OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
I love to learn, and I've been sharing what I learn on this blog for almost 6 years now!
I had an email from a lady the other week and she asked me, “How do you continue when things are tough?” This could be about writing, or just life in general, but for me, it's about constantly learning from others and changing based on what I learn.
When I first started this site, my mentors were people making a full-time living online and the mindset of entrepreneurship – which helped me escape my day job.
Then I learned about writing books and non-fiction, and then about writing fiction and deeper creativity. I feel like I circle around these topics, learning new things from new people all the time. I devour books every week, writing copious notes in my many Moleskine notebooks. I'm a learning junkie, but I also try to put things into action, and this keeps me constantly motivated.
There have been some key mentors in my life, but all their teaching has come from books, seminars and online programs, not from 1:1 discussion.
These people put their knowledge out in multiple formats to help a broader spectrum at one time, and I now try to do the same. When people email me asking to be mentored, I say ‘go read my books, read this blog, listen to the podcasts, or come and hear me speak' that's how I pass on the mentoring relationship. I hope you will do the same with what you learn.
Our mentors change over time, so I wanted to highlight some of mine at the moment.
Robert McKee STORY conference
I've just returned from the 4 day intensive STORY course taught by Robert McKee, and it was absolutely mind-blowing.
I've now written 8 fiction books – from short stories, to novellas and novels, and I felt that this was exactly the right time for me to learn what he had to teach. I was going to blog about what I learned but seriously, I have 130 pages of notes and it was way too deep to try and capture in sound-bites. I'm also going to be processing for a few weeks before trying to incorporate it all into my 2015 creative works. It's not about screenwriting, so much as story itself and how that resonates through people for maximum human impact.
If you want to check out this stuff, read the book STORY, and if you are serious about investing in your creative writing career, then take the multi-day seminar. He also has an online video program, Storylogue, but to be honest, I think the live experience is far superior (but obviously more expensive!)
Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Dean and Kris have 30+ years as full-time writers and they've seen the full spectrum of what the publishing industry can offer – from trad pub deals, to indie, to owning their own publishing company and physical bookstore.
Their advice is completely devoid of any hype or short term tactics, it's all about creating a long-term successful career as an author. They are also both prolific writers and incredibly humble, plus they're fun, and seem to have a good marriage 🙂 What better mentors to have!
I've read all their various non-fiction books and taken a number of courses. The ones that have particularly helped me are:
- The Pursuit of Perfection and How It Harms Writers
- Course on Productivity – how to write more words per day, get more hours in the chair and get out of your own way.
- Paying the Price Lecture – for those who take this writing life seriously and want to have longevity in the market
Steven Pressfield
Turning Pro is the only book I own in print, ebook and audiobook. Pressfield kicks my ass every time I read or listen to it, and I make sure to read it every January to assess whether or not I am closer to being a ‘pro.'
When I interviewed Steve earlier this year on my podcast, it was a true pinnacle, because talking to someone who had been a mentor to me for years was very special. You'll hear it in my voice – I am a little star-struck!
I've been listening to the audiobook of Turning Pro in the last few weeks, trying to up my creative game. Pressfield's books are really about mindset and what really matters, leaving behind the ephemeral to get to the heart of why we do what we do.
His quote from Krishna is particularly important to me right now: “You have the right to your labor, not the fruits of your labor.” Think on that before moaning about book sales!
Tony Robbins
I've said before that I was so inspired by Tony's self-help books and information that my aim was to become a professional speaker like him, and change people's lives in the way he does. His book, Awaken the Giant Within, helped me to overcome a lot of mindset issues and start to create, another pivotal moment in my move from IT consultant to creativity. I've never been to one of his live events, although that is on my list for the next couple of years.
But Tony makes my list again at the moment because of his new book, Money: Master the Game. It's his first book in many years and comes from his anger over the 2008 global financial crisis and how the lack of financial education costs people far more than they could imagine. I consider myself a decent enough business-woman, but I have made my share of financial mistakes, both in business and in property. I've been reading this book slowly, and will continue to re-read until I understand it and have made the changes necessary to my own financial setup. It's incredibly value packed and may change your life! I have bought the print edition as well as digital as it is the kind of book you need to digest slowly.
Various podcasts
I listen to podcasts when I do chores or go to the gym, or travel and I find it's a great way to learn about new things and discover lessons learned from people in all walks of life. I'm loving the Tim Ferriss show at the moment and particularly enjoyed this episode with Kevin Kelly. I also like the James Altucher show, particularly this episode with Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame.
In terms of self-publishing and related topics, I also listen to the Self-Publishing Podcast (for laughs NSFW), the Sell More Books show (for news and marketing tips), the Rocking Self Publishing Podcast (for deeper interviews with top self-publishers), and I've just started listening to the Author Biz, about author-entrepreneurship.
Put away your self-development inner cynic!
I hope I don't have too many cynics in my audience – after all, my relentless positivity would probably put you off over time! The world I live is in brimming with possibilities and exciting projects and a never-ending stream of learning and creating. If your world doesn't feel that way, then you need a kick in the creative rear!
These are just a few of my mentors at the moment who help me push the boundaries of what I can achieve in my week, my year and my life. You will need to find your own mentors for what you need to learn, but DO find them. After all, if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room!
I'd love to hear about some of your mentors, now or in the past, preferably from books/seminars/courses so others can benefit. Please do leave a comment below and join the conversation.
Flickr Creative Commons: still learning by Anne Davies
Dear Joanna,
I truly believe that one should constantly learn new things and the self development has always been part of my life. Nice list – will have to make time to read the books I have not read yet 🙂 Thanx
Those were all new to me, so I am glad to have found some more people to seek out. A podcast that I currently listen to is “Helping Writers Become Authors” by KM Weiland. I follow so many publishing related things, but I fear I’m simply not a good enough author yet. The podcast talks about the art of writing itself, character arcs, world building, and such. I’ve already learned some interesting “tools” or even just understood why a certain story arch is the way it is. Definitely recommend it.
There are definitely different mentors at different points – when I was starting out writing, I listened to Writing Excuses and I should be writing with Mur Lafferty. Katie’s is great too 🙂
Robert McKee is my lord and saviour – would absolutely die to go to one of his seminars!
My #1 mentor is Clayton Christensen. His claim to fame is coining ‘disruption’ as a business buzzword (working at a startup you could play a pretty damaging ‘disruption’-usage-themed drinking game). But! He also wrote a short book ‘How Will You Measure Your Life?’ that really gave me that kick in the rear you’re talking about Joanna. Extract here: https://hbr.org/2010/07/how-will-you-measure-your-life/ar/1
Thanks for the recommendations 🙂
Thanks Dave – and it’s worth saving up for the live workshop. Super amazing!
Great resource list! My current mentors are James Scott Bell, and the Write Publish Repeat guys. I stalk your blog for more, and this is where I found WPR. I also find that reading great fiction and studying it really ups my game–I learned so much from the Dresden books, for instance. 🙂
Thanks Kessie – stalk away 🙂 and JSB is fantastic!
Thanks for the list. Well, you’ve been a mentor. I think I first started following you on twitter and followed you around the web. I have also taken webinars from you. Learning the craft of getting my work into digital form, marketing, has changed the way that I write. After years of querying, I took the leap into self-pubbing. Though I’m open to finding an agent to help with foreign rights etc, I’m happy the way things are going. Along the way, I have made many friends on the web. They are my mentors too.
Thanks JL – and I am thrilled to make your list 🙂 I love twitter for finding mentors as well – so many people to learn from around the world!
Loved this post Joanna:) I’m jealous that you went to the STORY conference with Robert McKee – That one’s really high on my list to go to! However I’m reading his STORY book right now and finding it really helpful. I’m also re- reading Turning Pro right now… and am being kicked in the creative rear as I go.
I want to get Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s book “The Pursuit of Perfection” – I really think it would help me to ‘let go’ more as a writer 🙂
Thanks for the great post and tips! Appreciate all you do Joanna 🙂
The McKee live event enabled me to understand a lot of the book more. It’s such a dense text, but he brings it alive! I’d get the audiobook if you can’t attend live.
My #1 mentor is Napoleon Hill, author of Think And Grow Rich. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Napoleon Hill, he wrote this masterpiece over a 20 year period and first published in the 1930s as The Science Of Personal Achievement, then re-branded it as T&GR. Although Hill died in 1970 his 17 principles of success live on as timeless wisdom.
Hi again Joanna!
I SO get what you mean about Steven Pressfield! His audiobooks “Do The Work” and “The War of Art” are the ones I go back to often when I need a little kick in the behind (especially the first one). I haven ‘t read “Turning Pro” yet but it’s on my -very long- wish list. I swear it’s like Christmas everytime one of my Audible.com credits is available (which is silly when you think about it, I know!).
Great post, as always!
Mel
You’ll definitely enjoy Turning Pro 🙂
I can’t wait to hear the short version of your take on the McKee Story Conference on the next podcast. (I hope 🙂 ) I’ve read his book, STORY, multiple times, but I know I’d get a lot more from the live event. I was also glad to see the mention for the courses offered by Dean and Kris. I’ve taken a few myself, and they are wonderful. I love everything about their approach to this business. Next on my list is their Productivity Course. And finally, thanks for the shout out for The AuthorBiz podcast!
hi Joanna, my mentors right now are yourself, Darren rowse at problogger, Valerie Khoo and Alison tait at the Australian writers centre and entrepreneurs on fire john Dumas with a little bit of Jeff goins thrown in. I m listening to their podcasts and I’ve recently dug out my ebooks I bought from problogger and yours joanna and started to put them into action. Somewhere along my blogging journey I lost track of doing this. I was following your journey Joanna from your love your job book to your podcasts and then a real turning point for me was attending your blogging seminar with the Qld writers centre held at the state library. It was just before you moved back to the uk. It was awesome. Sometimes I worry about spending money on e courses and and seminars as mentoring when I’m not yet earning dollars but I have to say it’s been doing these courses and particularly attending the face to face seminars that has jump started where I’m at Every time. And stops me from being discouraged. Thank you for what you do Joanna and thank you to all those online mentors that continue to inspire me and I’m sure many others. I look forward to learning lots now I’ve reconnected.
Hi Nicky, I’m thrilled to be in such great company! Darren was a mentor for me when I started blogging and I met him in Melbourne a few years back. Happy times! I agree that live events are important for motivation and recharging the creative well – I make sure to go to several a year. All the best with the writing momentum!
I have to admit, anytime a writing blog gives the advice to “find a mentor”, I immediately think they mean someone I need to talk to face-to-face. But you’re right. Most of the lessons I learned about writing and fiction come from blogs, books and webinars, rather than sitting down with someone.
My online mentors include yourself, Jeff Goins, Joe Bunting, KM Weiland and Chuck Wendig (his blog is hilarous, to boot). It was also through your blog that I found other mentors such as Roz Morris (Nail Your Novel is one of my favorites!) and Joel Friedlander. I’ve learned so much in the last three years just by reading their blogs and books. Their teachings have become so important that they’re now on my Google Chrome speed dial so I just have to click on their icon to get today’s lessons. 🙂
That’s part of the reason I wrote this, YC, because I think people misconstrue what “mentoring” is 🙂 Books, events, video courses, all these are mentoring – the 1:1 stuff is just not practical for most creatives either 🙂
Hi Joanna,
I loved your article about mentors. You have been my mentor for quite some time, even if you were not aware of it. I love reading your books, David Gaughran, Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant, Steve Scott, Jim Kukral, etc. By the way I would want to thank you for referring me to the Compound Effect by Darren Hardy and the Principles of Success by Jack Canfield. Those books were truly enlightening to me. I think you should include those in your blog post.
Have a great day!
Regards,
Prasenjeet
Thanks Prasenjeet – I’m thrilled to be on your list 🙂 and yes, those books are brilliant – but I have included them on lists before – and this was meant to be more of a current state of my mentorship. Thanks for bringing them up though as they are perennial favorites!
You’ve been my mentor for a long time, as has Marie Forleo for business savvy. Some of my more recent mentors include Liliana Hart and Denise Grover Swank. At times I have to really pull myself back on the amount of non-fiction I consume, because I lose momentum with my writing. If only I was a little more disciplined 🙂
ah, discipline – I know the feeling!
I’m thrilled to be in such good company in terms of your mentors, Laura. You’ve done so well over the last few years – you’re someone who DOES put things into action!
Robert McKee’s STORY is one of my writer’s bibles. I’ve seen Toni Robbins live a few times, but never Robert Mckee, what a thrill that must have been. My brother Clark Kohanek (https://clarkkohanek.wordpress.com/) is a hard core McKee student, and introduced me. Clark is my local story coach and mentor – he’s brilliant and introduced me to Joseph Campbell as well . Mindy
Thanks Mindy – McKee was amazing 🙂 Definitely worth seeing live.
Hi Joanna,
I don’t know If I would be where I’m at if it wasn’t for other creative and driven minds here on the net. Believe me, I’ve had those days when I just wanted to give up. When I’m not writing, I’m constantly on the look out for new info or a new perspective. (you’re one of them lol)
Thanks Aimee 🙂 I agree with you – it’s so important to have people to follow, those who tread the path before us make it easier!