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I see a lot of tweets from people asking about comics mentors and mentorship stuff in 2021, and I definitely think that having someone more experienced to go to is phenomenally helpful...
But IMO it’s just as valuable (if not more) to find colleagues collaborators “at your level”
But IMO it’s just as valuable (if not more) to find colleagues collaborators “at your level”
By which I mean, a mentor can help open doors, give advice, put in a good word, all that - but in an industry as mercurial as comics, where everyone has a different career path and tastes, whims, and market trends shift with the wind, that can only go so far.
But the people who are coming up with you, going to cons with you, angling for the same jobs and anthologies and pitch opportunities as you - it’s easy to view them as competition, but that’s circumstantial. It doesn’t have to be fucking mercenary. You all struggle together.
You can lift each other up, sharpen your work. A little healthy rivalry is fine, but if you view your colleagues as only kill or be killed and industry veterans exclusively as heroes and saviors, you’ll have a baaad time.
Look out for each other. Share worries, gossip and gigs.
Look out for each other. Share worries, gossip and gigs.
And yeah, of course, if you’ve got someone with experience to be your Ben Kenobi - that’s fantastic. Give that relationship the care and mutual respect it deserves. I owe a lot to a lot of experienced folks in comics who helped me up when they could.
But I owe sooooo much more to my friends (and yes, even “rivals”, if that’s a real thing) that I’ve been bumping into for years and chatting with and trading opportunities and support with. There’s an empathy there you should never be afraid to build upon.
Also I feel like a lot of people misunderstand this (and other professional, parasocial situations) as like, “I need the Inklings!”/“I need an official writing circle”
Boundaries are important, but these over-formal delineations and taxonomies...it doesn’t always work like that!
Boundaries are important, but these over-formal delineations and taxonomies...it doesn’t always work like that!
We’ve all gotta be better at communicating expectations and boundaries and shit, but we also need to remember that “taking on a mentor” isn’t usually a mystical formal apprenticeship, either.
Like, it’s just people trying to offer help and advice if it’s asked for.
Like, it’s just people trying to offer help and advice if it’s asked for.
It’s all just about doing our best to help each other. Your friends can offer insightful critique one second and unwavering support the next. Don’t devalue the insight of your peers, don’t alienate the old guard. Someone you view as a mentor might want your insight next week!
