One of the most fascinating aspects of being a writer is that lots of people are eager to give you advice.

There is a giant industry of books, conferences, retreats, coaching, and podcasts (this being one of them!) devoted to giving you writing advice.

But be careful. There is a whole group of people who love to give advice about being an author… but they have not accomplished much as authors themselves.

So, before you take anyone’s advice about how you should approach your writing or your business, make sure to ask yourself whether they have done what they are teaching. Look at the results they have gotten for themselves or others.

To give you just one example: there are lots of book marketing agencies led by people who have never actually published or marketed their own book. I want you to stop and think about that for a moment. Isn’t this a bit like a coach who’s never been on the field?

It’s easy to give coaching, advice, or opinions about writing, but it’s much harder to actually produce something successful. Make sure those are the people you’re listening to.

Today’s Challenge: Think about the people in the writing world who are giving you training or advice. Have they been successful in doing what they are teaching others?