We All Need Mentors, Writers Especially
Photo: CreateHer Stock
In my last year of college, I knew I needed to do everything I could to try to secure opportunities for myself once I graduated. That led me to a lot of internships that included a program called Jr. Music Executive. It was there that I met my first mentor, Aisha Winfield.
The program was designed to cross-pollinate both high school and college students interested in careers in music. The great part about the program was that it highlighted careers behind the artists. Many participants like myself had no idea how many jobs were available for those that couldn’t necessarily dance or sing.
Within those weeks of interning, we visited Def Jam where one of my idols, Lenny S, and a bunch of his colleagues talked to us about the music industry. We participated in radio promos and worked on marketing projects created by some of the artists that were a part of the program. Well after my term ended, I stayed involved with both Aisha and Jr. Music Execs which led to a lot of great opportunities including my current full-time gig.
I think I showed a lot of promise to Aisha and she taught me the ropes of the administrative work that she did within the music realm. I worked with her on projects at Studio 609 which was the home base for GRAMMY-nominated producers Dre and Vidal. I worked on the Rhythm and Blues Awards with her and got to meet the likes of Anthony Hamilton, Bill Withers, and the late Teena Marie, among others. I was hoping to score a job on a tour when Aisha sent me a job opening at the Recording Academy, where I’ve worked full-time for the last nine years.
Since then, I’ve had multiple great mentors within the music industry that showed me the ropes, invited me into their studios and sessions, and taught me a lot about life in general. As my interests expanded beyond songwriting and back to my more literary roots, mentors within the literary and publishing space felt a lot harder to find. I didn’t know anyone in publishing and trying to bump into those folks when you’re not in New York can prove difficult.
That lack of mentorship and community within the writing world, as well as the lack of diversity, led me to create Permission to Write. I am a person who believes in creating the things you need and I’ve met so many talented writers that help me keep going when the outlook is bleak and my inbox is riddled with rejections.
There were doors I never would have been able to open without the help of Aisha and all the others like her within the music industry. That’s the key to having mentors that won’t shut the door behind them but will leave it open and pull others through. Mentors provide invaluable feedback, guidance and a host of other great benefits.
In the summer of 2019, PTW launched a pilot mentorship program that pairs working writers with more established writers and authors and we’re hoping to expand it in 2020. We need more agents and editors (online and print) that are willing to carve out a little time to connect with other ambitious writers. Mentees in the program are studying for their MFAs, pitching articles, hosting their own blogs and much more. We all simply could use an extra push, some insight, and a sounding board from those that are where we want to be. Each term lasts three months and mentors are asked to meet with their mentee via phone, video chat, or email at least twice in that period. We also host group mentoring sessions where one mentor gives a presentation on their selected topic via Zoom. Dassit.
We’re all busy. Time is, of course, our most precious asset, but we cannot say that we support writers of color without investing in them. Every month, I sit with a talented, kind, and ambitious group of black writers, as a part of our Philly Meetup, who are all looking for their opportunity, their moment to shine. And yes, it’s great that we have one another, but it’s invaluable to have help from those in positions we aspire to.
I’m asking this community to consider serving as a mentor for this upcoming term or sharing the info on your social networks. We’re ramping up for our fall program and accepting applications for mentors and mentees. Click here for more information and to complete an application.
Ashley Coleman is a freelance writer and project manager based in Philadelphia. Her work has been featured in The Cut, Apartment Therapy and more. She’s working on her novel manuscript and tweeting about it along the way.