I always like the biography stuff whenever it appears on this list -- and I
find it especially interesting in Cheerkep's story -- because it looks as if
he could have dropped out of high school -- and still achieved the enormous
success he had in publishing -- as well as the not-to-be ignored success he's
had as a playwright.
To repeat --- he could have dropped out of high school.
The only area of his life where higher education made a difference was
philosophy -- the area that he has pursued the least -- but, as he admits --
might have done more if pushed by a mentor.
That is, by the way, the number one job of mentors -- not so much to help Mr.
Anyone know a little more about Caravaggio -- but to identify who is
exceptional -- and push that person into their field of endeavor.
The number one example of mentorship in the American visual arts is Louis
Sullilvan / F.L. Wright.
And btw -- I wouldn't say that I have ever had a mentor either -- beyond that
"habitus" that each of us gets from the family that raised us.
***********************
Aw, you guys -- "There you go again!" -- with all this discussion about
"mentors" -- and no attempt first to reconcile your various notions of
"mentor".
I'm not aware of ever having what I'd call a "mentor" -- someone who provided
one-on-one guidance and counseling,over a priod of time (I.e. one
life-changing encounter doesn't qualify -- about the fundamentals of each of
the three
areas of concentration in my life -- philosophy, the business of
book-publishing, playwriting. With that notion of "mentor", the guy needn't
be
personally
with me. I can imagine a good vademecum book doing the job.
"Oh? But, in college didn't someone guide you in your reading, give you
tests?" But that would make almost every teacher I ever had my mentor. I
was
pushed through good course-syllabuses in college, but if I'd had my own
semi-private tutor banging on me, I might not have quit philosophy in grad
school.
My book publishing job required two things: useful math and business logic,
and reading sensibility. I was given one immensely useful insight into the
physiology of business. The time required was one lunch, and reading the
guy's
analysis of the profitability of one department at Doubleday (crime and
mysteries). It's hard to think of that as mentorship.
I have no idea where the reading sensibility came from. One just discovers
one has it -- or doesn't have it. I discovered that I could read with
interest
even a "ladies gothic novel"; if I wanted to turn the pages, so would the
ideal
intended audience. I discovered I couldn't do it with science fiction or
fantasy.
There was not vademecum book for editing a novel -- so I wrote the only
book available to this day.
When I left publishing, I was given several industry awards for lifetime
contributions -- all of which stressed my so-called "innovation". Hell, I HAD
to
innovate -- there was no reliable "mentor" to be found. And, in case this be
taken as a secret boast, though my house prospered like crazy, I'd love to
think
I was inspiredly brilliant, but in fact it didn't seem to me I did a single
"ingenious" thing. It all felt like obvious common sense stuff.
In playwriting, which I began very late, I've had various private readers,
directors, producers. They gave some good (and bad) specific tips about
specific
scripts, but no ongoing fundamental guidance whatever. What I "know", I
picked up by watching plays, reading playwrights' autobios, reading books by
critics and teachers, none of whom sticks out of my crowded memory.
So, to Chris's question, I'd say yes, you can make your way without a mentor
(in my sense of "mentor".)
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