I’m always amazed at the people who start giving me advice as soon as they hear I’m a writer. Even though I’ve been published for over 30 years, they’re always sure they know more than I do.

And it’s worse for new writers. They’re bombarded with advice from all quarters—family, friends, mechanic, hairdresser, and of course that know-it-all guy at work.

I don’t know why, but everybody who’s ever read a bestselling book seems to think they know all about the publishing business. They don’t do this with lawyers or dentists, but they assume writers are starved for advice on how to conduct their careers.

And the clueless advice givers are always so confident. They often scoff when you try to clue them in. They’re the perfect illustration of The Dunning-Kruger Effect.

If you don’t want your heart broken in this ever-more-complex process, you need to keep the morons and their outdated ideas from infecting your brain. Here are some things to disregard when you hear them from those well-meaning friends and relations.

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