Here’s the definition of a mentor, from the Oxford English Dictionary:
Originally (in form Mentor): a person who acts as guide and adviser to another person, esp. one who is younger and less experienced. Later, more generally: a person who offers support and guidance to another; an experienced and trusted counselor or friend; a patron, a sponsor.
O.E.D.
So, can I have a mentor whom I have never met?
Well, if I can, the one I want (as a writer) is Steven Pressfield.
Consider this:
- His breakout success as a writer (The Legend of Bagger Vance) was published when he was 51 years old. A perfect role model for someone my age.
- He writes both fiction and non-fiction, as do I.
- He believes in the existence and power of one’s muse.
Me too. - He recognizes the malevolence of The Resistance—an entity that is intent on destroying one’s soul. Ditto.
- He resonates with the Ancient Greeks, a civilization with which I am obsessed. (I’ll point out that in the Odyssey, it was Athena—disguised as Mentor—who was the one to encourage Telemachus to stand up against the suitors. I suspect that Mr. Pressfield appreciates this relationship between Athena and Mentor, and therefore I suspect he isn’t opposed to his books, such as The War of Art, being considered a divinely inspired channel for his Muse).
- He approaches writing as both a discipline and a master craft, something which I aspire to.
I could go on, but I think this is a sufficient number of reasons for me to connect with him as a guide and advisor for my own writing pursuits, even without having had met him face-to-face.