When you’re just starting out as a writer, one of the things that can really help you is having a mentor. Of course, getting a mentor isn’t always easy. If you’re fortunate enough to be friends with people who are already established writers, perhaps one of them will be willing to take you under their wing. If you don’t have that luxury, though, you can try joining writing groups. You can also offer to pay for instruction, but a lot of aspiring writers don’t have much money – and a lot of established writers won’t work for free. It can become a bit of an impasse.

If you’re serious about getting a mentor, though, don’t give up. Keep going to writing groups and writing forums, and keep asking questions. Join organizations that are specifically designed for writers, so you can talk to people who are already in the business. That way you’ll have a better chance of connecting with someone who would actually like to help you, and who will be willing to do so for less money than you might otherwise have to pay. If you can get help for free, so much the better. The more friends you make in the writing world, the better.

Even if you don’t find that one person who will stop what they’re doing and mentor you, you may still be able to get a lot of help from other writers. They often have suggestions for places where you can write a little for some extra cash, and you can get good experience there. Don’t stay there, though, or you’ll get stuck writing inexpensive content. At some point, you have to make the changeover to higher-paid work, so you can move your career forward.