Comments on: Beware the Gurus and Experts

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:13:42 +0000

Exactly, Samantha! Great point. Does it fit? If not, it's okay to just disregard that person's advice. It doesn't mean they don't know what they're talking about. It just means it's not right for your life and your situation.

By: Samantha Bangayan

Samantha Bangayan — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:45:47 +0000

You know, Lori, this also makes me think of being an independent creative. Even when we find the right experts, we need to be discerning and analyze whether their information is relevant to our field and situation. As much as I respect the experts I look up toward, including you =D, we all have our own path.

Thanks for having me think about this. =)

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:50:36 +0000

Anne, it's perfect! I love how she places such value on vision and dedication – so true! And thanks for the kind words. 🙂

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:17:45 +0000

lordy, as most of you know, I should have started the Mistake Makers Anonymous Club – MMAC I assume?

Lori you're so far from selling out by doing courses I'm surprised you're asking the question.

This just in, for free from Molly Gordon, a woman I've come to trust

Chop Wood, Carry Water: Profit as Meditaiton http://shaboominc.com/blog/archives/chop_wood_carry_water_profit_as_meditation.html

I love it… susupect you will too.

hugs

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:01:04 +0000

LOL! I blew my cover!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:11:22 +0000

And with the admission of that typo, Lori, you are officially out of the Mistake Makers Anonymous Club. 🙂

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:57:27 +0000

Sorry- that's "newsgroup."

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:56:58 +0000

Thanks, Cathy. :)

Kim, I think because I was weaning during the "newgroup" phase of the Internet, I didn't buy into too many books and courses. I bought books, but usually from Writer's Digest Books. In a few cases only, I was disappointed.

Joseph, YOU could be the next travel guru! Wow. Just think - that trip to Poughkeepsie could launch your career as an expert! LOL

Drip under pressure - LOVE that! Wendy, you're our resident expert on exSpurts. :)

Jake, Mistake Makers Anonymous - I'm so stealing that phrase! LOL I'm with you. Sharing ideas is so much nicer than lording over the masses and tossing down crumbs of "wizzdom" on occasion.

Honesty - amen, Paula. And maybe less horn tooting from the exSpurt and more from those who have learned from said person. God, how boring it would be to hear from one soul over and over how SpEsHuL they are.

By: Paula

Paula — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:54:36 +0000

I'm glad I started freelancing in the dark ages, before the average soul had access to the Internet. I bought a few books and subscribed to Writer's Market for several years - until I realized I was reading new takes on the same topics. Thankfully I didn't have thousands of self-proclaimed experts vying to become my paid mentor. I sought out peers with whom I could exchange ideas and ask how they would handle whatever situation I was facing.

What matter most with relationships with mentors, experts, industry leaders - or peers - is honesty.

I love seeing people tout themselves as 'award-winning' this or that (do enough resumes and you're bound to run into someone claiming to be an award-winning professional because they were named employee of the month at a job they held in high school). Technically, I suppose I could call myself an award-winning writer, but the awards I won were in high school and college and in no way reflect professional achievements.

There is one person in particular who keeps flauting a recent award...but like Lori said, you have to look at where the award is from and who chose the recipients. Anyone can create an 'award' and nominate their friends. I'm not saying that's what the boaster I mentioned did, but I've never heard of the place the so-called award is from.

By: Jake P

Jake P — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:08:18 +0000

Exspurt. Wendy, that's priceless!

I'm an independent (and, well, cynical) enough soul that I'm not a good candidate for following anyone very long or very far. It's far more productive to idea-swap with peers.

And I definitely don't trust anyone who pretends to be the founder and CEO of Mistake-Makers Anonymous.