The Expert

I get asked over and over why I don’t I write more about writing, you’re an expert at it, aren’t you?  I have answered that question a number of different ways over the years. The other day I was watching all the commotion over the Raygun, the Australian B-girl (breakdancer). She has a PhD in Breakdance culture, making her an expert in her field. Everyone is questioning it. It made me pose the question: What does being an expert really mean? I’m an internationally published author with a blog. Am I an expert. I think I am, but for my personal style of writing. Maybe Rachel Gun (Raygun) is a B-girl expert for her personal style. 

Authoritarians might say this kind of thinking is a cop out and that it weakens the term expert. Opportunist might say that this thinking lends itself to healthy competition I’m not sure if either are correct. I’m not sure it would make a difference if we didn’t live in a world where having an expensive piece of paper telling everyone you’re expert wasn’t so important.

Back to the topic at hand. I’m never quite sure how to answer the original question because I believe there are many different ways to write. When I was practicing medicine there were certain procedures for certain ailments but they were always being improved on because someone chose to challenge the expert way of doing it. So why shouldn’t that work here. I think it does.
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My final conclusion after all writing of words is that when I’m asked again am I asked the question: am I a writing expert? I will reply. Yes, for my style, as you for yours as long as you follow some general guidelines. You know, capitalizations, periods, question marks, no run-on sentences. Oh, don’t ask me about comas they are their own experts.