Wulf Moon’s SUPER SECRETS:
Mentors: The Fastest Way to Become a Jedi

"Always two, there are. No more. No less. A Master and an apprentice." 

Yoda gave a fair definition of mentors to Jedi Master Windu in The Phantom Menace. A mentor is an experienced master that teaches their craft and knowledge to a lesser experienced apprentice, known today as a mentee. It’s a time-honored tradition of transferring knowledge: a guardian teacher educating the child of the ancient Greek hero Odysseus that went off to war against Troy; craftsmen taking on indentured servants in medieval guilds to teach them the secrets of their trade; modern executives guiding rising stars up the corporate ladder to help them achieve their full potential. As the saying goes, it’s a long way to the top. Mentors ease the struggle and shorten the time it takes to get there. 

Does that mean the process is all about speed? Learn the secret handshake so you can take the elevator to the top? (Thank you, push PH for penthouse, please.) No. That’s simply the byproduct of working with a good mentor. Mentors focus on bringing out the best qualities inherent in their mentees to help them succeed in achieving a challenging goal. Mentors do this from their own bag of knowledge, experience, success, and connections the mentor has worked hard to gain.

Effective mentors are Sherpas. They know the path to the peak because they’ve been there. They recognize healthy climbers, easily spotting those that have the talent, stamina, skills, and work ethic to make it to the top. They consult with the climber to establish goals, and they scout ahead and guide the climber toward the surest routes. While they may even help with the load for a climber, provide a shoulder to lean on (or a kick in the pants!), it’s always the climber’s responsibility to carry themselves up the mountain, one step at a time. 

The mentor/mentee relationship is as important in writing as it is in any other profession, but tends to be spoken of less in writing than in other fields. Writing is seen as a solo business, where writers confine themselves to shadowy caves, slaving for years under dim bulbs at their keyboards, and when they one day come up for air, voila!, they have produced art, their masterpiece, all on their own. For a few, that may be true. Many established creatives take great pride in proclaiming themselves “self taught.” While it’s possible one could make it to the top of Mount Everest on one’s own, it’s much more likely the creative, like the climber, had help along the way. We all stand on the backs of giants. Sometimes, those giants ahead take note of our struggles, lay off from their own work, and use their wisdom and power to bend down and help us climb that peak we’ve been struggling to get up.

Which begs three questions: 

Let’s have a look.

Just like most writers, in Star Wars, Luke Skywalker had inherent talent. He descended from a powerful father— actually, the former mentee of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but let’s put a pin in that. Luke had no training, but the student had appeared, so the old wizard Obi-Wan came out of retirement to take a stab at mentoring once again. The mentor extended the invitation: “You must learn the ways of the Force if you’re to come with me to Alderaan.” The mentee resisted at first —he had business to tend to at home—  but seeing your aunt and uncle turned into barbecue does tend to change your priorities. Luke wanted to take on the Empire, but he recognized the Empire was too powerful for him to accomplish this task on his own. So, he accepted the offer of mentorship. And this time, Obi-Wan’s young Padawan did not let him down.

So how do mentors help? They provide training. Motivation. Moral support. And they often use their connections to create opportunities for their mentees that they could not have gained access to on their own. Here’s an example. I recently enjoyed an interview conducted by David Farland (Runelords) with Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive). Sanderson readily admitted David Farland helped him at a critical point in his career, not only with education, but upon seeing Sanderson’s potential, Farland came up with both a plan and the motivation to get Sanderson where he needed to be to make a publishing deal happen. If a powerful mentor believes in you, they can bring the heavens down and make miracles happen. Sanderson said David Farland’s help made all the difference in launching his career. 

Mentors also help mentees avoid pitfalls their lack of knowledge prevents them from seeing. They invest of themselves in the mentee’s success, and while they should never be used as therapists (this can ruin the purpose of the relationship), they often provide emotional support when achievements don’t come as fast as the mentee might wish. 

If the mentee stumbles along the way, their mentor is there offering a helping hand, working with the mentee to analyze the experience, providing solutions and moral support so the mentee can stand up and try again. The mentor has been there as well, and they draw from their book of lessons learned from the school of hard knocks to ease the pain of short-term failure. In fact, mentors help mentees see these failures as part of their growth. As the famous Formula One racer Mario Andretti said: “If you don't come walking back to the pits every once in a while holding a steering wheel in your hands, you're not trying hard enough.” 

Mentors help with motivation and belief. The writers’ path is a challenging one, especially if one seeks to become professionally published, more so if one seeks to make their living as a full-time writer. It takes many years to master a craft and get established as a professional. Disappointments take their toll, emotionally and financially. Family life can be strained. Discouragement if left unchecked can lead a writer to dark, even dangerous thoughts. But if one has a mentor, they can become a beacon of light in our struggles. Because they focus on our future potential, not the present reality, they can help us believe in ourselves, even when we may not. 

Mentors have character and strength — it’s how they survived the learning process and achieved their success—  but they don’t turn mentees into carbon copies of themselves. They recognize their mentees are individuals, and they use the mentorship to help mentees become the best version of their own selves. The mentee is there to learn from the mentor, not to become the mentor. Failure to recognize this can be a pitfall, as the mentee naturally looks up to their mentor and seeks to copy them as a pathway to success. 

Because of this, it’s important for the mentee to remember that in the end, they must carve their own path. Each person is unique, and that means their own journey will be unique. Good mentors are happy to cut their mentees loose after the relationship has accomplished its purpose— they recognize that this too is part of the process. If the mentorship comes to an end, mutual respect for the investment made by the mentor and the efforts made by the mentee is often the result. Mentorships often create lifelong friendships, even additional opportunities to work together in the future. Mentors take great pride in their mentees’ achievements, and mentees should always be grateful that their mentor took the time to help them. It’s what makes the mentorship relationship a beautiful thing. 

Want to see how mentorship works in the life of creatives? Take the life of the late American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim (West Side Story). He was the boyhood friend of the son of Oscar Hammerstein II (South Pacific). Young Sondheim asked Hammerstein to critique his comic musical, and Hammerstein frankly said it was the worst thing he had ever seen. However, like a good mentor, he told Sondheim: “But if you want to know why it's terrible, I'll tell you.” Hammerstein said it wasn't untalented, just bad, and spent the rest of the afternoon going through the script line by line with Sondheim. Sondheim later said: “In that afternoon I learned more about songwriting and the musical theater than most people learn in a lifetime.”

Hammerstein created a course for Sondheim on constructing a musical. He actually challenged him to write four musicals as studies, based on specific criteria to help him learn his craft. Sondheim did the work, honed his talent, and eventually became a legend in his own right. Shortly before Sondheim’s death this year, he appeared on The Late Show. Stephen Colbert asked Sondheim what his mentor had taught him. Sondheim replied: “He taught me to write for myself, because I wrote songs that imitated him. He said, ‘No. Write what you feel. This is what I feel about, you know, love and humanity. You write what you feel.’ And that was important because you think that would be natural, but it’s not, it’s not. Particularly if you think highly of the person that you are imitating, which I did.”

Finally, mentors know their fledglings will one day develop their wings and have the strength to fly on their own. They don’t discourage this, rather, it’s encouraged. While some mentor/mentee relationships last a lifetime, most professional mentorships   run for a limited period of time. In professional mentorship programs, six months is considered minimum because it takes time for both parties to become comfortable with one another to be effective. Often, mentorships run a year. This is because the point of the mentorship was to help the mentee gain the skills and knowledge necessary to stand on their own two feet; now they can make their own mark on the world. Mentorship fulfilled. 

Seeing all the advantages, it’s no wonder aspiring writers hope they might get taken on by more experienced writers to get the help they need. Going it alone is tough, the learning curve is steep, the early rewards are slim. Most would agree, having your own personal writer Sherpa could really ease the painful struggles, er, I mean, the writing career challenges! But where are these mentors? You’re ready to become a Jedi! Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi when you need him?

There’s an old saying: When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. For Luke Skywalker, when the Padawan was ready, the Jedi did appear. But for that to happen, Luke had to stop tweaking the vaporators and get off the farm. He had to go out into the wider world, take some risks, and yes, get clobbered by Tuskan Raiders. That’s the only way Obi-Wan could see him and recognize the young man needed help. So, to find a mentor, we must add another element to this saying: And the student must be visible for the teacher to appear. Mentors have to see the potential mentee before they can offer aid. And if they’re going to lay off their own work to help a mentee, they’ll need to see signs that the potential candidate is serious, willing to listen to their advice and ready to do the work necessary to succeed. In other words, to find a mentor, one needs to be proactive. 

One’s attitude is also important. We live in an age of entitlement, that because we believe we are special, someone should bring the limo up to take us to the party. Well, in a way we are special, able to create complex worlds and characters and civilizations out of nothing but spongy gray matter. But to attract a mentor, it’s essential to be modest and humble. They can do that magic trick too, and they’ve had years of practice to make it look effortless. 

Obi-Wan’s first mentorship didn’t go so well. His mentee started with humility, but became overconfident as his skills grew. Everyone knows pride leads to the dark side— except Anakin Skywalker. Instead of a happy reunion years later, Obi-Wan’s mentee said: “When I left you, I was but the learner. Now, I am the Master.” Who wants a mentee like that? No one wants I MENTORED DARTH VADER on their resume. So, when approaching a professional you hope might offer some mentoring, be humble. Don’t be pushy. Remember to use the magic word: please. Get the word help in there, too— it worked for Leeloo in The Fifth Element. And if they help you out and you achieve success, don’t forget your roots. Thank them and be thankful— they didn’t have to do that. 

Great. So, you’re doing the work, you’ve got the right attitude, you’ve gotten out of your pj’s, and you’ve left your she shed to be spotted by your mentor. Where’s the mentor/mentee convention? And who’s taking applications?

Actually, conventions are a great place to start. Writing conventions and seminars normally have people ahead of you on the mountain. And you speak their language, you’re the same species! If you’re proactive and friendly, you’re bound to find someone that will be willing to give you advice...and if a relationship clicks, they may just offer you a helping hand. One of the best places to meet people at conventions? Bar con. At the end of the day, the pros head to the bar to chat with old friends and to make new ones. Join a table, introduce yourself, and let the conversation flow. A lot of cool things happen at bar con, including making a new friend that could become your mentor.

Writing groups and workshops are another great source. The Clarion workshop is a famous one— a six-week summer program where experienced instructors mentor students. Joining writing organizations and attending their meetings is another source. Local writing critique workshops can work as well. As you do your part to offer helpful critiques in addition to seeking some for your own work, members see your personality, your skills, and your potential. Often a more experienced writer will lead these groups, providing guidance to those less experienced. While your personal goal might be to find a one-on-one mentor, there’s nothing wrong with group mentoring. Some of the more famous workshops are led by writers with healthy pedigrees, and they can be very generous with their advice and time. They might even help you find that personal mentor, pairing you up with another experienced writer in the workshop (I do this in mine). But normally, these things happen organically over time as you become a vetted member of the group.

What if you’re shy and it’s hard to make friends? Good news! In this era of COVID, many opportunities to network have opened up through the necessity of virtual workshops and online conventions. You don’t even have to leave your home or wear pants to be proactive! Okay, do wear pants, we’ve all seen the real-life blooper videos. Point is, there are ways to see and be seen that were never available before. Take advantage of writer forums. There’s a wonderful one at WritersoftheFuture.com where I also serve as moderator. Many have been mentored to publishing success in that group, not the least of which, by winning the Contest. Win that and you gain access to a free week-long workshop and receive mentoring by some of the most famous speculative fiction writers in the industry. Relationships and opportunities open up because the judges are there to help these aspiring writers to succeed by paying it forward, another form of mentoring.

There’s also David Farland’s paid online writing group, Apex Writers, where he conducts weekly Zoom interviews with top industry professionals like Brandon Sanderson, Toni Weisskopf, Tim Powers, and Terry Brooks. As you interact on the website and in the chat group, connections are made, questions are answered, friendships blossom...and your mentor can appear. Not to be overlooked is DreamForge’s own writing group, DreamCasters. This is a Patreon offering, and for a small monthly fee, members meet online monthly, receiving valuable writing advice from guest speakers. But its greatest benefit is the special publishing offers made only to the group from Scot Noel, who along with his wife Jane, act as mentors to the group. If you’re goal is to achieve that first respectable sale —like in DreamForge Anvil— you can have no better Sherpa than Scot Noel, its editor. Learn more at DreamForge's Website.

Writing workshops. Here is another way to find guidance, and perhaps even a mentor as you turn in work to the instructor. Writing workshops are taught by established authors, and they recognize good prose and storytelling skills when they see it. Instructors will often go the extra mile for a promising student, even helping them find agents and publishers through their contacts, like the cited example with Brandon Sanderson. I know I’ve adopted more than a few writers that have attended my workshops, and the personal mentoring was exactly what they needed to get over their publishing hurdles. (If you’d like to listen to the story of one of these authors, Brittany Rainsdon, click here: https://soundcloud.com/writersofthefuture/149-the-value-of-mentors-with-wulf-moon-and-brittany-rainsdon) 

Okay, you’ve tried it all, you’ve pushed your manuscript into the hands of every pro you met at bar con (Nooooooo!), you even snuck into a publisher party (smart!), and still that mentor has eluded you. You’ve got the fast train to catch, how long is this mentor thing going to take? Could be awhile, I won’t lie. Good things come to those that wait, but only the things left behind by those that hustle. But if it feels like you’re hustling, it’s not likely someone will reach out and help. Catch 22. Never fear, there is another way to obtain mentoring. This is through freelance editors and writing coaches. It’s going to cost to get professional editors with good credits and a healthy resume of successful clients— the more successful they are, the higher their services cost. And you should tread carefully— there are many entities that prey on new writers and do not deliver on their promises. 

But there are many legitimate freelance editors with solid publishing credits and strong references from customers that used their services and obtained good results. There’s also writing and career coaches that can help you navigate through that rough terrain, just like a mentor can. The difference? They do this professionally, and that means you need to pay them professional rates— editing and mentoring writers takes time, and time is money. If you can find one that’s a good match for you, the hunt is over. The right one can make a huge difference in your learning curve. How to find the right one? If you’ve been doing all of the above in this article, you now have friends and contacts. Ask who is reputable that’s been getting results for their writers. They’ll know.

Whether we find a mentor or stumble up the path alone and find our way, we gain knowledge. That knowledge is valuable, and can be used to help someone else. There is a graphic I’ve seen posted on social media of a man atop a mountain, with the caption: “When I get to the top, I’ll turn around and help others get there too.” Why wait to help others until we get to the top? If we haven’t been looking back along the climb to see who might need a helping hand behind us, it’s unlikely we’re going to have a change of heart once we get to whatever we presume the top to be.

Many writers that achieve success credit mentors as reaching out and helping them at critical moments in their career. You’ll hear them say, “I would not be writing today were it not for so-and-so.” Or another one: “This would have never happened had I not met that person right then.” Often at one’s darkest hour, the mentor appears and holds out their hand. It’s weird like that. I’ve had it happen to me, and I’ve done the same for others. No matter where we are on that mountain climb, there’s always somebody behind us that could use a helping hand. We all have some level of knowledge and power we can use to help someone else. 

Even Padawans can help younglings.

May the Force be with you.