When you start your writing journey, you most probably won’t have anyone offering help, because to them it is a far-fetched dream. You might struggle on your own, with low motivation because sometimes, even to you, it might start to feel like a far-fetched dream.

Then one day, things begin to look better. You publish your first, second third fourth or tenth book, and suddenly people begin to see that there could be a future in what you are doing. This is when the help starts to pour in. Bear in mind that these people were possibly by means to help you while you were struggling too.

Now that you are ‘making it’, you might get investment offers. These are people who would like to ”help” ”you”. I put both words in inverted commas because the help is not always help and the helping you is sometimes more about helping them.

How would you know whether someone has good intentions or not? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to distinguish between the two.

The most important thing to consider is ‘how you feel’ while receiving the offer. You need to remove all excitement so that you can think and feel clearly. When you can think and feel clearly then you can listen to ‘the small tongue’ as my mother used to call it.

The quieter and less excited you are, the better you can listen to that little voice inside of you and to the small tongue of the one offering. You need to hear both these voices so that you feel whether the person has good intentions for you or for themselves. Often you can benefit from this help, but when the goal is to ultimately help themselves, then you need to be careful.

Listen carefully to the terms and conditions that are being presented to you with sweet words. Ask many questions for clarity, and only if you are sure the investor has your best interest at heart then go for it. On the other hand, if you are okay with the business deal, even though the investor will benefit much, then go for it. This might be the catapult you need into your next step. The moral of this story: when you suddenly get offered help, discern whether the help is for you or for them, and whether it is help or something that will put a chain around your neck. Be careful who you owe money to.