The Power of Shared Wisdom: Why You Should Become an Editing Mentor
The definition of a mentor as a “trusted counselor or guide” speaks to the core of what our editing community can offer. Since October 2021, I have been fortunate to mentor 10 editors through the Northwest Editors Guild’s Mentoring Program, and others outside of the Guild. Imagine the collective impact we could have on our community if more of us stepped into a mentoring role. We are supporting our peers by fostering growth while simultaneously strengthening our profession—and, perhaps surprisingly, gaining new perspectives ourselves as well. Curious about becoming a mentor? Let’s explore how you can offer invaluable guidance to your fellow editors.
Q&A with Nevin Mays, Mentoring Program Coordinator
Like all Northwest Editors Guild activities, our peer mentoring program is an all-volunteer affair, from the mentors and mentees to the volunteer who holds the program together—the mentoring program coordinator.
The mentoring program was launched by Guild member Julie Van Pelt, out of Port Townsend, Washington, in late 2014. Julie handed the reins to Kyra Freestar, in Seattle, at the end of 2016. In April of this year, Nevin Mays, in Portland, took on the coordinator role, and she is bringing new ideas and enthusiasm to the job. We thought it would be fun to hear some of Nevin’s thoughts about professional mentoring.