Why (Most) New Food Writers Need a Mentor
When I started my freelance writing journey about ten years ago, I thought I had a good idea of what sort of career I wanted, and how I was going to get there.
Then I came across a freelance writer and blogger offering guidance for wannabe freelance writers and bloggers.
It wasn’t really a course, and it wasn’t really a mentorship. But it was somewhere in between. Though I generally prefer to figure things out myself, this one seemed particularly relevant, promising a ‘fast track’ method to get set up as a freelancer – from what to include in your portfolio website, to how to actually start earning money.
The kicker though was that the programme came with a satisfaction guarantee: If the mentoring period had achieved good results, then fantastic. If they hadn’t, then I could claim my money back. The way I saw it, there was no way I could lose.*
This freelance blogger and mentor, by the way, was Sophie Lizard. And during the course of her scheme, she taught me all sorts of valuable things. Things like: making my ‘about me’ page actually about you, the client; perceiving my individual self as a brand; and that the majority of the time it’s far better to sell your article ideas to publications (thus receiving backlinks and money) than to publish on your own site (I realise the irony here).
Anyway, the most valuable thing about Sophie was not necessarily that she pointed me in the direction or suggested the right tools – it was that she helped stir up a sufficient amount of confidence to put the right ideas into practice.
I’ll be the first to admit that without a mentor like her, it would have taken a lot longer to get into the rhythm of running a freelance business. There’s a chance I may have given up entirely.
Which brings me to the first point I want to make if you’re new to freelance food writing, or freelance writing in general – that if you can find one, treat your mentor as your biggest cheerleader.
Here’s my top five reasons you might need a mentor, in full:
A mentor will fight your corner
Your mentor has been in the same rut you find yourself in now – the difference being they know how to climb out.
When you’re new to this freelancing malarkey, there is no better feeling I can think of than having the safety net of someone with the right experience and confidence to back you up, every step of the way.
To have someone with those things, and the desire to see you personally succeed? That can make you feel invincible.
They offer honest feedback
You might not like it to begin with, but it pays for a mentor to be brutally honest about when their mentee is not getting the remuneration they deserve, about to submit a poorly-worded article pitch, or not meeting their deadlines.
A mentor has faced many a rejection, navigated various editorial quirks, and understands what makes a piece genuinely sing. As such, a lot of the emotion around those things has been taken out of the process – they won’t dance around a challenge or how to overcome it.
That said, a good mentor will know to be forthcoming about the things their student does well in addition to empathising when things aren’t going their way – doing anything else would be disparaging for the mentee, and not conducive to a fun and fruitful working relationship.
They demystify the industry
There’s a lot more to the world of food writing than eating and writing about it. There’s learning the art of pitching articles, at least dabbling in networking, understanding and adapting to different publication styles, fostering bountiful working relationships with editors, and what can at times be the difficult issue of getting invoices paid. A mentor has navigated these choppy waters, and can offer insights to help mitigate the stress of having to do so yourself.
They promote accountability
You know that last time – while mired in a state of apathy – you missed a deadline, felt a kind of inertia, or skipped a task because it required too much effort?
These instances of inaction are much less likely to happen under the tutorship of a mentor, partly because they set the example and, subtextually or otherwise, want others to follow those examples. It’s all about creating and maintaining a level of trust and respect between mentor and mentee, to the extent that both feel a high level of responsibility in actioning the tasks that help them achieve their goals.
They can open new doors
While a mentor isn't a guaranteed job placement service, their network and reputation can be invaluable. A casual introduction, a recommendation for a gig, or even just sharing insights on how they got their start – these can be crucial stepping stones into a food writing career or side-hustle. More importantly, they’ll teach you how to open these doors yourself.
As I realised shortly after starting out freelance food writing ten years ago, not everyone needs a mentor. With enough impetus, it’s likely you’ll get to where you want to go in your career – it’s just that a mentor will help you get there much much quicker.
*You know that money-back guarantee I mentioned that ultimately helped me become a freelance food writer that much quicker? It was so helpful that I'm including a similar guarantee in my own course, So You Want to Be a Food Writer? Featuring 1-on-1 tuition and mentorship from me.
Immediate access to the lessons, resources, and 1-to-1 support that'll help you become a professional food writer.