While there is ultimately no “secret sauce” to mentoring, in this article I outline my nonnegotiables, which, although not rocket science, often take the mentor’s concerted effort to implement. Firstly, everyone is different. While hardly ground-breaking, it can be all too easy to wheel out the same experience for each mentee, because it makes our life easier. However, everyone’s needs are different, as are their personal circumstances; “know the person to better mentor”. Secondly, as a mentor, we have a parental-like responsibility to be consultant, counsellor, and cheerleader. If you are looking for a mentor to assist you with the transition to medical writing, I would prioritise this human side of the relationship more than looking for a list of what you will learn (important though that is, too).