Add vice, stir, bring to a boil

I asked for topics, and got the following:

"Dear David, I am a writer but still unublished. I have written a few novels as well as non-fiction outlines/chapters. I think I'm much better at plots and reseach than characters and scene setting. Should I bother trying to slug out the novels? Or just concentrate on the nonfiction for kids?"

The first thing that comes to mind is that I'm really bad at giving advice. I usually have no idea what I'm talking about. This, however, has never stopped me ...