Time for a mentor?
Do you need the help of a professional mentor? WM reader Chris Clement-Green explains why she chose to use a professional mentor to improve her novel in progress, and how it helped her attract publishing offers. By James McCreet
Among the many services available to writers (editing, paid critiques, courses, degrees, residential holidays and workshops), mentoring is one that’s not often discussed. Perhaps this is because it tends to be a personal, one-to-one relationship. Perhaps it’s also because mentoring is sometimes seen as something arcane, advanced or demanding. WM reader and writer Chris Clement-Green, who began a mentoring programme some months ago, explains how it has all worked out for her.
Why did you initially look for a mentor?
Critiques and editing are about improving a particular piece of writing, not the writer themselves. I was well beyond receiving praise from friends and family, and even my MA has turned out to be just a jumping-off point. I wanted to continue expanding and deepening my writing skills. To paraphrase that expression: don’t give me a fish; give me a net.
What did you expect from a mentor?
Someone who was committed to improving my skill-set with unflinchingly honest, highly experienced and very specific feedback. I wanted to be challenged, which meant focusing initially on the negatives. I got exactly what I expected.