I have a really hard time considering myself an expert on anything.  I tend to be suspicious of people who consider themselves experts, or people I’m supposed to be impressed by, in general.  “Oh, you’re the Midwest’s leading expert on Civil War optometry?  Dear God, please tell me more about your inane qualifications.”

But I find that people on the internet enjoy a certain level of officiousness.

They like to hear from someone who is self-assured that their qualifications are sound, that their information is good, that their experiences are unique and exciting.  One needn’t prove any of those things, generally; you just need to project an air of approachable brilliance.  People are attracted to a little whiff of confidence that doesn’t spill over into actual boasts or collar popping.

I find that given an opportunity to share a little snippet of my little treasure trove of trivial knowledge, I can pull it off.  But asked to expound upon it, I flounder.

I don’t know how to make myself just put it out there.  There are people doing this all the time who aren’t even as good at it as I am, they just have the balls to put it out there, to make it marketable.

I’ve got to do it, too.