Picture by Mohamed Hassan @Pixabay
You might come across them in stories or in real life.
They wear all sorts of disguises.
So who are the mentors? What is their purpose and why do we need them?
Let’s dive in…
1. The Master of Craft or the Expert
In The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler gives his definition of a mentor in fiction: ‘a mentor is often former heroes who have survived life’s early trials and are now passing on the gift of their knowledge and wisdom.‘
Whatever your field (IT, cooking, hairdressing…), you need to know who the experts are.
As Inside the Writer’s Bubble is dedicated to screenwriters and writers, my masters of craft are Yves Lavandier and Linda Aronson, simply because they both know the craft inside out. They have spent their life studying, working, exploring narrative and screenwriting in an almost scientific way. To me, they have WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE and a modern VISION of the craft. Moreover, I find them incredibly humble and approachable considering the level of knowledge they both have.
Who are your masters of craft? What do you admire from them? What can you learn from them?
Why do you need them?
The masters of craft will not only teach you the universal laws, they’ll also help you to breakthrough any barriers you may have.
In fiction, some examples of masters of craft: Dumbledore in Harry Potter, Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, or Yoda in Star Wars.
2. The Mentor-Model
The mentor-models are the ones who made it at the level you’d like to reach (or your hero would like to reach).
For me, being a Sarah Treem or a Damon Lindelof would just make my day. My life even.
Of course, there are hundreds of screenwriters out there I admire but the ones who make me incredibly jealous of their writing (in a very reverential way) are Sarah Treem and Damon Lindelof. Each time I read one of their scripts, I die with envy, wishing I could write exactly like that.
Why do we need them?
While perfection is totally unreachable, EXCELLENCE should be the goal. I encourage you to study your models, you will learn a lot about your craft.
Example in fiction: Tony Stark (Ironman) with Peter Parker (Spiderman).
3. The Inspirational Mentor - The Connector
The inspirational mentors are the ones you don’t expect. They come out of nowhere. They show up on your path and nothing will be the same again.
In our interview, Geoffrey D. Calhoun explains that: ‘a mentor is someone who has traveled the path before and can take you to the next level’.
It happened to me in 2016. I left my house in Dorset at 4am in the morning, started driving, thinking to myself, gosh, it’s dark! Soon after I realised I was wearing my sunglasses instead of my driving glasses!!! What I didn’t know then, was this event was going to be my metaphor for the weekend.
I arrived in London. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to meet the woman who was going to change my career. Graceful, mysterious, and fascinating, in one weekend, the screenwriting goddess removed the sunglasses I was wearing all my life. Suddenly, I could see clearly.
This is what inspirational mentors do; they bring CLARITY. She blew my mind with her knowledge, her strength, her character and her public speaking skills. She was the inspiring mentor I desperately needed and I didn’t even know it. (I couldn’t believe it when I found out we were sharing the same master of craft: Yves Lavandier!).
Why do we need them?
They will bring clarity on your next step. They will help you to get to the next level. They will warn you of the pitfalls. They will introduce you to a community that will bring you more friendships, collaborations, support and inspiration.
Example in fiction: The Godmother in Cinderella.
Picture by Geralt @Pixabay
4.The Peer-Mentor - The Ally
The peer mentors can be your work colleagues, family members or friends. They guide you on a professional level but also on a spiritual path too. There is no ego involved. They want you to succeed.
Why do we need them?
They keep you safe. They watch over you. They catch you when you fall or defend you when you are being unfairly attacked. Lucy V. Hay calls them ‘the allies’.
Cherish these people. Always.
Mentors like this in fiction: Hermione Granger in Harry Potter or Sam in Lord of the Rings.
5. The Mentor Coach
One of my mentors always says it: When the student is ready, the teacher appears…
After meeting my inspirational mentor, I realized I still had a lot to learn about my craft. Humility hit me. I was ready to be a student again and other teachers appeared.
I cannot hide the fact that one of my biggest influences these past years is my co-writer. He calls mentors ‘truth tellers’ because they often are authentic. They can see through you, they know what you are capable of and will push your limits. My co-writer is mine.
He taught me to ‘take imperfect actions‘, ‘to scare myself every day’ or ‘to ignore the haters because they make you lose your focus‘, his support is priceless.
Why do we need them?
These mentors will give you INSPIRATION, ACCOUNTABILITY and ENCOURAGEMENT to keep you going. They won’t tell you what to do though, they will only suggest possible paths.
Mentors like this in fiction: Genie of the lamp in Aladdin.
6. The Mentor-Challenger or the Mentor Antagonist
The mentor challenger is not there to massage your ego. He/she is here TO SHAKE YOU UP but in the most positive way.
I call them the Ace cards.
One of my mentor-challengers is ruthless with me but I am not playing any game without him.
He tears my writing apart, gets me at every single wrong turn and sends me back to my script when it doesn’t hit the mark. However, he does it with kindness and with the desire to make me to be a writer better. And frankly, I wished I had known him earlier.
In fiction, Linda Aronson calls them the ‘Mentor antagonists’. Their function is not to please the hero; but to make her/him react. Often a mentor Antagonist will be mysterious or sinister, he/she will make a nasty comment and it will fuel your hero to prove them wrong.
Walt Disney once said: ‘You may not realize it when it happens but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you’.
Why do we need them?
They will point out what you keep doing wrong, place you in the right direction and give you the push you need to go further in the game.
Examples in Fiction: Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Paris Geller in Gilmore Girls.
7. And finally...The Force
Came the day where I had to stand in front of my own students. I remember having the urge to give them everything I knew and to warn them about all the traps they needed to avoid.
Once, we talked about this young American man called George. He wrote a story about evil and good and a force within each of us. The filming was chaotic, the budget kept shrinking.
When the filming was done, some people even laughed at him when he showed them the first footage. George was feeling very low. When the film was finished, the distributor released it on the day where no one went to the cinemas.
The world was against him… yet he felt the force, telling him to TRUST.
Against the odds, millions of people rushed to watch George’s movie.
Forty three years later, the film is a cultural phenomenon. George was right.
Trust yourself. You have the answers to your questions. Mentors are here to enlighten the possible paths for you, but you are the one who decides. Of course, you’ll make mistakes along the way, as well as I’ll make mistakes and your mentors will make mistakes but it’s the only way to grow, to learn and to become better at what we do.
Example in fiction: Luke Skywalker once hero… then mentor, just like you.
Good luck my friends!
To my mentors: Lucy V. Hay (writer and goddess), Kary Oberbrunner (my amazing and inspiring co-writer), Sally Bibb (friend and Ace card), Phil Clarke (Ace card), Sara McDermott Jain (Ace card), Elinor Perry-Smith (Ace card), my soul sister Joy, my brother-in-law Dan (who catches me when I fall), my accountability partner Anne, my great students, my lovely children, Yves Lavandier (master of craft), Linda Aronson (master of craft), Sarah Treem (model), Damon Lindelof (model), and of course Yoda (favorite character).
Thank you all for inspiring me and guiding me on my journey.
Great job, Sophie. And am honoured to be considered an ace. (Aces are high, right?!) Here if you need any kind of guidance or support. May the force be with you, always.
Ah thank you Phil. Yes, Aces are the best cards indeed. May the force be with you too. So honoured to know you.
You’re awesome Sophie. Excited for our future with Elixir.
Kary, I am so excited too! I am so glad we met, Friend.
I love this and love you!!! You are so strong and your support invaluable. ❤❤❤
Thank you so much Lucy, you’ve made my day! I love you too ❤❤❤
Fab article, and I’m very touched to have a mention. Keep writing! X
Thank you Elinor, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Can’t wait to work with you again. xxx