Breaking in: A question

Let's share with the class!  When one person has a question, it's usually the same question that many others have!  Here's an exchange between me and S.

S writes:

I just started following your blog today and I just wanted to let you know that is is very inspiring. My grandmother taught me how to crochet when I was five years old and I've been crocheting ever since. I graduated from a college a year ago and have kind of found myself at a crossroads, wondering what's next and what do I really want to do. I had no idea that there were opportunities to turn crochet into a possible career until I started investigating a few months ago! Right now I'm in the process of becoming a CGOA member. If you have time, please tell me how you came to be a crochet designer and offer any basic tips for a girl just breaking into the field. Are there any other good blogs out there that I should follow? I would be really grateful. 

My reply: 

Thank you for your interest in becoming a crochet professional.  There is a great deal of competition among aspiring crochet designers.  To figure out if you are suited to the profession, I suggest you read the posts on my  blog that are labeled, "Become a Designer".

Joining the CGOA is definitely the right first step.  Read, study, write patterns, get people to test them for you. After you have done a good deal of research and established your goals, you can apply for Associate Status as a CGOA crochet professional.

Thanks so much for reading my blog! I look forward to seeing how you develop your career.

S writes again:
Thanks for your response. I have been crocheting a lot lately and have been trying out more advanced patterns. I'm currently working on a shrug for my mother. I'm just having a hard time getting started! It's a pattern by (designers name withheld) published by (publication name withheld) and the way the pattern is worded by this publisher is really confusing to me. I've tried looking for the designer on sites like ravelry.com to see if I can ask for help but no success there. Any pointers?

Here's where it gets tricky....
I really don't have the time to help S with a pattern by another designer, but if she wants to be a designer, she has the perfect opportunity to practice her problem-solving and creativity skills!
so, I wrote back: 

If you are having a hard time following a pattern, perhaps you should allow your improvising spirit of a designer to take over and find a solution.  As designers, we constantly solve problems... how to make it work. Challenge yourself and see if you have the creative spirit to get it done.

What would you have said?