We all need help at one time or another. It’s not just the writing game that strikes fear in our hearts and confusion in our minds. It’s reassuring to know that there’s help out there. But what kind of help do we need? Where do we look for help? And how do we make the process beneficial to our writing agenda? I, for one, have received and provided mentoring help from and to other writers. Collaboration is the name of the game, and it works wonders. You may not always make the best connection, but each mentoring project provides ample opportunity to learn and to teach. Where did I look for help? And where did I enlist myself as a mentor for other writers? Start with your local writers’ groups. There’s always an opportunity to make a connection there.

However, it’s important to have a game plan. We can’t very well go to a mentor if we don’t know what we need help with. A simple “help me” quite simply doesn’t help. So, let’s begin with some brainstorming, some research, and a little bit of soul-searching. To attract a potential mentor, a seasoned writer who already has enough on their plate without spending excessively unwarranted time with a would-be writer, do some Googling, make a list of questions and points you want to cover and be prepared to discuss your findings. In other words, have a solution of sorts before you seek one.

It's important to accept that seeking help from another writer requires that writer, the one offering to be your mentor, to take time out from their other writing tasks. Even if you’ve offered to pay the mentor a fee, there is a time factor that should be considered. Whilst most writers are relatively generous with their time, there is a limit to what time any one writer can guarantee. If a potential mentor feels that your request is too overwhelming, they may decline your request. Don’t take it personally, but it may be time to re-assess what you’re expecting from a mentor.

It might be a good idea to list your requests and come up with some expectations before you actively seek a mentor. I’ve often heard bosses suggest that problems need a solution before they can be solved. This goes for writing as well. Let the potential mentor know what research you’ve already done and what you’ve learned in the process. This is a great way to open the avenues of discussion and make a connection that will help you.

At this point, you’re probably wondering if you do need a mentor, especially if you’ve had to do so much research in advance of making the connection. Well, perhaps you don’t. But some insight from a fellow author never hurts. And it always benefits the requestor to be well-prepared beforehand. Make your list of questions, do some research, and then find yourself a mentor through one of the local writers’ groups. It doesn’t hurt to ask someone else a few questions, even if we don’t get the answers we need or expect. Life and living are full of unanswered and unanswerable questions.