Look For A Mentor

Throughout my writing and editorial life, I've learned a great deal from many different sources. About twenty years ago, I had no idea how to focus my magazine articles for the marketplace. It was through the patient teaching of a more experienced writer that I learned the skill of crafting a query letter and writing the assigned magazine article. The learning process wasn't easy. Often my manuscript was returned with many editorial marks and I could have grown discouraged and given up. Instead I pressed on and continued writing. It's a lesson I hope you will do as well with your writing--press on in the midst of rejection.

One of the biggest authors in the thriller writer area is James Patterson. I've read several of these books and enjoy Patterson's crisp style and fascinating plots. I've wondered he has been co-authoring some of his books and how that process worked. You can gain a bit of insight from this Soapbox column in the April 30th Publisher's Weekly by Andrew Gross titled, The Patterson School of Writing. I found several fascinating elements of this article. First, his connection to James Patterson came from his publisher talking with his agent. Catch that little detail in this article.

Next look at the different lessons Gross learned as he worked seven years with James Patterson. He gives five specifics (you can read the article for the various lessons) but here's the truth which struck me: "In sum, I learned how to write for one's audience, not the people you want them to be." It's a common flaw in writers. They are writing for themselves and not the audience.

Another key lesson that I've been learning is to focus on the people and the relationships instead of trying to figure out how to speculate what will happen from an income or financial standpoint. Yes, we need to have the financials in mind but it's the relationship which will hopefully continue long into the future. I've had many mentors in my life and I continue to be mentored. I'm grateful for each person who continues to teach me either through a book or an audio program or face to face.