How the blog community can help you become an expert

One of my current favourite blogs is Penelope Trump's Brazen Careerist. I discovered this site just a few days ago and I'm having great fun trawling through her archives for useful information. In fact it was Penelope's Guide to Blogging that inspired me to start this blog.

One of her recent posts talks about the importance of investing time in becoming an expert. The popular belief is that it takes 10,000 hours of doing something before you are an expert. I'm no mathematician but that sounds like a lot. I'm not sure I've done 10,000 hours of anything other than breathe. Is there any hope for me?

Apparently so.

This AssociatedContent article debunks what it calls the 10,000 hour lie, stating that there is no magic number, you just have to work hard. What is most important, according to Penelope's post, is that you have a good teacher. And that you work hard at your chosen skill every single day. Gulp.

Well, here I am writing, again. I wrote 3 posts yesterday, and now this one today. It's still not quite up to the minimum of 4 that Angela Booth suggests are necessary for making money from your blog but, given that I have a teething 1 year-old pulling the keyboard tray in and out as I type, so far, so good.

One thing I have felt lacking over the last few years, however, is a mentor in the world of writing. I have even considered some post-graduate study, partly to fill that gap. (This is still a possibility for me for many reasons, which I will outline in a subsequent post.)

Thankfully, Penelope points out that the community and following surrounding your blog can become your teachers by providing immediate and helpful feedback. My hope for this blog is that some day I will have that community and get the help that I need.

Please feel free to comment on anything you have seen so far.