Thanks to services like lulu.com – anyone can be an author.
Thanks to services like BlogTalkRadio – anyone can be a radio show host.
Thanks to WordPress, TypePad and Blogger etc – anyone can be a journalist.
Thanks to Twitter – anyone can have a following.
In an age where anyone can claim to be an expert, it pays to do some research before taking ‘expert’ advice!
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I’m not necessarily sure if availability should make you wary. People have reasoning abilities. Simply because you see that someone has published a book doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good book or that they automatically have authority. It’s best to realize that yes, information and ideas are much easier to put out there, but people still have the ability to consider quality by their own standards.
Corey,
I think you have missed my point. It’s got nothing to do with availability. Books, radio shows have ALWAYS been available. My point is that many people use titles such as ‘author,’ ‘broadcaster’ etc as short-cuts in their decision-making processes. As you said, people should make their considerations based on a balanced judgement call.
Jim. That guys got a poll on his blog asking if he should write a book!!!!!!
Lawrence,
I don’t that detracts from Corey’s point.
Great post, succinct and to the point…always do your homework despite the title!
Keli,
Thanks!!
@Lawrence Harper
I’m a writer. I’ve been published before and I make money from it. And I’m also a girl. Disagreement does not make for ignorance, but thank you for visiting my site.
@Jim
Fair enough. Then again, if you write a book, you technically ARE an author. If you host a radio show, you technically are a broadcaster. True, radio and newspapers have been around, but they were more regulated, harder to start.
Corey,
That’s my exact point – It used to be VERY hard to get published or to get your own radio show.
It no longer requires an ounce of talent, skill or ability.
The same applies for ‘Business Advisors’ but the key to anyone looking at services from authors, broadcasters etc is to do what Jim Says – your research first.
Great point, Jim. If everyones an expert, is anyone really an expert?
Makes it even more important to look at what people do rather than what they say then can do.
I’m a big fan of not listening to people who claim to be an ‘expert’, unless they have earned that title and it’s very clear that they have worked for it.
Jeremiah,
I agree. With a little research it’s not that hard to work out who ‘really’ knows there subject, as opposed to those who are self-proclaimed experts.
I agree completely. In five minutes I can have a radio show, a TV show, publish a book, sell an info-product. The standards for what constitutes an “expert” have changed.
We also have to realize that there have always been thousands of “experts” in any given field, they were just typically local experts (like myself… only working in my geographic area). The internet has put everyone on the same (or similar) playing field.