Mentor I’ve Never Met

When I read the Percy Jackson series, I saw a piece of myself in every character. Rick Riordan's representation paves the way for acceptance and tolerance in all religions, races, sexualities, and genders.

I want to write like that. I want to inspire people. I want to foster pride in our differences. I want to help kids like me with mental illness or dysphoria feel pride and love for who they are. I want everyone to feel loved and respected. And so I want to write stories, poems, novels, anything, really, that will create that pride. Maybe I've never met Rick Riordan, but he's touched my mind. I want to capture the same wit, the same shameless individuality, the same diversity, that he has in his characters. If it weren't for him, I might never have taken up the craft. I might never be where I am today or writing as much as I do. I might never have found my place.

So maybe you can have a mentor even if that mentor doesn't know you exist.