In just browsing through the Q&A with Pat Strachan, one thing that caught my attention (on page 2) was the discussion about learning to edit and whether or not she had a mentor. Strachan said that she had had several mentors, one being another editor that allowed her to see his manuscripts after he edited them. She then says that her primary teacher was Carmen Gomezplata, a chief copyeditor, who taught her more than “technical editing…the punctuation and if you put the possessive here or there,” but also what Strachan referred to as “instinctive editing.”
This is something I think can really make or break a non-established writer. Of course, there is an element of “who you know” that can help you get published, marketed, etc. But having a good mentor must be one of the most important aspects of becoming successful at just about anything. A lot of times we assume that an artist, writer or musician creates their art on their own, and have enough talent and drive to push the project into being. I know I can’t. In academia alone I have already changed what I read, and how I write based on opinions of people I respect. Note, I say: Of people I respect. I do not have a strong mentor right now, but I seek advice from other students and instructors that I feel can offer it. My instincts have been sharpened at least a little by learning and trying new things that I would have otherwise never thought of. I know that I will be better off working with other writers, editors or those in the field before trying to set out on my own. I just know that I have sooo much to learn.
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