Back to the Basics

All professional fields contain people whom we deem to be experts. These talented people solve challenging problems and pass their knowledge on to the next generation. I have met many experts in my field and have learned that they all have one thing in common: a fundamental understanding of their field. Overall, these people apply less effort, require less time, and consistently achieve superior results.

This is far different from a person who has collected facts about a topic. To explain, let’s think about a professional auto mechanic versus the person who “knows about cars.”

The expert mechanic took accredited automotive classes, spent years repairing cars, and keeps up with the latest technology. Their education includes automotive history, speaking with other professionals, tutelage under a seasoned mentor, making many mistakes, and performing multiple successful repairs.

The person who tinkers with cars made a few repairs, read basic repair articles, got their knowledge from YouTube, and had limited success. Their foundation is incomplete because they do not understand the car as a system.

Note that intelligence and enthusiasm do not distinguish the two people. What is essential is that the professional mechanic makes a conscious choice to be knowledgeable in their field.

We see the value of a solid foundation when both individuals encounter a non-starting car. The car tinker’s first step might be to check the gauge to see if the vehicle has fuel. This approach sounds excellent, but the seasoned mechanic’s first step is to open the fuel cap, push the car, listen for fuel sloshing, and smell the vapors. Why? The seasoned mechanic knows fuel gauges can fail, or the fuel might be too old to work. This subtle difference exemplifies their foundation, experience, and solid logic. If we were to take a high-level view of the approaches, the professional applied a precise amount of effort to achieve a specific result.

Like everybody else, my knowledge falls into three categories: low, middle, and high. A low example is my computer programming. I have some talent, but I often work myself into gigantic problems. When this occurs, any seasoned programmer can quickly spot my mistakes and rapidly determine a solution.

I have a medium level of knowledge in house painting, and the results are usually good. This means that I have made mistakes and know how to get myself out of a jam. Yet, professional results look much better, especially at the edges.

In electronics, I admit to having a broad knowledge base but acknowledge that this is a vast field and my experience/education only covers a percentage of the total. Plus, I have had many humbling experiences, which show that I have a lot to learn.

What was my secret to attaining my electronics knowledge? Like the automotive expert, I had an early interest. As a child, I learned all I could by going to school and then learning on the job.

My design approach begins with taking a step back to see the big picture. This includes organizing the project goals and eliminating the unnecessary ones. Then, I use my knowledge of what is possible to craft a plan that will achieve the optimal outcome.

When I solve electronic problems, I take a step back, examine the essential elements, and systematically eliminate dead ends. This process is ruthlessly systematic, logical, and fueled by my understanding of how electronics must operate.

What about authors? Do the expert writers have the same kind of foundation?

I have known for a long time that books fall into the categories of low, medium, and high quality. Poorly written books had glaring errors, incomplete research, and a poor reading quality. Most books fall into the middle, meaning they achieve their goals while being entertaining. At the far end were books so fantastic that I read them multiple times.

How did those superb books get to be so good? Like my auto expert example, I would contend that these master authors also had a back-to-the-basics approach beginning with a solid foundation of literature knowledge.

Well… What about me? At the start of my writing journey, I believed I had an edge because I had read many books. Clearly, the only difference between me and the masters was good grammar and spelling. In summary, “Good stories are good stories. The characters and other technical junk will naturally work themselves out.” Yeah, I make myself laugh.

I now understand that expert authors have a vast foundation of: story structure, plot, flow, history, dialogue, grammar, spelling, editing procedures, inside knowledge, understanding of the publishing industry, inside contacts, and other areas I have yet to blunder across.

Since my chaotic leap into being an author, my writing knowledge base has gradually improved. This allowed a tiny window into what the foundation of an expert author looked like. A giant discovery was to begin a writing project with a well-explored outline.

How would an author know where they are on the low, middle, and high scales? An author with limited experience can pick up a book and see if it is a good or bad read. Yet, they cannot explain why the quality level is where it is, what the key issues are, and how to fix any problems.

In the middle ground, an author can read a book (or part of one) and instantly see the issues. Then, they can clearly list them out and recommend how to fix them.

The expert author knows how to avoid the problems, allowing them to write profound material without endless self-edits. At this stage in my career, the ratio is at least ten-to-one. (Then another ten for professional editing, but that is another story.)

I am also aware of some big holes. For example, character motivation continues to elude me. However, understanding my limitations is the first step in becoming an expert because only then can I overcome my weaknesses.

I suppose that brings us back to the beginning. The first draft of this article took about 30 minutes to write, and I have been spending at least 20 minutes every day editing over the last three weeks. This means I have a long way to go before considering myself a writing expert. Oh well. I will keep trying.

You’re the best -Bill

October 11, 2025

Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.