I’ve been blessed to have many mentors in my life, but I’d have to say that one who sticks out as having changed my life through mentorship is Chip MacGregor. In early 2005, Chip, who was working as the Publisher for Warner Faith, interviewed me for a job that, as it turned out, had been reallocated/filled before he brought me in. He could have just canceled. But, instead, he brought me in and spent an hour giving me career counseling on how to move into editing from where I was at the time (an exec. asst. at the newspaper). After that, he seemed to take a professional interest in me. Then, in September 2006, when he announced he was leaving the publishing house and opening his own agency, he was gracious enough to accept a submission from me—an unpublished/untried writer—even though he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to afford to take on any unpublished writers at the time.
Chip not only signed me but, as I told my mom at the time, he believed in my writing more than I did. In the four years I’ve been his client, he’s continued that model of career counseling and professional interest—as well as a personal, heart-felt interest in me as a person and not just me as a client/commodity. Because of him, in more ways than one, I was able to chase my dream of becoming a full-time author.
My grandmother was a huge mentor to me before she passed away right before I started college. She encouraged me to follow my dreams and believed in me more than anyone else. I miss her very much!
I wish I had a mentor. Published writer I know are too busy or too involved in their own life. I could say that my mentor is “Books”, expecially Ann Lamont’s “Bird by Bird”.
This was hard, because different times in my life have by necessity had different mentors. But for life in general, I guess it would be my two grandmothers. One was an old-timey Southern gospel piano player who loved romance novels, great heels, and jewelry, and the other was the grandmother who could make fudge that would hit you in the back of the throat with it’s amazing chocolatey-ness and pointed out every bit of plant life on a random walk down the country lane where we lived. Granny taught me to love a great shoe sale and keep practicing that piece until it shone, and Maw taught me how to fry bacon and not take myself too seriously.
I haven’t had a “mentor” per se, but I know so many ladies who have stood beside me, behind me, and in front of me in the last two years. You’re one of them!
There are several writers, pubbed and unpubbed, who are always there to encourage and inspire me.
And of course my parents. They’ve believed in me since I first started doodling when I was ten years old and encouraged me to pursue writing or anything else that I set my mind on.
KayeDacus.com
I’ve been blessed to have many mentors in my life, but I’d have to say that one who sticks out as having changed my life through mentorship is Chip MacGregor. In early 2005, Chip, who was working as the Publisher for Warner Faith, interviewed me for a job that, as it turned out, had been reallocated/filled before he brought me in. He could have just canceled. But, instead, he brought me in and spent an hour giving me career counseling on how to move into editing from where I was at the time (an exec. asst. at the newspaper). After that, he seemed to take a professional interest in me. Then, in September 2006, when he announced he was leaving the publishing house and opening his own agency, he was gracious enough to accept a submission from me—an unpublished/untried writer—even though he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to afford to take on any unpublished writers at the time.
Chip not only signed me but, as I told my mom at the time, he believed in my writing more than I did. In the four years I’ve been his client, he’s continued that model of career counseling and professional interest—as well as a personal, heart-felt interest in me as a person and not just me as a client/commodity. Because of him, in more ways than one, I was able to chase my dream of becoming a full-time author.
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Hmmmm, good thought….. I know so many wonderful women who are such a blessing to me and who are just living their lives for the Lord! =) Thanks!
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My grandmother was a huge mentor to me before she passed away right before I started college. She encouraged me to follow my dreams and believed in me more than anyone else. I miss her very much!
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I wish I had a mentor. Published writer I know are too busy or too involved in their own life. I could say that my mentor is “Books”, expecially Ann Lamont’s “Bird by Bird”.
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I had a writer friend who mentored me in self-editing. She passed away last year after her third battle with cancer. I miss her very much. Here’s a tribute I wrote for her last April. http://loribenton.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-first-editor-lauri-klobas.html
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This was hard, because different times in my life have by necessity had different mentors. But for life in general, I guess it would be my two grandmothers. One was an old-timey Southern gospel piano player who loved romance novels, great heels, and jewelry, and the other was the grandmother who could make fudge that would hit you in the back of the throat with it’s amazing chocolatey-ness and pointed out every bit of plant life on a random walk down the country lane where we lived. Granny taught me to love a great shoe sale and keep practicing that piece until it shone, and Maw taught me how to fry bacon and not take myself too seriously.
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I haven’t had a “mentor” per se, but I know so many ladies who have stood beside me, behind me, and in front of me in the last two years. You’re one of them!
There are several writers, pubbed and unpubbed, who are always there to encourage and inspire me.
And of course my parents. They’ve believed in me since I first started doodling when I was ten years old and encouraged me to pursue writing or anything else that I set my mind on.
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I had a wonderful Christian Mother, who was my mentor. She always encouraged me and never complained about anything she did for me. I miss her!
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