Relevancy and Becoming a Mentor

Relevancy and Becoming a Mentor

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the new writers flooding the marketplace successfully.

It’s very exciting to watch so much talent find their niche and blossom. Whether it’s via TikTok or ads, KU opportunities or breaking out in a hot genre, for me it’s a reminder of hope and how this career can consistently reward patience and perseverance.

And sometimes, not.

It’s difficult when you write a great book, confident with all of the content and tropes and audience, sure the cover is spot on and every other factor is pointed toward breakout or success. When it doesn’t happen, the frustration and confusion can really play a game with our brains. The voices begin, questioning and doubting your validity, your story, and your right to be in this marketplace.

For a writer with a solid amount of books in the background and a previous break-out, it can be a reminder we are no longer in the spotlight. We had our time to feel the sun bright on our face; to watch book clubs or readers fuss over the book, to feel confident as we attend writer’s conferences and be sought after for advice or mentorship, even being asked to do keynotes.

Success is a heady feeling. It’s addictive. And when you are sometimes only as good as your last book, writing as a full-time career is not for the faint of heart.

At the core, stripped of all the frills of an audience and outside validation, there must be some sort of true love for the work. For me, my entire life has been about writing. It is the way I process my life and the world around me. I think in terms of story. I want to die with my laptop or a book in my lap, still chasing the end.

But as a seasoned veteran still fighting my way for continued success in a world that has changed so drastically, I sometimes wonder if that is simply the way of life. The student of writing becomes the seasoned veteran and then the teacher/mentor. Some like this shift; others fight it, afraid the work will disappear into good intentions and other tasks in search of feeling that hit of adrenalin again.

I was thinking about the movie The Color of Money. It’s the sequel to the famous movie, The Hustler, starring Paul Newman. Newman is the brash, overconfident student, hot to take on the veteran in the world of pool. Newman believes if he can beat the best—Minnesota Fats–he will finally occupy the top slot in pool—be the top dog. He wants that crown more than anything.

In the Color of Money, Newman has grown up and moved past chasing the competition. He’s happily slipped into the role of mentor, teaching his students how to hustle pool and win money. When Tom Cruise shows up, Newman realizes he’s a diamond in the rough—he’s got crazy talent and can win. Being young and cocky, Cruise emits some behavior Newman did in his past, and the audience is treated to the continuous circle of life, watching it play out.

Who is young becomes old. What is new becomes learned. Plus, the external environment around Newman changes drastically. He gets excited to bring Cruise to an old bar well known for pool, but when they get there, it’s been closed down. Cruise laughs and mocks his teacher, but the expression on Newman’s face is familiar and heartbreaking.

Why did this change? Why did it have to change? This is what I KNOW! This is where I was the BEST!

But it does change. Cruise has the advantage, and knows it. He wants to go out on his own and prove it.

The part of the movie that fascinated me was when Newman realized he wanted to play pool, too. Not for a hustle. Not to teach Cruise. He wanted to play pool because he loved it with his heart and soul, and he wasn’t done. He decided to challenge himself as both a master and student all over again, refusing to surrender who he was to every up-and-coming talent around him.

Was it wrong? Should Newman have stepped politely aside and left the game to the younger generation? Was his time up and he stayed too long?

Or was it his right as an expert in that world, to decide on his own? Professionals go in and out of retirement all the time. Sometimes, the voice inside is screaming: I’m not done yet! I still have so many things to show the world!

For me, I think it’s a wonderful thing to keep pushing forward. I believe if there is still a burning desire, that’s good enough to step back into the competition without needing to make any explanations.

At the same time, we need to recognize many of our roles will be taken away and given to the newcomers. I also believe we have a responsibility to mentor and offer what we can to the ones behind us, with grace and kindness.

When The Marriage Bargain broke out, I was thrown into a different world. I’d written for thirty years with no money, and suddenly my book was on the NY Times, read in trains, out in Target and I was suddenly well known. The years that followed were on a high but eventually, things calmed down and steadied. There were more gentle ebbs and flows. I surfed the water and took everything the industry gave me: wipeouts, giant waves; and absolute stillness.

Looking at some authors who have exploded on the scene, killing it regularly on the Amazon charts or making lists, going viral on social media and featured in bookstores everywhere, I smile and remember. I feel such pride and happiness for the excitement of that part—finally being able to write with a solid audience of readers who anticipate your books is like no other feeling in the world. I hope they’re not too stressed or too worried about keeping their spot. I worry they don’t burn out under the pressure. I hope they enjoy every moment and it lasts a long, long time.

Then I go back to write my own books. I work on different types of stories now. I’m able to create deeper, more nuanced books after years of practice. I learn TikTok and open up a Shopify store to sell direct. I write a serial story because it’s fun and different. I run ads and speak. I do endless admin amidst the writing.

I lean in to the changes instead of bitching. I stay in the game because I’m a writer in my heart and soul, and there is no other way for me. I look to the future, wondering what’s next, and take a deep breath instead of cringing. And I try to help anyone who’s right behind, exploding their own career and maneuvering around the land mines. God knows, I stepped on dozens. It would be so nice to warn others where they are hidden.

The writing world is always full of multi-level creatives at various points in their career. I honor each step of the process, and feel grateful for the ones that helped me as I climbed the ladder. Because they are part of my history.

It makes me happy to think I can be a small part of someone else’s.

And I keep writing and learning to preserve mine.

Everyone is relevant. Everyone gets to choose how they will shape their own path, in career and life.

There’s room for both the student and teacher; the ones at the top and the ones at the bottom; and a whole bunch of middles.

Embracing every role with an open mind and heart will provide not only relevance, but in my opinion, some well-needed peace.

Has anyone seen these two movies? What do you think about the student/mentor roles? Let me know your thoughts!

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Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She holds a masters in English Literature and lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York.
She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifty books in contemporary romance fiction.. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage
Bargain, spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by
Kirkus Reviews.
She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website at www.jenniferprobst.com for a free book

A WEDDING IN LAKE COMO

A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past in this romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.

Best friends Ava, Madison, and Chelsea made a pact to reunite for each other’s weddings when their careers sent them in different directions. But after one of them makes a choice that tears the group apart, an upcoming wedding might be their last chance to heal old wounds.

Ava is about to marry the man she loves in a lavish ceremony on the shores of Lake Como, but she’s haunted by the mistakes she’s made.

Madison’s made a name for herself as an influencer in the fashion world but is threatened by a scandal impacting everything she holds dear.

And Chelsea has the perfect family she always craved, but her professional dreams have fallen by the wayside.

As they return to Italy’s gorgeous coast, the three women revisit their life-changing first trip to Lake Como during college. When Madison comes face-to-face with the college sweetheart who was at the heart of one of the most pivotal times of her life, can they forge a new way forward?

A Wedding in Lake Como link: https://geni.us/OceH2e

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips