The Mentorlist

Going mental over my age

Hi miss/mrs Wong

I couldn’t read further than this line as my heart had effectively stopped beating, preventing my eyes from moving down the email. It’s because this line simultaneously made me feel like I was 10 years old getting into trouble for pushing a girl off the swing because I wanted a go not listening in class, and fast forwarded me to my mother’s age. Swimming against the current of repressed memories and age denial is not an easy feat at 27 years old – and all it took was this introduction from a Year 6 student to have it all come flooding back.

A precocious Year 6 girl from a school I visited asked me to help with her book:

“When you came to do a workshop at [my school], i came to you after you’d done and asked whether you’d give me any tips… Remember?”

[Her urge for me to remember once again brought me back to my ten year old self who forgot the “show” for show and tell [I always preferred the “tell”] and fast tracked me to my mother’s inevitable old age memory loss. Thanks again, kid.]

Being a mentor? At this age?

Despite the tug of war between the portals of my split personalities subconscious, I was compelled to read further. I realised I was being asked to be an advisor, and – dare I say it? – role model vis a vis mentor. A responsibility I entertain for the hour it takes to present a book tour, which is practiced painstakingly in front of a mirror for three. But a responsibility to take upon after the book tour? Hadn’t thought about that! And it took me about three days to respond, as I felt overwhelmed by such a task. Anecdotally guiding students based on my own experiences is one thing, dispensing actual advice that someone relies on is another. I’ve killed fish within two days – heaven knows what I would do with a child’s hopes and dreams?!

Being positive about the positives – and constructive about the negatives

She sent me her first chapter of her book, and I must say, it was very good! I gave her feedback on:

1. The impact of her chapter – how it made me feel, if it made me want to read further, her ability to set the tone, pace, characters and scene.
2. Grammar, spelling and sentence structure – this is what took me three days. I had to make sure my feedback was constructed well, made sense and contained no spelling mistakes. My advice would be taken much like an obese personal trainer or an AA counsellor reeking of beer – the stench of hypocrisy is difficult to disguise.
3. The importance of the above two – Always good to give lectures the integrity of reason.
4. Writer’s checklist and top ten rules – lifted from my Author Pack. I’m so happy these packs are also benefiting me [in ways of saving time: CF previous post “The hunt for preparation”] as well as the children.

Do not bypass a by-line – ever

This student was great. She was appreciative of my feedback, and confident in her writing ability. We had a few emails back and forth about the greatness of the Easter Show and how encouraging her friends were about her writing:

“My friends have all looked at it and think that it’s brilliant!”

[Always a vital ingredient in a writer’s success - CF previous post “Where you at, fool?”]

Not only was she great, she was downright cute, too:

“I’ve written this book in my own handwriting, would I have to type it up?

I noticed I qualified my responses with “this is how I do it, but you may prefer…” My view of a mentor is one who encourages, guides, offers practical and realistic tips, and provides constructive feedback. I want to be a role-model, not a role-moulder; I am not here to make a Mini-Me. Realising this, my shoulders and I heaved a sigh of relief and shrugged off the once-dreaded burden of responsibility. I’m not the Wizard of Oz granting unrealistic dreams, I’m just the one showing them the Yellow Brick Road. All writers want to forge their own path, they don’t want to be exactly like someone else; they just want to know if they are on the same page as other authors. In short, they want the glory of that by-line – it’s nobody else’s.

Even 11 year olds want their glory, their own way, their own voice. A writer’s ego is found as soon as the talent is. Why be a copyeditor when you can be a writer? I was proven to be correct on this point when I said I type my manuscripts without a handwritten draft:

I think I’ll finish it in my own writing, then type it up and send it off to the publishers. Thanks for your help. I can’t wait for it to be published!

If it was only as simple as that…I wanted to say – but my empty fishbowl reminds me that while you can give the little fish the water to swim, keeping that environment stable is the key. You can’t go from high to low, positive to negative in a matter of days. Oh, and keep feeding them.

Still not too old for that swing!