Knowing and Using Your Resources

I heard a great quote yesterday that I truly believe says a lot, especially for people in publishing. I had on in the background SHARK TANK and there were two people there pitching their product. One of them referenced something she learned while working at Goldman Sachs.

You are not expected to know everything, but you are expected to know who to go to.

This says a lot!

I talk a lot here on the blog about writers needing to become educated. Too many are just jumping into the business and wondering what that success they dreamed of is turning into one failure after another. These writers struggle with composing a quality story. They struggle with knowing who to send their projects to. They struggle knowing how the whole process works. The list goes on and on. It all stems from a lack of education.

This quote, I do believe really captures what I have been trying to say. I never once believe that we can know everything. The publishing industry is constantly changing and evolving and even those editors and agents who have been in the business for a long time know that there is always a learning curve.

The second part of this thought is also important. If we don't know something, we should find a solution. We need to go to someone to get that information. It is this point that so many authors screw up. If you go to someone who is not an expert, who does not fully know and understand that concept, you will head down the wrong path.

Too many authors just do a quick internet search, find something and think they have the answer. Too many authors just sign up for some random workshop, follow a blog, or listen to a podcast from someone who claims to be an expert, and then continue to fail.

The statement implies that you know the "RIGHT" person to go to.

Always make sure that the resource you are going to is:

• Up-to-date
• Truly knows the right answer
• Truly is educated in that field

If we don't do this, it becomes an issue of the blind leading the blind!