A reader named Laura wrote in this week with a question that has left me stumped, and I hoped someone out there would have practical advice for her. She wrote, "I was wondering if you had any advice on finding a writing mentor. I've recently graduated from a BA writing program, but feel like I still need someone who can help me with my work, preferably in a one-on-one setting. Are there any specific groups that offer mentorship programs, or would it be better to try to contact someone like a former professor to try to set something like that up?"

I responded: "My best advice is to either form or join a writing group or to continue to take writing classes in your community. (Very occasionally I have seen one-on-one tutorials offered, but only for poets.) Programs like WriteGirl offer mentoring programs for teens, but adults generally have to pay for that kind of one-on-one attention. You might consider MFA programs as a solution down the line, and in the meantime, see what other writers in your community can offer, and what you can offer them. It's not exactly what you're looking for, but it might offer benefits that a mentor-mentee relationship doesn't.

"As for college professors, it's good to maintain a relationship with them, but be considerate of their time. Chances are, they're struggling to accommodate all the demands of their profession: mentoring current students, preparing lessons, and writing their own fiction or poetry. If a professor showed a strong interest in your work, then you might see if he or she wouldn't mind taking a look at some of your current writing, but I wouldn't expect that on a regular basis. (However, do feel free to go to them with questions about MFA programs or for career advice.)"

But I wondered if there were programs I wasn't aware of, or if people had successfully worked out mentoring relationships, and how they compensated the mentor. Advice for Laura? Please comment below or in the forum.

When I hear that even Texans are wrapping their water pipes against winter weather, I know it's time for one of my favorite writing exercises. "Winter Counts," from The Writing Workshop Note Book (2008, Soft Skull Press) by Alan Ziegler, is inspired by a Sioux Indian record-keeping practice. I find that it's appropriate for this time of year, when we're not only making resolutions for the future, but reflecting back on years past.

Do you have an exercise that you particularly like? Share it in the comments or the forum, or email it to fictionwriting.guide@about.com. We'll post the best ones on the site.

With so much talk about the economy, it's a good time to revisit an interview with Amanda Clayman, a psychotherapist specializing in financial wellness. For years, she has counseled artists through the Actors Fund in New York City, helping them bring money into balance while pursuing their artistic goals. So, yes, it's time to be smart about money, but that doesn't mean you have to give up writing. Clayman shows how your life can accommodate both.

We recently added profiles of the big five publishing houses: Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Penguin, Random House, and Simon & Schuster. As you'll see, it's a rather disheartening study in how smaller presses have been gobbled up by larger presses, which, with the exception of Penguin, have in turn been devoured by media companies and conglomerations. It underscores more than ever the importance of small presses in ensuring diversity and innovation in American literature.

But naturally, most of us will submit our novels to them first, all things said and done, so it's good to be familiar with the playing field. In terms of submissions, though, I'll warn you that my advice is still to get an agent. Most editors at this level don't read over the transom, at least not on a regular basis. For more on this, read an interview with HarperCollins editor Jeanette Perez.

(Photo of Simon & Schuster Building © 2008 Ginny Wiehardt, licensed to About.com, Inc.)