Blog Mentoring: Should We Give Time to Do It?

My son and I attended the 3rd Digital Influencers Marketing Summit yesterday at the SMX Convention Center. Coming with my son in tow gave rise to some curious questions as to why. It seems that teenagers voluntarily coming to events like this is somewhat of a peculiarity. Curiosity gave way to outright surprise when I informed them that my son actually participated in the writing project and that his blog Dateline Movies is among those to be recognized as Top Emerging Influential Blogs of 2014. One of the comments that stuck to my mind was that I was probably mentoring my son thus my full encouragement in exposing him to activities like this.

So am I mentoring my son in blogging?

A Fighting Chance

The photo above shows me when two of my blogs were recognized as among the Top Emerging Influential Blogs of 2013 and my son when his blog was recognized as among the Top Emerging Influential Blogs of 2014. Was this planned? Actually no, as I just allowed my son to blog about one of his interests which is movies. It was more of a hobby for him than anything else. We initially had no intention of participating in the writing project as I was battling my writing deadlines while my son was deep in school work.

Out of the blue, one blogger friend asked me if I have a blog which can be nominated for this year. I said none but hastily added that my son’s blog could qualify which I asked her to check out if she likes. She did and nominated his blog.

That must have awakened the “stage mother” instinct in me so two days before the deadline, I asked my son to register his blog in the List of Blogs that are seeking to be considered for inclusion in the Top List. I was not actually aiming for a win as I knew there was not enough time to promote his blog to possible participants, most of whom have already completed their own list weeks before. What I wanted to give him and his blog was a fighting chance and fight his newbie blog did up to the last hours of the deadline.

Positive Encouragement: The First Step in Mentoring

I didn’t force my son to blog although I encouraged it when he said he wanted to. I proofread his posts as much as I can just to guide him in syntax rules and proper attribution. Overall though, I just let him and my husband do what they want with his blog.

Sometimes, he consults me with his ideas and I listen even to the most out-of-this-world ideas. I provide inputs, point out some possible consequences of using some materials and words, I guide him, encourage him so am I mentoring him? Mentoring is said to be providing support and encouragement to other people in managing their own learning for the purpose of maximizing potentials, developing skills, and improving performance with the end goal of helping them be what they want to be. So in that context, I am mentoring him without the need for any formal agreement or anything of that sort.

Blog Mentoring

I have been asked several times through email by young people to mentor them in blogging. So far, I have not been able to answer positively to any of the requests largely because of lack of time. Another thing is the wrong perception of many of those who ask to be mentored that I can lead them into the way of monetizing their blogs in a matter of months. Some even promise to give me half of what they earn, expecting money to come just like that.

I had to explain to them very gently that it doesn’t happen that way. If I knew exactly how to earn big time in blogging, then I should be very rich by now considering the amount of work I put into it. As far as I know, consistent work, dedication to the craft, and a genuine love for writing are important factors in attaining blog success. Our earning goals will have to be tempered by reality. I would love to mentor another, at least in what I experienced so far but my mentee would have to understand that there is no magic word here, no shortcuts, no guarantees, just a lot of work and unlimited potentials.

My Say

Blog mentoring is something every experienced blogger should consider at some point. It is a way to give back. It is a way to perpetuate healthy interest in professionalized blogging.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who nominated my son’s blog. You cannot possibly imagine the jolt of confidence that each of your vote has given him. Most of you I do not know personally. Thank you for a giving my newbie blogger-son a space in the blogging world. Thank you to Ms. Janette Toral for facilitating this writing project to discover new but promising blogs. Until next year.