So, You Want to Be Published? Tip #1: Find a Mentor
When I first entered the field of second‑language education, I was young, unproven, and full of ideas I didn’t yet know how to place in the world. Breaking in was tough. I had no roadmap, no insider knowledge, and no sense of where to begin. What I did have was the conviction that I had something worth saying.
One of my colleagues at the time was Dr. Earl Stevick—already highly published, widely respected, and known for the clarity and humanity of his work. Our relationship was still new, but Earl was big‑hearted. He saw my hunger to learn, and he didn’t hoard his experience.
We went to lunch one afternoon, and I asked him the question every new writer wishes they could ask someone who has already made it:
“What do you wish someone had told you before you published your first book?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“Find an agent,” he said. Then he reached into his wallet, pulled out a card, and handed it to me.
“Here is my agent. Tell him I sent you.”
I did. And from that moment—through dozens of books, including some that became foundational in my field—my publishing life had a trajectory it never would have had without Earl’s generosity.
This column isn’t about agents; that’s coming next.
This one is about mentors—why you need one, and what they make possible.
Why a Mentor Matters
A mentor isn’t a shortcut. They’re a compass. They help you see the terrain you’re walking into and avoid the potholes that swallow so many first‑time authors. Earl helped me break through the barriers of publishing houses, but that’s only one dimension of what mentors do.
Here are some of the most important ways a mentor can shape your path:
1. They help you understand the landscape
Publishing is an ecosystem with its own norms, timelines, and unspoken rules. A mentor can:
- Explain how decisions actually get made inside publishing houses
- Help you distinguish between real opportunities and predatory ones
- Clarify what matters—and what doesn’t—in a proposal or manuscript
2. They accelerate your learning curve
Instead of spending years reinventing the wheel, you get:
- Hard‑won insights distilled into usable guidance
- Practical advice on structure, tone, and positioning
- Early warnings about common mistakes new authors make
3. They open doors you can’t open alone
Not through favoritism, but through credibility. A mentor can:
- Introduce you to editors, agents, or professional networks
- Vouch for your seriousness and potential
- Help you get your work in front of the right eyes
4. They help you refine your voice
A good mentor doesn’t try to make you sound like them. They help you:
- Identify what’s distinctive about your perspective
- Strengthen your clarity and coherence
- Align your message with the audience you want to reach
5. They normalize the emotional side of writing
Publishing is not just technical—it’s vulnerable. A mentor can:
- Reassure you that doubt is normal
- Help you separate useful critique from noise
- Encourage you to keep going when the process feels opaque or discouraging
6. They model professionalism
You learn by watching how they:
- Communicate with editors
- Navigate deadlines
- Handle revisions and disagreements
- Sustain a long-term writing life
7. They help you think strategically
A mentor can help you see beyond the first book:
- How your ideas might evolve into a body of work
- How to build a readership over time
- How to make decisions that support your long-term goals
The Bottom Line
You don’t need a mentor because you’re inexperienced.
You need one because publishing is a relationship-driven field, and no one succeeds in isolation.
A mentor doesn’t hand you a career.
They help you build one with intention, clarity, and confidence.
And sometimes—if you’re lucky—they become a friend who changes the trajectory of your life. Like Earl.
Read more posts in this series HERE.
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