I just have to say I love the phrase "longer than an Orangutan's reach."

Fine figurative there.

I do think some people ask lots of questions when they're sort of at the hopeful writer point, maybe testing the waters.

I get a lot of email from aspiring writers, and I suggest they go to the many author events bookstores and other venues hold. I do at least one of these a month, and it's a great way for people to pick my brain at a time convenient to me.

I believe one of the top qualities any writer must have is curiosity. I learned so much by trial and error, often charging ahead in the interest of getting ahead. In the early years, a good portion of what I earned went directly to learning more. I still refer to books on writing that have been part of my personal shelf for years. I  keep subscriptions to magazines like The Writer as well as to publications I like to write for, like Christian Science Monitor.

You're right: this is a business. We provide content for a fee. It's a mindset that can be important to anyone starting out.

Best to you, Kay Day

And I still learn something new almost every single day.

No, no, Nanette,

You missed the point.  And I did not say, or even imply, that forums are only for making contacts and chatting.  I object to the attitude of those who feel they are entitled to a free education that will lead to fame and fortune (or whatever glamour they imagine being a Writer will produce). The ones who won't spend the money to buy The Writer's Handbook or a subscription to the magazine or the energy to Google something.

Similarly, I'm tired of the ire of those who blow up if they don't get the response they wanted to hear or refuse to accept the hard truths about getting published, especially trying to get a novel into an agent's hands or a publishing house.

I'm going to try to remember to refer the latter to Paul Genesse's great piece at:

http://paulgenesse.blogspot.com/2007/02/how-do-i-get-published.html

Good link, but he's wrong about your chances going up many fold because you know editors or writer.  It just doesn't work this way, at least for fiction.  Knowing someone can, in fact, make it tougher to get published because the standards go up in order to avoid the charge of favoritism.

All knowing someone ever does is get your manuscript read a little bit faster.  

I don't think Gennesse means "know" in the sense that you have written about this topic on other forums.  He doesn't mean become friends as much as meeting them, as in "networking".  That's why we advise newbies to attend conference, isn't it?  To meet agents and editors?  This is a good business practice, and writing is a business (or else it's someone's hobby.)

 And since when is getting your ms read faster a bad thing?

When you've already met someone in the biz, and they know from personal experience that you are not a nut, are dedicated to your craft, and are willing to invest money, time and energy in your project; they are more willing to give you a chance.  When they've had the opportunity to read some of your work already, and it is good writing, they may remember you and call on you when they have a need they think you might fill.  This is exactly what happened to Gennesse.