I love movies that depict a talented-but-too-immature student who begrudgingly goes under the instruction of some old timer. Eventually the kid realizes his pain-in-the-ass coach is giving him the tough love he needs. The student takes his lessons seriously and grows inwardly and outwardly to reach his full potential.
There are many films with this theme, but the one that sticks out most in my mind is The Karate Kid. I know I’m dating myself when I say I watched these movies in the theater as a kid and they are among my favorites of all time. Everyone wants to reach their full potential, but most of us have no idea how to get there.
I wasted years dreaming about writing and never writing. I finally began five years ago after the tragic death of a pelican (a long story I will share with you one day). Then came The Wrong David, the NaNo series, and now here I am with SICK. I’m happy to be publishing my work, but now I’m anxious to move up to the next level. I feel like I could write my ass off, but I also am aware that I’m missing something. Many things, actually. I don’t know what they are, but I sense them whenever I read my work. I know a seasoned writer probably point the faults out right away, but I don’t personally know any seasoned writers.
A few years ago, my mom gave me a copy of Eat, Pray, Love. I vaguely remember Elizabeth Gilbert mentioning something like, “if you pray for your guru, they will come.” So this is me officially putting my call out to the Universe.
I’m ready for you, my Mr. (or Mrs.) Miyagi of writing. Put me through a composition boot camp. Drill me with grammar rules until I cry. Make me type until my fingertips are raw. I don’t know if I can catch a fly with chopsticks, but I sure as hell will try. I’m dead serious about becoming a good writer. I feel I have the potential. I know I have the desire. I just need someone to guide me. Mentor, please find me.
Did you have a Mr. Miyagi in your life?
How did you find a mentor/coach/guru?
What’s your favorite inspiring coaching movie?
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
I love that. I hope you are right, wise man.
I loved The Karate Kid! A mentor who could teach me to write to perfection and to be a black belt would be my ultimate goal! Ha ha… I do tai chi which is my slower less dangerous way of doing a martial art. Perhaps I’ve left it too late for karate but one cam write at any age!
Haha! Yes, Marje. It might be too late for karate, but we’re never too old to write.
Thank God! 🙂
My mentor is words, STOP/SEE, We rush through life. Say you look at a beautiful sunset people say isn’t that pretty and move along. Don’t just look—STOP and see. Look at the left, right, focus in focus out. See the different hues and colors, examine it like it is under a microscope. Take in every facet. If you Stop and see the human soul, a tree, a dog, etc. It will give you a greater insight to all things, It gives dept and when you write about it, it will be so much deeper and richer in context, If you are writing about some thing don’t just skim over it.
Stop and see,
Miyagi’s I take pieces away with me from so many. I don’t have a special one as I don’t particularly like all of their thoughts. I just take what moves me. I just have a a jumbled collection of others wisdom.
You’re right. Every great writer has to look at the world through a microscope and make meaning of all the details he/she observes. I also agree that even if I did find a mentor, I can’t take my teacher’s word as the ultimate. No one is infallible and we should always seek to learn from many sources. Thanks for bringing that up!
Great post! In 2014 I enrolled in a creative writing mentorship program through Humber College. It was a very intense course but I learned a ton. Part of the struggle was receiving regular in-depth criticism and then re-writing and on and on for months. I kind of hated my mentor by the end of it, but I think that probably means he did his job. He wasn’t there to be my friend or cradle my ego – he was there to make me a better writer. It was an enlightening experience because I always had this romantic notion about mentorship. It didn’t turn out the way I expected but that’s okay. Hope you find your Mr. Miyagi, Christa San. 😉
Uh-oh. I had those romantic visions too. I’ll prepare myself for the reality. I’ve never taken any classes outside of high school and my incomplete stint at community college, but I hope to go to some sort of creative writing course someday when I get off this mountain. Maybe I can find something online in the meantime. Thank you for sharing your experience, Anita!
My pleasure and I hope you find a great course! Happy New Year and all the best with your writing! 🙂
Keep reading the masters. Read books about how to write your genre. Read the people who are the present masters of your genre. Maybe take a writing class here and there; but writers are really self-taught. If you find a mentor great! If not, soldier on. I live by this quote (I forget where I picked it up): “Talent is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.”–Good luck…
Hi Guy. I do have a good reading habit, and I noticed that it helps develop my writing by osmosis. I absorb the methods and styles I like and learn to filter out what doesn’t work. I’m prepared to put in the work, with or without a mentor. Great advice. Thanks so much!
I had two really good writing professors. The first was very patient and encouraging. The second was much more difficult and demanding (and also rather short-statured). I call them my Obi Wan and Yoda.
Hahaha, I love it!
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I have had many gurus in life. Dean Koontz, Fredrick Pohl, and George Scithers were among them. They taught me to copy, word for word, a story or novel I greatly admired. That allowed me to see what worked and what didn’t in the story and to model my own tales in a similar manner. I still take apart and analyze stories I admire. I incorporate what I learn into my own stories. I write every day, without fail. I have become my own guru and the only advice I follow is my own inner voice and critic. I have, in the past, taken numerous writing classes. But the best instructor is your writing itself.
I’ve heard about copying a great writer’s writing, but never tried it. I will take your recommendation. Hmm, I wonder who I’ll copy first.
I know practice is the best way to improve. I do write everyday for blogs and websites, but I don’t get to my fiction often enough. I do trust my inner critic. She is pretty discerning (annoying). She’s a picky reader and she always tells me which parts of my writing are lacking. I just have a difficult time figuring out exactly how to fix it. I guess that will come with experience.
Thanks so much for your advice, Paul. It was so helpful! I just discovered this area of your website. I’ll read up on that too http://www.pauldaleanderson.net/the-way-this-whole-writing-thig-works-tips-for-wannabe-writers/
Ted Kooser’s book – ‘The Poetry Home Repair Manual’ – brilliant. Great post 😃
Thanks for the suggestion, Ryan. I’m looking at it right now and it sounds perfect. I used to love writing poems. I haven’t written any in a long time, but I think practicing poetry makes for more descriptive yet succinct prose. Unfortunately, there’s no eBook. Crap. I’ll have to wait till I get back to the States. 🙁
No ebook sadly but thebookdepository usually has it fairly cheap with free postage. I loved every page-so accessible.
We have gurus who’ve left us their wisdom in the written word. My favorite is Anton Chekov: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” There are so many more who teach by example.
Thank you Arthur. You are so right. That is what I’ve been doing so far. I spend time with the masters. Right now I’m with Tolstoy. Dostoevsky was my previous instructor. Chekov will be next. I read a great many others this year. I devour them from the Free Books App https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/free-books-23-469-classics/id364612911?mt=8 Excellent comment!