Q: How do you find a mentor? What do you look for in a mentor?

Mentor relationships have been much less formal than I was expecting when I started. A mentor is basically anyone more experienced than you who will answer your questions when you need advice. The way you gravitate toward certain people more as friends, you will gravitate toward certain people more as professional connections (and certain people will show more interest in you). If someone is generous with their time and attention, notice and treasure that. That's what I've done so far.  - Lower Level Writer 

A mentor is someone who invests in your career long-term and who takes your professional concerns seriously. Rather than feeling pressure to build a mentorship from scratch, consider nurturing relationships you already have with writers you admire. Ask them for a breakfast or coffee, and see if they’re willing to share their experiences with you in a way that resonates. It may require upkeep on your part -- if they aren't the first to reach out, that's totally fine. Send a quick email every few months to check in. Don't be afraid to initiate! Many writers aren’t aware they could even be considered a mentor. (And to that end, your mentor doesn’t need to be a showrunner or EP – they could be any writer who you feel you could learn from, regardless of hierarchy.)  - Upper Level Writer

I’ve seen many a lower level writer want/demand a showrunner as a mentor. The truth is that a showrunner is not always the best mentor. Most showrunners don’t know what it’s like to be a lower level writer in this current climate. Seek out mentors who are closer to you in experience - maybe one to three levels above you. Those writers understand your issues and can give better advice because they’ve more recently gone through what you’re going through. - Upper Level Writer