I’m Not an Expert, I’m Still Learning
December 17, 2007 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
Recently a couple of fellow bloggers called me a freelance writing and blogging “expert.” This couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’m by no means an expert. What you see on my blogs is me sharing what I’m learning, and indeed this is a learning process.
Here are the things I’m hoping to learn more about in 2008:
Print Publishing: I know quite a bit about the world of online writing. I’ve been writing web content since 2000 and was editor at a couple of major information portals. Though I spent over a dozen years in magazine publishing and wrote a newspaper column, I still have a lot to learn about landing these types of gigs. I especially want to delve more into book publishing and landing contracts.
Trends: It’s important to know what the future holds for writers and bloggers. What will people want to read about? What are the new innovations? Who will be looking for writers or bloggers? What will we be talking about in 2008? I always keep an eye on trends and recommend you do the same.
Blog Design & Technical Issues: It’s no secret I’m technically challenged. I know basic HTML and can figure out where some things belong here and there, but I’d like to rely less on others for blog tweaks and fixes.
Advertising Revenue: Writing blogs are notoriously difficult to monetize and keeping this site going hasn’t been easy. I’d like to spend more time researching advertising methods and placement and see what I can do about making my blogs bigger money makers. That’s not to say I’m only in this for the money, but without ads, there’s no way I could pay the people who help me and keep this puppy going.
The Best Jobs for Freelance Writers and Bloggers: That’s what it’s all about, right? I want to continue to learn the best places to land gigs, and the things we can do to find those jobs. Let’s see how many more of you we can have working from home in 2008!
Other Blogs: There are so many great blogs out there and I’d like to visit them all! In my opinion this best way to learn about blogging and get great ideas is to visit other blogs. It’s hard to keep up with my RSS feeds for sure, but I’m still going to hunt for more new favorites.
The Needs of My Readers: I hope I’m providing the content you most want to see, after all, it’s you who helps to keep me going. I’ll continue to learn about writing and blogging in 2008 and share what I learned with you here. In return, I hope you’ll share your expertise and wisdom in the comments.
I’m not an expert, but if we all share what we know we can make FWJ an important resource.
Photo via Morgue File
Most of us aren’t experts. That ended when we got out of our teens (ask my teens, they’re experts at everthing, they say)
Deb, you might not consider yourself an expert but a lot of writers/bloggers really look up to you and consider you their “go to source.” Keep up the great work! I think you’re very humble
When I was a teenager, I thought I knew everything. Now that I’m 23, I’m sure of it. Did you know that there’s a difference between humility and modesty? You’re the humble type, but don’t be too modest. You’re top ten on a list I stumbled randomly upon. That’s gotta say something, right?
Good morning all, and as always, ur groovy Deb. Today is my birthday and what am I doing? Why of course cruising the web for freelance gigs! I wouldn’t want to spend my birthday at my old life, doing the old thing. But this I like! What I have learned: It’s never to late, Don’t give up on yourself, Look for good People (they are there!), Always improve yourself. If you don’t no one else will. Joy to all, and peace.
Happy birthday Ellen!
Deb,if you are interested in learning more about the print publishing business, especially books, then let me recommend that you go to http://www.iwwg.org. The International Women’s Writing Guild has a fantastic summer conference at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY every summer in June. All women, all ages, all types of writing, all levels of writing development, ie. some published many times, some not yet. Workshops on everything from poetry, to monologue, to book proposals, to writing genre fiction, to mine — shamanic dreaming and writing. The motto for the conference is, appropriately enough, “Remember the Magic.”
If you want to know more check out the site or email me.
Dear Deb,
Thanks for never taking an “expert” point of view. Even though you probably could. By just being yourself you invite all of us in to learn with you, and that’s at least half of what makes this site so valuable to me. The excellent leads don’t hurt either.
Thanks,
Connie
Ellen:
Happy Birthday to both of us! I’ve never met anyone I shared a birthday with before.
I just got done with a post about my holiday fr the season, the Solstice. It’s funny to have your birthday crammed up against another one!
Cheers / Salud / Prost / Slainte !
Here, here on the teens know everything. My neighbor was a single mom when she regained custody of her son, but he formed a strong bond with my husband and I, so he became like an adoptive son to us. He hit the age of 14 and said he knew it all and that he didn’t need to listen to adults because they didn’t know what it was like to be a teen. My husband got sick of it and told him to come back when he learned respect. Breaks my heart that he’s just turned 16 and is about to become a father in a month. He’s back in our lives saying he wish he’d listened to us now.
No one knows it all, which is why it is SO important to have others who can offer guidance.
As for book publishing, I’ve seen it solely from the book reviewer aspect, and some publishers should be ashamed they lure authors in. The number of grammatical, spelling, and verb tense errors that slip past small publishers or the POD publishers today are depressing. Even some of the larger publishers are letting mistakes slip through.
The entire idea of “experts” really doesn’t make any sense to me. We all keep learning.
The picture accompanying the article is based entirely on the “expert” model – neat little desks in neat little rows, having knowledge dispensed towards them by a bobbing head like so much Pez.
I don’t get it. I don’t get a lot. I appreciate that Deb isn’t an “expert”, because if she was I wouldn’t listen to her. It would mean she’s found a way to stop learning altogether.
Ann,
Reminds me of an old saying that goes something like, “When I was 15, my parents were idiots. By the time I turned 30, I was amazed how much they had learned.”
I know wording isn’t exact, haven’t heard it in a long time, but sentiment is certainly right on.
I agree with the commentary about experts…I prefer to think of those that could be called experts as very knowledgable guides. For me, that makes them more accessible. Whereas inertacting with experts makes me very nervous and I feel inferior.
In my case, I’ve been finding that I have a lot of knowledge of topics that probably only about 15 people in the world care about. This has been a depressing revelation!
Phil,
That’s exactly it. I remember being 10 and thinking I couldn’t wait till I was 16 cause then I could drive. At 16, I couldn’t wait to be 18 so that I’d be out of school. Then it was can’t wait till I’m 21 so that I can drink.
I remember being asked out by one of my brother’s friends at 16 and my mom refusing to let me go. I hated her that day, yet now I’m so glad she did, and given my daughter’s looks and the fact that she picked up my husband’s metabolism (eat and eat and eat and not gain an ounce), I dread when she starts finding guys interesting.
Now I’m 37 and wish I could go back and change quite a few things. And I’m in the teen years with one and the ‘tween years with the my daughter and I have to say the thought of them acting like I did towards my parents is pretty scary. Now that I think of it – my mom deserves some flowers!
Ann,
We all had our teen moments, I just don’t remember fighting with my parents constantly…heck, I knew to keep my mouth shut around the holidays and my birthday and understood my parents had “the power of the purse,” even though I started working 40 hours a week, and carrying honors at school, at age 16. My “C” 17-year-old “can’t work because of school.” I’ll grant that school is somewhat more demanding now, but I was at a college prep school that was extemely demanding even back then.
I think the true experts are the ones who understand that it is a continual learning process. You might not consider yourself an ‘expert’ but you’re certainly a MENTOR to many of us.
Your list of “To Learn” is wonderful! There are so many areas I would like to learn more about. I also have an overflowing RSS Reader. In fact I’m wading through 60+ FWJ entries I’ve let build up since I subscribed. You have so many interesting posts!
The Best Jobs for Freelance Writers and Bloggers
Now that’s one I’ll agree with! I have a horrible time finding listings, and any place that’s got them is welcome. Craigslist doesn’t have that many blogger listings and Problogger maybe gets one or two per day, so whereever they are, they’re welcome.