Levelling up in Nelson Mandela Bay: The FinePrint program.
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
There is a specific kind of quiet panic that sets in when you first step into the world as a professional writer. Especially after you’ve just tossed your graduation cap in the air after finishing a degree, that “what now?” feeling is heavy. You have the tools, sure, but you don’t yet have the map. For me, that map appeared in the form of a program right here in the heart of Nelson Mandela Bay. It’s called the FinePrint, and looking back at the writer I was a year ago versus the writer I am today, the transformation feels almost like fiction.
Founded and spearheaded by Odette Parfitt, FinePrint isn’t your typical “sit-and-listen” workshop. It is a high-impact mentorship engine designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry reality. In the writing world, we often feel we have to be a “jack of all trades.” FinePrint allows you to be intentional. When you join, you select three specific skills you want to sharpen. Once you’ve picked your path, you are allocated three different mentors. These aren’t just people who “know” writing, these are veterans who have been in the game for over a decade. Having that much collective wisdom focused on your personal growth is like having a cheat code for your career. They don’t just critique your grammar, they teach you the “unspoken” rules of the industry.
Before I had ever heard of the FinePrint program, I experienced the kind of “win” most writers dream of. I had written articles that climbed into the top 50 most-read lists and stayed there for months. Even more surreal was the day one of my pieces exploded, racking up 7,000 views within a single 24-hour window. It was exhilarating, but it was also a wake-up call, you can still feast on that: https://mypr.co.za/against-all-odds-lorna-makhumalo-mgoqi-triumphs-over-adversity/
I knew I had the instinct, I knew I wanted to be better, but I didn’t realize how much room there was to grow so I wanted the intentionality. I wanted to move from “accidental” success to a sustainable, professional career. That is exactly what led me to seek out the mentorship.
If you’re a beginner writer residing in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), you know that the local creative scene is bubbling with potential, but it can often feel disconnected. FinePrint acts as the glue. It turns a solitary craft into a community effort. The program offers a safe space to fail, to iterate, and eventually, to fly. It takes that raw, post-graduation energy and refines it into a professional skillset that editors and clients actually want to pay for. You move from being someone who “likes to write” to being a writer.
If you are sitting there with a folder full of drafts and a heart full of ambition, don’t keep wandering in the dark. The mentorship you need is right here. Whether you are a recent graduate or a newcomer to the communications field, the FinePrint program is the investment in yourself that will pay dividends for years to come. Search for FinePrint on all major social platforms to see the work they’re doing and catch their next intake. You can reach out directly to Odette Parfitt on LinkedIn. She is incredibly supportive and will guide you through the process of how to get started.
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