NEWBIES AND VETERANS – Announcing the Mentor Program!

This year, Toronto Nano is going to run a mentorship program that pairs new participants with returning Wrimos in order to guide the newbies through their first NaNo! Newbies. Your chance to get paired with a mentor starts now. We'll be matching mentors and mentees for the next few weeks, so if you're just discovering this post in late October/early November, it's not too late!

Read on if you are new, if you think you could be a mentor, or if you would like to be mentored!



ARE YOU NEW AND IN NEED OF A BUDDY?

Is this your first year of NaNoWriMo? Are you a bit unnerved, excited and still figuring this NaNo thing out? In need of a buddy to help you along? Looking for a mentor who can answer all your nano questions and give you that virtual kick in the pants to keep you writing when you need it?

If you're a newbie who would like a mentor, just copy the questions below and paste them and their answers into an e-mail to me – RedParrot – using NanoMail. Here's how: Click on my name/picture to the left of this post to go to my profile. There should be a little line in red that says "Send NaNoMail" - click on that to message me directly. If you have any problems, just reply to this thread below.

The questions are used only to match you with a mentor we think will be a good fit, so do your best to answer the questions.


OR ... ARE YOU A VETERAN INTERESTED IN MENTORING?

Running a newbie mentorship program means that we also need mentors to adopt these newbies and see them through the month. Do you have at least a year of NaNo experience under your belt and willing to share that knowledge with a new Wrimo?

If so, we want you to be a mentor to a newbie who seeks adoption - or several!

As a mentor, you'll be the newbie's guide through their first NaNo experience. You'll show them around the NaNo site, answer any questions they have, cheer them on throughout November, keep tabs on their word count, and guide them through validating. If you both come to events, make sure you pull them out of the corner and introduce them!

Mentors should get in touch with me the same ways as newbies: Copy the mentor questions below, and paste them into a NaNoMail to me. We use the questions and their answers to match you with a newbie we think will be a good fit.



FILL OUT THIS QUESTIONAIRE AND SEND IT TO REDPARROT

Everyone:

(a) What is your age? (if you don’t want to disclose exact age, give approximate … Under 15, 16- 18, 19-25, 26-35, 36-45, older…


(b) What genre are you writing? Provide multiple if that’s the case …


(c) Are you planning to attend meet up events?

Mentors only:

(d) How many newbies are you able/willing you adopt? (whole numbers, please)



WHAT’S NEXT?
Newbie/veteran matchups will arrive via NaNoMail every few days (or when enough responses come in to make informed matches) from now through mid-November from Mentorship Captain RedParrot (me).

As a special bonus, Sunny has created some special banners for both mentors and mentees. There’s four in all to choose from and we encourage you to show your colours in your NaNo forum signature! We'll be posting the banners very soon.


QUESTIONS?
Ask here. Or NaNoMail me! Or save them up and inundate your mentor!

So this is what you and Vic were planning! Great idea! :D

Agreed - fantastic idea! When I was in NS, the group was so small that the NaNo vets ended up mentors by default, and I think it really helped the newbs.

Yes, RedParrot, I did PM you with my definite interest.

Darn, you wanted whole numbers? I was willing to adopt a pi. XD

Bumping ... if you know any newbies ... introduce them to the mentor program. :)

Or mentors, for that matter.

Remember ....

"It's so much friendlier with two."
- Winnie the Pooh

Bumping ... if you know any newbies ... introduce them to the mentor program. :)

Or mentors, for that matter.

Remember ....

"It's so much friendlier with two."
- Winnie the Pooh

Hello, all:

A quick update that the first few matches have been sent out today.

Anyone intererested in being a Mentor or would like to be an Mentee ... see the first post in this thread.


Cheers!
Redparrot

How's our mentee to mentor ratio so far?

I love you for asking, nepeta ... :)

Here's the stats so far ...

3 mentees have applied
5 mentors have applied

All mentees have been matched up as of 1400 today. :)

As I am reminded regularly, we have not hit the NanoTsunami of applicants so if you think you would like to participate in this program (either as mentor or mentee), see the e-mail at top and apply.

Remember, it's friendlier with two!

Cheers!
RP

Update ... another mentee/mentor pairing has been shipped!

:)

Cheers!
RP

I think we should sticky this thread.

Hello, all!

Another two pairings have been made.

Mentors! If there's more mentors out there willing to sponsor a newbie or two, please send me a nano mail. I can supply you with the mentor guide to help you along.

Remember ... having a mentee is a great way to pay it forward!

Cheers!
RP

Hello, all!

Seven mentees matched up! We only have 2 mentors left ... come on all you veteran high-word counters! Come share the love with a newbie and pay your successes forward!

Remember, it's always friendlier with two!

Cheers!
RP

FOR MENTORS!

I believe I have been remiss in not publishing the expectations / "job description" for Mentors ... this should help people put their minds at ease that it *is* a fun, doable part of building up the next generation of Nanos ... remember, it's always friendlier with two ... all good job descriptions should be distilled into a few words ... and for mentors, I would say "find out what your mentee needs, help them stay on course and coach them through the process"


Primary Job Responsibilities Before November 1st:

• Send your Newbie(s) an introductory PM after being assigned
• Introduce yourself
• Talk about the best ways to keep in touch - NaNoMail? Email? Facebook/Twitter/Google+? AIM? Skype?
• Meet up in the Toronto chat room at a certain time?
• Ask your newbie about their goals for this Nano and how you can help them stay motivated and on track
• Educate Newbies on the site features
• Forums they might be interested in
• ToNaNo chat room!
• Homing with Toronto!
• How NaNoMail and subscriptions work
• How to update word counts throughout the month
• How to make sure the time zone is right and set, etc.
• Answer Newbie Questions
• If you don’t know, point them in the right direction
• All else fails, talk to the Mentoring Captain


Primary Job Responsibilities During November:

• Be available to your newbies
• Let them know they can contact you with problems they are having
• Or just chatting is fine too!
• Check in at least once a week, if not more.
• A mini pep talk can go a long way.
• Check their word count and see if they are on target or need a push
• Make sure your newbie validates, no matter their word count
• Send reminders
• Guide them through the process of validating

And because transparancy is important ...

7 mentees paired
2 matches pending
5 mentors available

:)

Another update on the program ...

13 mentees paired
0 matches pending
9 mentors available


FOR ALL YOU NEWBIES ...

There is nothing sadder than a mentor with no one to mentor. They have knowlegde, experience, excitiement and desire to get you - you WONDERFUL NEW PERSON - to the 50,000 word mark ... and if that doesn't work, they will get you closer to that mark than you ever imagined possible.

50,000 words is hard - no doubt about it. Some of us fail the first time. Or the second ... or even have an "off" year where it didn't work. We know what we're up against. So PLEASE don't skip signing up because you think you won't make it. Sign up because you want to give it a shot!

Mentors are standing by waiting to escort you to victory ... :)


Remember ... it's friendlier with two.
Also... Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.


RP

I sent in my newbie status deets!


:)

Another update on the program ...

18 mentees paired
0 matches pending
6 mentors available

I thought I was going to get an easy 2k a day.. I'm at 4,000 and feeling the sting. I have to write 4000 words today to make my goal and my characters have already decided that they don't really want to do anything else. A mentor is in order.. I've sent you a NanoMail.