I Love Mentoring
During February, in my blogs, I’m sharing the things I love.
This week it’s all about Mentoring.
January was National Mentoring Month, set up to focus on raising the awareness of mentoring, in its various forms.
What is mentoring?
According to the University of California, this is what the role of a mentor is:
‘Mentors provide guidance, advice, feedback, and support to the mentee, serving variously as role model, teacher, counsellor, advisor, sponsor, advocate, and ally, depending on the specific goals and objectives negotiated with the mentee’.
I agree that this is probably what mentoring involves, when it refers to young people working with an older individual who shares their knowledge, experience and wisdom. This is usually done for free.
However, when young people are not involved, mentoring can also work where people are paid. This is where there may be some contention as to whether or not it is mentoring or coaching. Maybe the two words have become synonymous?
Have read many definitions of the two, as a writing mentor to my clients, I see my role, as one to encourage, share my knowledge and provide the support the person is looking for, moving them forward. Some people just want accountability to keep them on track, whereas others want a wider range of support and skills.
5 Reasons, why I love Mentoring
1. I love people and over the years, what I have realised is, I like to help others to succeed.
When I worked in education, I taught my pupils, and then latterly, teachers, to enjoy music, be able to make music, grow their skills, and raise their knowledge of musical history and understanding.
As a musician, I love accompanying, which is about allowing the soloist to shine, supported by a solid background accompaniment that they don’t have to worry about.
In my photography business, I helped people learn to enjoy being photographed, to show their best selves to the world, and loved capturing important moments in their lives.
Now, as a Writing mentor, I support people through the journey of writing their book.
2. Trust
As a writing mentor, it is a huge privilege to be able to support someone with, what is, their ‘writing baby’.
I am invited into people’s lives at the point often, where they are making decisions about what, and what not to share in their book — a very special space to be.
They have put their trust in me to help prepare them to go to a publisher with their manuscript improved and ready for publishing house to take over.
3. Learning
I learn too. Often, I learn about things I would not otherwise have known, had I not I read a particular manuscript.
I get introduced to a wide range of different writing styles.
My reading genres has widened incredibly.
I have to find different approaches to help each person, depending on their personality style.
4. Thinking outside the box
I love finding strategies to help each person through whatever problems may arise for them.
Working on their characters to ensure they are fully developed and real.
It’s exciting helping people plan their books in creative ways, and I enjoy it when, sometimes, I have to think ‘on the hoof’.
5. Impacts on my own writing
Working with other writers, helping them to overcome problems with planning and organisation of their book, use of language, making sense of flow, keeping the reader interested, in turn helps me with my own writing. I am more aware of the problems I’m making, because I have recognised them in other writing.
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey.
Lis McDermott is an author, poet and professional writing mentor, find out more at www.LisMcDermottauthor.co.uk