On mentors

Some days I have a lot of writing and/or editing experience to get on here and talk about. 

Today isn't one of those, unfortunately.  It's been a long day, nearing the end of a longer week, and I'm pooped.  It's easy to be all snarky and creativy when I'm not exhausted, but when I'm this tired it just ain't gonna happen. 

Interestingly, I spent a couple of hours reading my story last night, getting to about 2/3 through it, and I found a lot fewer sucky parts.  Part of me wonders if that's just because my overall energy level is down, or if I really did show more talent creating the latter section of the book.  The cynic wants to believe it's the former, while the realist thinks it's a little of both.  I'd taken some time in the middle and read the first 1/3 or so to Heide before she headed out to Alaska, and I suspect that reading made me more aware of the crappiness I was committing.  Given the awareness, then, one would hope that my writing would improve. 

Funny how that mirrors my day job.  I sucked at teaching, at first.  No, really...I did.  I pulled it off because I figured out early on how to project a generally likeable image.  But I knew it, and I spent an awful lot of time in the beginning learning to be more aware of how I did what I did, and how it did or didn't work for me.  Years later, I've been pretty successful in even the most hostile of classroom environments.  Today I found myself mentoring a teacher who is very much in the same position I was in way back then, and it struck me as a natural cycle. 

The same applies to writing, I guess.  The good thing about writing is how many good writers have written stuff about how to write...kinda makes sense, but it's fun to say that way.  Thus, it's easy to find virtual mentors.  I only wonder if, say, Stephen King would chuckle were he to read this as much as I chuckled after the mentoring session with the teacher today. 

In any event...there comes a time on days like today when it's good to just stop working and go to bed.  Now, I think, is that time.  Good night. 

Word count: Oh, bite me

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