I think if you're shy about approaching your passion, understanding is hard to give, but if you talk about your writing with conviction, people will start to ask you about it.
This is probably true for any subject aside from writing as well. Which sucks, because I'm not the most verbal or demonstrative of people. And if you don't say much, people might get it into their heads that you're not serious about it.
Whereas charismatic dilettantes can convince others of anything, even when they're lying.
