Freelance Writing Blog

My Me Day

Posted on by lwidmer

For Kathy: What I’m reading: The Skull Beneath the Skin by PD James (downstairs) and Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (upstairs)What’s on the iPod: She’s Mine by Brett Dennen How strange is it that I’m calling today my “me” day, the day I do just for myself? This coming off a week of recuperating and…

The Minimal Life

Posted on by lwidmer

I’ve figured out that until this body recovers, my life is a series of minimums. Minimum amounts of work, minimum movement, minimum excitement, minimum activity in general is the new order. Yesterday I managed one small project and two blog posts. Today, another small project and one more blog post. Then the stitches come out…

Slow Going

Posted on by lwidmer

Who’d have thought a minor surgery would have me reeling days later? Seriously, yesterday I had what I thought was a setback. I was absolutely drained of all energy. I was weak. I was aching in a way that you’d ache if you had a cold or flu. No fever (very slightly above normal). I…

Excuses for a Large Scar

Posted on by lwidmer

It’s funny how when one is convalescing, one can quickly adapt to the “sick” feeling as one tries to follow doctor’s orders. Yesterday was lightheadedness, a little fatigue, and lots of “Maybe I should sit down and rest” feelings. But since that bloody phone rings every 20-30 minutes, it wasn’t happening. I turned off most…

Upright

Posted on by lwidmer

A big thank you and love to everyone who wished me well both publicly and privately on surgery. The power of positive thinking works – I had probably the smoothest recovery times imaginable. The day of surgery wasn’t pleasant, but I needed just one round of painkillers and anti-naseau meds. By that evening, I was…

Friday Vapor Trails

Posted on by lwidmer

By the time you read this, I may be under sedation, which given the number of hassles I’ve had this month could be a blessing. Nothing like forced nap time for the busy freelancer, eh? Since I’m not going to be around, I’m leaving you some dribs and drabs of fun, trivial things. Hey, it’s…

Kicking Bad Habits

Posted on by lwidmer

If I had back all the time I spent on Facebook, I’d probably get an extra week or two of my life back. It’s my diversion. It’s also my time sink. When I’m on deadline, it’s my nemesis. And curses to the person who decided to tie Bejeweled Blitz to Facebook! There goes another good…

The Consulting Fee

Posted on by lwidmer

Don’t hold your breath, but I think I finished the massive project du jour yesterday. I’ll go over it once more today, but I’ve reviewed it four times now, applied Styles, created my TOC, and otherwise prepared it for PDF and delivery. Amen. But now…. nothing today. That’s fine because after that, I need a…

Lori and the Lost Cause

Posted on by lwidmer

Yesterday was fruitful for a Monday, especially a Monday the day after a weekend in which I put yet another 500+ miles on the car. He helped drive, so maybe that’s why neither of us felt drained when we got home. I managed a huge portion of the large project du jour, plus a smaller…

Me and My Shadow

Posted on by lwidmer

I’m just back from western PA where I spent a weekend among the kilted. It never ceases to amaze me how heritage, hobby, or one commonality can bring people from such disparate backgrounds together under one banner. In this case, it was the MacBean banner (for him). I met a distant relative (a Leslie) who…

Cathy

Someone who helps you find your own way. They support, but do not tell you, "Do it this way."

Someone who shares your successes and failures.

Paula

While I've had plenty of compatriots to commiserate with, and a few editors who've given a good tip or two over the years, I've never had a mentor.

That said, I've served as an unofficial mentor to a handful of writers. The interesting thing is offering advice and constructive criticism to others really inspires me to follow some of my own advice.

I was able to help one of these writers after he joined LinkedIn. He'd been writing a blog for a local newspaper, and when he asked the editor for a recommendation, she included the unnecessary fact that it was unpaid. When I saw it I suggested he ask her to edit that out, since it made both of them look bad. She changed it. (Yes, I reminded him they were taking advantage of him.)

Wendy

A good mentor is all the things mentioned in the post and in comments. But, it's important to note that getting a mentor is not a guarantee to finding jobs. They're not there to hand you work. They'll guide you in the right directions and cheer you on, but they'll expect you to have enough drive to do something with the tips and advice given. Otherwise, you're wasting their time and yours.

Also, a good mentor doesn't take on too many mentees at one time. (unless some of them are in later stages) A Mentor needs to be able to put their focus on the allotted time spent with their mentee.

I helped create a mentoring program for new mentors in a particular company. I evaluated one new mentor, who was observed taking a cell phone call (to talk to someone else about a movie they saw the previous night) in the middle of a mentoring session. Then they tried to finish the mentoring session while still talking on the cell phone. I was having none of that.

If you're allotted a specific time frame to talk with a mentor, (like a half-hour session on the phone or a certain number of emails)then you have the right to have their attention during that time. Of course, emergencies are different.

A good mentor/mentee relationship works when there's give and take from both sides.

Jake P

I've never had an official mentor, nor served as one, but looking back on my career, both types of relationship are evident in retrospect. I've often wondered if women are more comfortable with the concept of formalizing a mentor/mentee relationship, whereas guys just "let it happen."

And I agree 100% with Paula about how teaching something reinforces your understanding and appreciation of it. Same thing with coaching a sport.

Lori

There's a good one, Cathy! Sharing successes and failures. That's a good mentor.

Paula, I'd have him edit that out, too. Ridiculous.

Wendy, excellent point. Mentors give advice – they don't do the work for you. And ANYONE who pulls out a cell phone in the middle of another conversation is just plain rude.

Jake, I suspect we are more comfortable formalizing things, but I have to say my mentor relationships were more of the variety you mention. I wasn't sure I had a mentor, but in retrospect I found several.

I think it's particularly important for beginning writers to filter through people who are willing/able to give advice, not just anyone with a weblog.