Monday's Quote: Eoin Colfer

“Confidence is ignorance. If you're feeling cocky, it's because there's something you don't know.”~ Eoin Colfer

Photo taken from his Website

When I was little and attending conferences with my mother, we would always pick out people who we would call “writer wannabes.” These were people who talked and looked the part, but when we really started inquiring we soon discovered they were just playing a part. They thought it was cool to label themselves as a writer, but they—at least to me—appeared to not want to actually write. What bothers me even still about this is that those people walk around like they know it all.

They project themselves with more confidence than I can muster even on my best day. On many levels, I admire this about them. I wish I could promote myself with as much strength as they do. I wish I could believe in myself as much as they do. What I like about this quote is that it really speaks to my struggle. On some levels, I believe these types of people can get overconfident because they are not engaged in the world of writing. They stay ignorant of writing styles, story development, market trends, the state of publishing, and anything else related to writing. 

What I don’t gather from this quote is whether it is a criticism or signaling something good. Maybe it is better if we stay confident and ignore what “others” say we should do. Maybe it is better to believe in ourselves even if there are some who say we need to change. Like everything else, I believe there is a balance. Be confident…but not oblivious.