for instance, i normally have an excelent grasp of grammar but yet my OWN writing comes out consistently bad in terms of grammar.)
If I were you, I'd keep writing. Write the whole thing, get it down on paper. Once you have a completed draft, THEN you should look for guidance from someone who can help you make it better.
(maybe; however, i'm having some toruble with part of it, part of why i want some help)
Some of the the feedback you received was very sound. But you run the risk of line-editing the life out of your work at this point.
(maybe, but i really don't think the spirit will be crushed form my work. i'm very spirited.)
The important thing is to get your story down in your own voice. Trust your instincts, they appear to be very sound. "

(thanks)

Re: Not Sure You Need Mentor

I guess what i'm afraid of is that i don't know how to write well enough. i'm not distrusting my storytelling instincts i just want to learn to write well.

i want my novel to be good, and i really feel like i have something to say. but i'm not sure it will be good enough if i just muddle through on my own.

Re: Not Sure You Need Mentor

FC, I think you're good enough (just be mindful of your grammar, spelling, etc.) and you should be confident about your writing. You seem awfully confident to me.

Finish your first draft. If you're concerned, ask for professional help once you have your third draft revised. If you're concerned about your plot/story/characters, I'm sure there are some people around here who can offer some advice or brainstorm with you. But it IS your story, and you should be happy and confident with it.

Re: Not Sure You Need Mentor

thanks- Maestro.

as for seeming confident, i am both confident ajd unconfident.

i have an inflated ego, but intellectually i know that i'm not yet that great. this causes a big split in my attitudes, accoridng to which is dominant at any one time.

i'll keep writing. i guess i've been looking for some sort of magical secrets to becoming a good writer. oh well. i guess i'l have to do it the hard way, by writing. (the hard way, but also the only way. like everything in life. the hard is the right way.)

as for my plot and characters, i'm pretty happy with them.

there's some trouble in the middle but i think i can get it sorted out.

P.S

i realized the true reason i've wanted a mentor. it's because i feel uncomfortable working on this alone. normalyy, i'm very independant (some say too independant), but i sit and write, and write, and i wonder if i'm doing things right. it would be nice to have somone tell me what to do.

but i guess real life doesn't work that way.

Re: Not Sure You Need Mentor

Mark Shepherd, who writes and has published some Urban Fantasy, once told me that if you aren't worrying that you're writing crap, it's almost guaranteed that you are writing crap.

You don't need anyone to tell you what to do, but all of us need some hand-holding from time to time. :hug