Mentorship

@kateflournoy
I totally get where you’re coming from. I, too, am a fiercely independent person, and furthermore, when it comes to writing, I thought I knew everything there was to know.
Until I met my mentor.
My mentor’s name is Shellie Arnold, and she’s a published author who goes to our church. Through conversing with her and showing her short snippets of my writing, I’ve learned so much from her. She hasn’t asked me to change my style or anything like that. But because she knows the industry, she knows what’s publishable. She knows what agents and editors are looking for. She knows what steps I need to take. She’s taken the route to publication, and she knows how to help me get there. Which, at times, has meant I have to make changes I’m not comfortable with at first. But it has overall helped me improve my writing.
If you can find someone like that who is willing to just let you ask questions and help you in a very part-time way, I think you’d really benefit from it. Again, it hasnt taken away any of my independence as an author. It’s shortened my journey toward publication and saved me from making some potentially dangerous, career-harming mistakes.
If you’d like me to pass on what I’ve learned from her, let me know. I’m sure Hope Ann or Daeus can connect us by email.

@kate-flournoy Well…big question.
*chews on this thoughtfully*
I’ll be honest though, the first thing I think about when you say mentor is KP’s stereotype videos. “Mentor! Mentor! You’ve been hit!” XD

Anyway…I personally don’t have a mentor, although I really want one. If I had an opportunity to have one, I would take it. However, I’m not seeking one out.

But that’s not your question. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I’m like you. I love to be independent. Independent is the best. 😛 But this:

you must find a mentor or everything’s wasted.

That is a little extreme. I mean...everything? Nah. Not everything. Certainly, a mentor would be helpful, but in no means is anything we do with someone or alone is a waste. So disregard the article message on mentors. You do not have to have one, however, it would be convenient and helpful to have one.

But if you think about it, that’s kinda what KP as a whole is. When you read articles, you’re getting the advice. When you get beta-readers, you’re getting the feedback. When you have Loki gif battles you’re getting the…ah…well…yeah. It’s kinda like we’re all mentoring each other. Right?

So KP will work for me. If I happen to get a mentor, then awesome. If I don’t, I doubt that the past two books I’ve written during my time on KP has been a waste.

Waste.

NO!

And that’s my 300 cents, because Dragons are rich. Buy yourself some ice cream.

🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦🍦

@kate-flournoy I haven’t really been writing for a long time, so I’m not sure that I’m qualified to answer this question. I don’t have a mentor and I would like to say that so many great authors did not (as far as we know) really have mentors. I don’t think that having “someone to depend on” is always the best thing. However, everyone’s personality is different.
As an example, I taught myself to make jewelry, and now everyone wants me to take classes so I can get better at it. I have firmly declined, because I like to do things my own way. But who knows? Maybe my jewelry making skills might be a whole lot better if I was taking classes.
So, in this case I feel like a lot of it depends on how you feel about your writing, and if you feel that you could benefit from a mentor.
So, basically, I’m not saying that you should have a mentor or not have one, I’m just giving out a bunch of confusing opinions.

That’s cool @kate-flournoy, I have a cousin who owns a bead store and does glassblowing. I bet that’s a hard skill to learn!

@kate-flournoy Sure. I only have one rule. Don’t pick apart my brain.

And actually, if you don’t mind me saying so, I wouldn’t start your blog and then come up with your plan for building your platform. I would come up with your plan first and then (if it’s the right thing to do) start a blog.