Chapter One

#IAmAuthor

I am not an expert. It may seem odd to admit that and still write a book. But, you cannot be an expert without writing a book. Also, not being an expert is what makes me valuable to the experts I know. I am able to interface with the world using a commoner’s lens, and report those experiences back to the experts. This is very valuable for experts, as they can no longer see the world without their expertise informing them. In a way, my expertise is in being a non-expert. Experts will always seek out the expertise of non-experts, which – I guess – makes us all experts in some ways?

But, even if we are all experts, you are not considered a proper expert without having a book. And, the book must be published – the more well-known the publisher, the better. Sure, you could self-publish (what a commoner thing to do!), or find some indie publisher like Henry Rollins to put your book out. However, you would only be a low-level expert at that point (you may not even be considered a low-level expert if you self-publish – such a low-end thing to do!). To reach high-level expert status, and be invited to share your views on other mediums*, you are going to need to find a respected publishing house to release your book. 

* Remember: Podcasts, even Joe Rogan’s podcast, may be popular, but they do not deliver the same gravitas that NPR or the evening news would. To reach the top of the mountain, shoot for 60 Minutes!

Keep in mind, just sitting down and writing a book is not enough. There are other elements necessary to be considered a successful expert once you have been published. You must have facts to back up your views. These are not your opinions – laymen have opinions. You have data-backed viewpoints. You share knowledge, not pointers. You educate. You are Keeper of Truth (#KOT).

The quickest way to acquire facts is through research. Experience can be helpful in this process, but it usually isn’t necessary. To be an expert in baseball, for example, don’t waste your time playing baseball. Read books, study games, and win your fantasy baseball league two years in a row. That is a sure-fire path to becoming the expert that you want to be. Playing in games is for less intelligent humans, generally the kind that had to skip going to college, or take out loans to pay for university on their own. Don’t be like those people, if you want to achieve expert status.