Mentors in Writing: Do You Need One?

One of the topics I often hear writers whispering about is finding a writing mentor. And we all are admonished that you can't just grab the arm of someone you'd LIKE to mentor you and say, "Oh, you must! You're a Christian, aren't you?"

Guilting a person into mentoring you doesn't work. (Nor tying her up and throwing her into your car.)Plus, the very person you choose to mentor you is no-doubt a busy person writing her own novels,marketing, etc., or you wouldn't have even noticed her.

So, you pray. "Please, Lord, You know I need someone to mentor me in writing. Send someone today. Make it clear who this person is/persons are."

And let's say someone does want to mentor you! Joy! They offer to read some opening pages, your synopsis or even to sit down and help you plot a course to follow to reach your goals.(They have these "mentor appointments" available this year at the ACFW Conference. And guess what? They are all filled up! Next year!) Maybe this person offers to introduce you to certain people who can help you at conference. (If you are a Christian fiction writer, you must join ACFW. It's the best place to be.)

Check the Conference Details for 2010!

Literary agent Chip MacGregor on The Writers View (You have to request to join this yahoogroup) once set up mentoring groups based on Paul, Barnabas and Timothy in the New Testament. You were labeled either a Paul (mentor,) Barnabas (peer group,) or Timothy (mentee--this doesn't mean your breath was fresh...)Some were in all three categories, and some, just one. He really worked hard on matching people up.The point was to set up a Paul with a Timothy and then put you into a friend group, Barnabas.

I don’t know if any of them worked out because of exactly what Cec Murphey was talking about once, "so many expectations." When you come to a group or a relationship with expectations, because we are human, you can be disappointed. It doesn't always work out, but don't give up hope. I do think it CAN work out and that yes,you may move on, or your mentor may move on, but you will get something out of these liaisons. It's a process. And some day you may become a mentor.

Betty Southard in her book, The Mentor Quest said about mentor myths: “Even the title ‘mentor’ often scares away a potential mentor or seeker. It implies lessons, structure, discipline, accountability, and maybe most discouraging, time…we don’t really want to spend a lot of time working on growth.”

Here’s what she says the “mentee’s” part is:
1. Personal responsibility for own growth
2. Look for mentoring in everyday activities and chance encounters.
3. Recognize the mentors around you.
4. Wherever you are, maintain a teachable spirit.

She says to list people who make a difference in your life: (I adjusted it to writing)
1. Teachers from school/conferences/editors/agents
2. Three writer friends
3. Five people who taught you writing
4. A few people who made you feel appreciated or special in writing
5. Five people (writers) whom you enjoy spending time
6. Heroes (Authors) whose stories (writing journeys, as well as what they write)inspire you

These people mentor you.(Jot these people down right now and think about writing them a thank you note or send them chocolate!)

You can also be any of the above at one point or another.

I've found that in ACFW, we have built-in mentors. There are courses, local writers who help you find your path in the chapters and zones, a conference (this year in Indianapolis--are you going?) and any number of opportunities that come on the forums. There are countless blogs with teaching going on, too. I like to haunt various agent blogs and a couple editor blogs, as well as published writer blogs, because there is always a discussion going on about writing in those places.

So, who will I see at ACFW Conference in ten days??? (And will you be my mentor? I'll be yours!)

Check out the ACFW local chapters in your area once you join ACFW, too. Lots of mentoring going on there.

Teena Stewart

Busy? Yeah, Me, Too






Crystal, out wrestling alligators









I am an introvert. In fact on the scale of introversion to extroversion, I am negative 5 to the introversion side. (Well, almost. I scored no extroversion points at all.) Lately I've been interacting a lot with people, whom I love, and I do LOVE to be with them, but then I have to recharge. Today I'm exhausted. Forgive me if I'm mumbling.
On top of that, I seem to be in the public eyeball in the last few days, which makes me nervous.I feel totally unworthy and like a nutcase whenever this happens and get gibberishly insecure with thoughts like, "People will really hate me now," to what I think others' are saying behind my back, "What makes her so special? I know her, and she's a drip!" But I'm finally getting enough years on me that my tune is finally changing to,"I've lived long enough to say what I want and suffer the consequences." I shudder to think of how I will be if I reach the age of my grandmother (92.)
But I still tend to want to withdraw after being highlighted somewhere. However, the people who took time to put me there are really great people, and I would be remiss if I did not point some of these things out.
Writer Teena Stewart has more energy than the sun, I think. She runs a ministry for pastors called Ministry in Motion, as well as has written 1000s of articles, and now is publishing a book on small groups (more on that as the book is closer to publication.) I have co-written parenting articles with her and she has been in my critique/SALT support group for years(in fact, she started it!) She is artistic (paints fabulous furniture pieces, as well as commissioned paintings) and she now is working on fiction. She likes writing suspenseful and macabe-type stories--and some of them are a little chilling! She's finished a few manuscripts and I think you will soon be able to buy her published fiction. Oh, yeah. She's a web master. She knows html and all that stuff.
She started a blog for suspense writers and is featuring a piece I wrote ( will appear over several days) about getting ready for fiction contests. With the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest coming up, some of you may be interested in that. I don't have all the answers and I can't predict how a judge will react to your manuscript. I can tell you how I've judged manuscripts and a little of the criteria judges have to use. Of course, some of what I say, another judge may dispute, but hey, reading is subjective. Just ask an author who just got a scathing review! One of the main questions I hear writers asking is "To prologue or not to prologue. That is the question." If you need a prologue, write a prologue. But really need it if you do. My take on that. (How many prologues have you skimmed in your reading?)



Teena, wife to a pastor, busy mentor, prolific article writer, author, traveler,artist, speaker,webmaster,mom to 3, soon-to-be mom-to-the-bride and tough-love-critique-friend.









Next, I have to tell you--this blog was featured in a magazine called Savvy and the article will be up on the web site for the month of April, while the print magazine can be picked up in the Muncie area during that time. If you have come here because of that article, thanks for checking this place out! Go back into the archives for nostalgia. And do check out the links on the right.
This blog is mostly for nostalgia and things I am interested in telling you (or really, telling myself.) I do have a whole 'nuther persona who has professionally "fixed" fiction, done hundreds of published book reviews, and written client viabilities for agencies. I have some favorite authors/agents/editors who write about writing, and some you can check out at the right. But I do want to highlight author Tricia Goyer's new blog on writing called, My Writing Mentor. She called in some top guns to post for today and if you are a writer, you will want to check this out. One of her featured mentors, James Scott Bell ,has written one of the books I recommend all the time on writing, Write Great Fiction: Plot and Structure.
Be sure to come back here all month to check out the childhoods (with photos!) of various people I've interviewed. I was a little amazed that so many couldn't track down photos of themselves as a child. (They're not THAT old. Cameras go way back.) If you have left your parents' home, do be sure to ask for a few childhood photos. It's good to reflect on how you have grown and have a record of that.
Ok, back to hanging out in my cave. (Don't throw a can at me, Diann! I'm not really a bat.)