Mentorship is incredibly important. If you ever feel alone in your writing journey or unsure of what to do next, mentorship is something you need. Every hero on the hero’s journey needs a mentor, and the writing journey is no different.
In this episode, I’m going to share ten different places you can find mentorship.
Why is mentorship so important?
Most authors, in my experience, feel like they’re the exception—the chosen one for whom writing will come easily and success will follow naturally. They believe that because they’re called to write, success will happen with little effort. Early in their careers, many authors think this way. But a mentor is the person who sets you straight, who teaches you that you still have much to learn and that success only comes with hard work. No one is an exception to that rule.
Even if you’re incredibly talented, you still have to put in the hard work, and you have to work smart. A mentor helps keep you from wasting time and making the same mistakes. As James Rubart says, “It’s hard to read the label when you’re standing inside the bottle.” Without a mentor, it’s easy to repeat the same errors.
A mentor can see your blind spots and help you recognize them. It’s hard to see the ketchup on your own nose, but it’s obvious to someone else.
There’s a lot to learn to succeed as an author. Learning to write well and make a living from it is just as difficult as learning any other profession. In fact, it’s often harder.
If you want to write as a hobby for personal fulfillment or healing, you may not need a mentor. But if your goal is to change lives, entertain readers, or impact the world, you’ll need people to pay money for your book—and read it all the way through.
To get there, you need to master three things: convincing readers to buy the book, convincing them to start reading it, and convincing them to finish it. A mentor can help you learn how to do all three.
How can you know if you’re ready for mentorship?
Before you seek a mentor, ask yourself two questions:
Are you willing to suffer to get better? Growth requires hard work and sometimes suffering. If you’re not willing to endure that, mentorship won’t help.
Are you willing to implement the advice you receive? At writers’ conferences, it’s common to give someone feedback on a manuscript, only to see them return a year later with the same manuscript and the same mistakes. It’s easy to ask for advice, but hard to follow through. Mentorship only works if you apply what you learn.
In every hero’s journey, the hero believes he’s further along than he really is. The mentor helps him see how much more there is to learn.
There is more than one way to find mentorship.
Many writers think they must follow a single, approved method or they’ll fail. That’s not true. Every option has pros and cons. Choosing one path means saying “no” to another. If you eat your cake, you can’t still have it. If you save it, you can’t enjoy it now. There are always tradeoffs.
Every mentorship avenue has strategic advantages and disadvantages, and different stages of your career will call for different approaches.
Ten Sources of Mentorship
#1 Books
Books are one of the best and most affordable forms of mentorship.
Pros
Learn Anything
You can learn almost anything from a book. Thousands of books on craft and marketing are available on Amazon, written by experts at the top of their fields.
Learn from Past Mentors
You can even learn from “dead mentors,” who were masters of the craft from previous generations.
For example, I was deeply influenced early in my writing career by Mark Twain’s essay “The Literary Offenses of James Fenimore Cooper.” In it, Twain humorously and harshly critiques the author of The Last of the Mohicans while giving brilliant advice on what makes good writing.
Cheap
Books are cheap and accessible. They let you pick the brains of experts for about ten dollars each. There’s no better bargain for learning from the best.
Cons
But books also have drawbacks.
Dated
They can become dated, especially marketing books, since marketing changes so quickly. That’s why I rarely recommend the same marketing book for long. Abstract or principle-based books, like those by Seth Godin, remain useful longer because they focus on the philosophy of marketing, not the tactics. Still, you must find ways to apply that philosophy in practice.
Impersonal
Books are also impersonal. No one reading over your shoulder tells you that you’ve got ketchup on your face. They can show you how to look in the mirror, but they can’t give direct feedback or accountability.
No Accountability
Many writers buy craft books but never read them. So here’s your friendly reminder—read the books you already own. It’s the cheapest way to improve, since you’ve already paid for them.
No Encouragement
Books can inspire, but they can’t replace real human encouragement. True encouragement happens face-to-face. While a book might motivate you for a moment, the most lasting encouragement usually comes from real people.
Still, books are a great starting place. They’re inexpensive, packed with wisdom, and provide access to expert minds. They just require discipline and self-motivation to get the full benefit.
#2 Blogs and Podcasts
The second avenue where you can find mentorship is through podcasts and blogs. You’re already taking advantage of this one right now.
Pros
Free
The biggest advantage of podcasts and blogs is that they’re typically free. For example, with the Novel Marketing podcast, we release four free episodes each month, and the fifth episode is available only to our patrons. But most podcasts are free most of the time.
Learn Anything
You can learn almost anything from podcasts and blogs. I’ve been impressed by how many niche podcasts exist. Many shows focus on specific topics that provide expert advice. Some podcasts feature one host teaching, while others include interviews with experts. If you keep listening, you can learn from many different experts through a single show.
Cutting Edge
Podcasts also tend to be more current than books. A book can take two years to publish, and by the time a marketing book hits shelves, some of its content may already be outdated. Podcasts and blogs, on the other hand, can discuss what’s happening right now. Blogs are especially timely, while podcasts typically go deeper into each topic.
Show notes are short and can be skimmed in a few minutes, but the podcast episode itself may last 20 to 40 minutes, giving you more depth and nuance.
Cons
However, podcasts and blogs have limitations.
Minimal Interaction
Interaction is minimal. You can comment on blogs or join communities like ours at AuthorMedia.social, where listeners interact with each other and with me.
Unfocused
Podcasts can be unfocused. I try to keep Novel Marketing focused, but even so, every week covers a new topic. If you’re looking for help on a specific issue, it may take weeks or months before an episode addresses it.
Lack Accountability
Podcasts also lack accountability. No one checks to see whether you’ve implemented what you learned.
Lack Encouragement
While you might find encouragement in a story or message, true encouragement is human-to-human. Listening to a podcast is not the same as receiving personal, face-to-face support.
The bottom line is that podcasts and blogs are free, current, and convenient ways to move up the learning curve. I encourage you to include them as part of your overall mix because they offer so much value for so little cost.
#3 Writers Conferences
Pros
In Person
Writers conferences offer many advantages, the most obvious being that they happen in person, which makes them encouraging and energizing.
It’s not uncommon to see authors cry at conferences—sometimes tears of joy, sometimes relief, and sometimes sadness. Conferences are emotional places because people receive real encouragement and feedback there.
I don’t often see people cry while listening to podcasts, and hopefully, none of you have cried while listening to mine.
Expert Advice
Another advantage of conferences is access to expert advice. Many top experts attend and speak on stage, and you may even be able to book one-on-one time with them. Conferences are also excellent for networking. When it comes to expanding your professional circle, nothing beats a conference.
Networking
There are two kinds of valuable networks: deep and broad. Conferences are great for building a broad one.
Access to Literary Agents
Conferences are one of the best ways to find a literary agent, either by meeting one directly or by connecting with authors who can introduce you to theirs.
Cons
However, conferences have drawbacks.
Limited Time and Scope
Most last three to seven days and are incredibly intense. You spend long days attending sessions and networking.
Information Overload
Two phrases I often hear are “drinking from a fire hose” and “conference brain.” By day three, especially for introverts like me, your brain feels overloaded. You’re exhausted, struggling to process new information, and still trying to participate in sessions.
No Accountability
You’ll absorb a lot, but much of it will spill out later because there’s no accountability to help you retain and apply what you learned. It’s like holding a sponge up to a fire hydrant. Many authors take pages of notes but never review them again.
Cost
Conferences can be expensive, especially if you have to travel. While some authors live near major cities and can drive home each night, others must pay for airfare and lodging. By the time you add it all up, attending a conference can easily cost $2,500.
Because of the expense and intensity, conferences aren’t something you should attend too often. In the Five-Year Plan, we do recommend conferences, but not as early or as frequently as some might expect. The key is preparation.
The best way to get the most out of a conference is to prepare well.
The bottom line is that conferences are an excellent way to expand your network, but they’re costly, overwhelming, and easy to waste if you don’t apply what you learn. Before attending your next one, review your notes from the last conference and implement those lessons first.
#4 Online Courses
Online courses combine the advantages and disadvantages of books, podcasts, and conferences.
Pros
Expert Advice
You get expert, focused advice, and the more you pay, the more personal attention you tend to receive. Course prices vary widely, from $2,500 for high-touch programs with direct instructor interaction to $20 or $50 for video-only courses.
Lower-priced courses offer great value for learning content, while premium courses provide more accountability and encouragement.
Flexibility
You can learn at your own pace. Unlike the firehose intensity of a conference, online courses are like a garden hose; you control the flow. You can learn a little at a time and revisit lessons when you need to.
Good Value Compared to Conferences
Online courses are especially useful for learning specific skills or filling knowledge gaps. They’re also a much better value compared to conferences. If you usually attend three conferences per year, try cutting back to two and spend the money from that third conference on online courses. You could buy a dozen courses for the same cost and likely learn far more.
If you normally attend multiple conferences, consider cutting back by one and investing that money in online courses instead. You’ll likely learn more and progress faster.
Cons
However, online courses also have limitations.
Static Content
Most are static, meaning they don’t change from year to year, much like books. Some instructors update their material regularly, but many do not.
Impersonal
Courses can also feel impersonal, especially large ones. Even expensive programs with thousands of students offer limited direct access to instructors.
Lack of Accountability and Encouragement
Accountability and encouragement are often minimal, and not every course is equally focused or current.
Still, the bottom line is that online courses are one of the best ways to fill knowledge gaps and move up the learning curve quickly. They provide tremendous value for the money.
#5 University Degree
Almost every university has an English program, some geared toward fiction and others toward journalism. Sometimes there is a whole range of writing-related degrees.
Pros
Credibility
One advantage of a university degree is credibility. If you want to pursue traditional or literary fiction, a degree may offer some benefits. You get degreed instructors, and if you care that your instructors have degrees, a university provides that. A degree is also useful if you want to teach at the university level.
If you can think of more advantages to an English or writing-related degree, add them in the comments.
Cons
The cons are significant.
Time and Cost
The process is slow as it takes four years to finish, and the cost is the biggest drawback. Liberal arts colleges, which often host these programs, now cost roughly $25,000 to $50,000 per year, sometimes not including books, room, and board. The days of paying your way with a minimum-wage job are over.
For perspective, check what your alma mater now charges. My grandmother paid about $25 per semester. Now it is closer to $25,000 a semester. Costs have exploded in two generations. My alma mater costs about $40,000 a year, so a four-year degree now totals about $160,000, which is hard to justify for most English majors.
In publishing, no one asks about your degree. They ask if you can write. Some top editors do not have degrees, and no one notices because the work is what matters.
Lack of Focus on Commercial Writing
Another downside is focus. Programs often emphasize noncommercial, high-brow writing rather than genre fiction that readers already want to buy. College is not the investment it was when tuition was a few hundred dollars a semester. Some of my friends graduated with liberal arts degrees that did not increase their earning potential. Years later, they still carry the debt.
Unless you have a full-ride scholarship, I do not recommend taking on loans for a liberal arts degree. Scholarships can have strings, such as housing requirements or GPA minimums, and many students take five years to finish, which raises the cost even more. Student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy in the United States, which makes them the worst kind of debt to carry. If you can attend on a full ride, the math changes, but you still spend four years of your life.
#6 Virtual Assistant (VA) Apprenticeship
A virtual assistant apprenticeship is the least utilized method of mentorship, but many successful authors who earn more than $100,000 per year need a VA. As a VA, you can help with reader correspondence, websites, ads, email, research, and organization. Successful authors can afford to hire assistants, and that assistant could be you.
Learn more about How to Find and Work With a Virtual Assistant.
Pros
Paid to Learn
Of all the methods, this is the only one where you are paid to learn. You get to observe a top author at work and see techniques that never make it into courses. Some strategies are only visible when you help execute them.
Cons
A good VA job is hard to find, especially those jobs with high-earning authors. You must network to uncover them.
Time-Consuming
The work can also be time-consuming and includes routine tasks. Authors hire assistants to get work done, not to teach, although you will learn along the way. There is no accountability for your own writing, and if you are not careful, a growing VA role can crowd out your writing time. Authors also prefer assistants who can commit for a year or two because training is substantial.
Bottom line: this is an unconventional way to learn directly from successful authors. It is ideal if you are time-rich and cash-poor.
#7 One-on-One Coaching
When you hire a coach, you meet by phone, Zoom, or Google Meet with someone who coaches you.
Pros
Personal and Focused
The advantage is that it is personal and ongoing. A coach gets to know you, your book, your writing, your marketing, and your platform. It is also highly focused because it is private tutoring.
Accountability
Some people book a single consultation to pick my brain for an hour, but ongoing coaching creates accountability, similar to hiring a personal trainer.
Cons
Cost and Access
Coaching is expensive, likely the second most expensive option after a university degree. That said, compared to $160,000 for college, a few thousand dollars for direct access to a top practitioner is a bargain.
Hard to Find
Finding a good coach is also difficult. There is no universal marketplace I recommend. One practical approach is to hire a podcaster you already listen to. You can vet their thinking over many episodes and try their courses first.
Bottom line: if you can afford it, one-on-one coaching is one of the fastest ways up the learning curve because it is personal, focused, and accountable.
#8 Facebook/Online Groups
Pros
Encouragement
There are many Facebook writing communities, and they can be helpful because they provide personal encouragement. While it’s not face-to-face, it can still feel personal when someone comments on your post or offers feedback. However, much of it is surface-level encouragement—like someone reacting with a heart emoji—which doesn’t always provide real motivation.
Easy to Join
Facebook groups are easy to join, often open to anyone, and they can be fun. Many authors enjoy social media, even though I often share statistics showing it’s not very effective for marketing. People enjoy being there, and it’s easy to lurk quietly without much risk.
We do have an online group for Novel Marketing and the Christian Publishing Show, where each episode has an official discussion thread. People post questions, and I respond there.
Cons
Facebook groups can be useful, but there are also some major downsides.
Time Drain
The biggest one is that Facebook can be a time vortex. I often log in intending to work and end up distracted by notifications or political debates that waste 30 minutes of my day. Maybe you’re more disciplined than I am, but that’s a risk.
Low-Quality Advice
An even bigger drawback is the uneven quality of advice. In large groups, misinformation spreads easily. I often wonder where some of the bad marketing myths I debunk on my podcast originate, and the answer is usually Facebook.
People often tell me they followed a suggestion they saw in a Facebook group. For example, I once read a post from a discouraged new author whose book wasn’t selling. Another group member advised her to do bookstore signings “to get her name out there.” That’s terrible advice. Book signings rarely help new authors. Even bestselling authors sometimes have empty tables. Sending a struggling author to sit for hours at an empty signing can crush their confidence. Most readers avoid those tables because it’s awkward to interact with someone they don’t know.
There’s a lot of well-meaning but poor advice in Facebook groups, often from people whose experience you can’t verify. Still, not all groups are bad. Some paid-access groups are well-moderated and provide high-quality input. For example, Tricia Goyer’s paid writing group invites experts for office hours, and the advice there is excellent because it’s actively managed.
Look for smaller, well-run communities with credible oversight, and be selective. Don’t join every group you see.
#9 Critique Groups
Critique groups are made up of writers who meet regularly, usually in person, to share feedback on each other’s work. Some groups also meet online.
Pros
Critique groups are inexpensive, personal, and great for accountability. If the group meets weekly, you’re expected to bring new material, which pushes you to keep writing. For novelists, especially beginners, few things help improve writing faster than a good critique group.
Cons
Low-Quality Advice
However, there are drawbacks. Many critique groups consist of writers at the same level, so the advice may not be expert. Advanced writers rarely stay in beginner groups because there’s little benefit for them. Unless members pay the advanced author, it’s unlikely they’ll remain long-term.
If everyone in your group is unpublished and inexperienced, it can become the blind leading the blind. Some feedback may even make your writing worse. Beginners often struggle to know which advice to follow and which to ignore.
Bozos
Another common problem is the presence of what I call “bozos.” A bozo is someone who doesn’t realize they don’t know what they’re talking about. They dominate the discussion with loud, confident, but misguided opinions, which can derail a group.
Hard to Find
That said, not every critique group is like this. Quality varies widely. One of the biggest challenges is finding a group in the first place. Demand far exceeds supply, since most writers would rather join a group than lead one.
If you can’t find a good group, start your own. The advantage of leading is that you can shape the group’s tone and goals. As they say, rank has its privileges.
Craft Focused
Critique groups also tend to focus on craft. That’s excellent early in your career, but eventually you’ll reach a point where your writing is strong enough that craft books and feedback aren’t your biggest growth areas. Once you can analyze published novels and understand the techniques behind them, your next growth challenge will likely be marketing.
At that stage, critique groups may no longer provide what you need. They help build writing skills, but not the business side of being an author.
The bottom line: critique groups are one of the best ways to develop your craft, especially early on. They’re only as good as their members, though, so choose wisely—and beware of bozos.
#10 Mastermind Groups
The final avenue of mentorship is mastermind groups. I’m a big fan of mastermind groups. They’re similar to critique groups in some ways, but they tend to meet online and focus more on publishing and marketing rather than craft, though some groups discuss both.
Pros
I’ve been part of a mastermind group for almost ten years, and it has probably been the single most valuable thing for my career.
There are two main kinds of mastermind groups: peer-based and expert-based.
Expert-Based Mastermind
An expert-based mastermind includes a leader or coach who runs the group and provides specialized knowledge. This setup helps ensure that someone in the room can correct misinformation, which is especially helpful for beginners.
Peer-Based Mastermind
A peer-based mastermind group, on the other hand, consists of people who are at similar stages in their journeys. That’s the kind of group I’ve been part of for years. Mastermind groups are built on give and take. My group even meets in person once a year, so there’s some cost involved. Not all mastermind groups do that, but ours does.
Costs vary widely. Some groups charge around $150 per month, while others cost less. You can also find high-end mastermind groups that charge much more.
Expert Advice and Accountability
The benefits are significant. You get expert advice if your group includes experienced members, and you gain excellent accountability. This is one of the best types of accountability because it’s mutual. You don’t want to let your peers down, and they won’t want to let you down either. It feels like being part of a team where everyone is working toward success together.
In my group, we set personal goals, and if someone misses a goal, they have to buy everyone else an Amazon gift card. I’ve both sent and received those cards, but more often, we meet our goals. It’s never done harshly. You only participate if you want to, but it keeps everyone motivated.
Success in publishing isn’t just about gaining knowledge; it’s about applying it consistently. Mastermind groups provide both structure and encouragement to make that happen.
Community and Networking
They’re also one of the best sources of community and deep networking. I have a broad professional network from conferences, but my mastermind group is my deep network—just seven or eight people who know me well. The value I get from those relationships far exceeds what I get from a wide circle of acquaintances.
You never outgrow a good mastermind group. When you’re surrounded by peers who challenge you and innovate alongside you, the group grows with you.
Cons
Hard to Find
The main downside is that mastermind groups can be hard to find. Like critique groups, you might have to start one yourself.
Require Give and Take
They also require active participation. Unlike a course where you just absorb information, a mastermind group is collaborative. You share what you’ve learned and invest in others’ growth as they invest in yours.
Can Be Expensive
Some mastermind groups can be expensive. I have a friend who pays $30,000 a year for his mastermind and swears it’s worth every penny because it transformed his business. Others cost closer to $250 per month. The range is wide, but the return on investment can be substantial.
Bottom line: mastermind groups are one of the best long-term forms of mentorship. I’m a huge believer in them, and they typically meet face-to-face through platforms like Zoom or Google Hangouts.
How can authors join a mastermind group through Novel Marketing?
Our sponsor today is the Novel Marketing Patreon, and I’m excited to announce that I’m starting two new mastermind groups for patrons.
I am starting one for unpublished authors and one for published authors. You can learn more about the groups here.
The groups will be hosted through patreon and each is limited to 10 writers, so I won’t be surprised if these sell out quickly. We will meet monthly with online video.
Each author will get a chance to pick my brain and learn from the other authors as well. We will also set realistic goals and then hold you accountable to accomplish them.
I am running these mastermind groups through Patreon as reward tiers. So go to our patreon page to sign up.
- The group for published authors is $100/mo
- The group for unpublished authors is $50/mo.
If you are already a patron, all you have to do is change your patron level to get access to one of the mastermind groups.
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