How to tell someone has no idea about using dip pens:

1) Not moving the hand into position VERY often (like every letter or two) by moving the arm or paper. 

2) Allowing the pen to leave its appropriate angle. Bolded tips, italics tips, gothic tips, and others should always be kept at the same angle and direction. You don't twist your wrist or change the angle on these tips (nibs). The effect these nibs create is only possible by keeping their facing and angle, e.g. keep it pointing right at 45 degrees. 

3) Reinking only once the pen starts to run dry. Inking should be done every few words or dozen letters to maintain proper luster and form. 

4) You start talking like Sean Connery or start spewing Shakespeare. Nobody wants your bulls#it. All offense to Shakespeare. 

Tips for starters:

1) Get a basic kit and learn to write with your arm. Your general nibs are good for handwriting, like with a pencil or pen, but learning to use your arm without using the wrist lets you apply pressure without pressing down the paper. 

2) Your inkwells have three purposes. First, and most obviously, it holds your ink. Second, it removes excess ink from the nib. Third, the cap is a pen holder; just tap the nib's sides at the top of your inkwell to remove what you haven't used, and place the nib on the cap to keep in use. 

3) Look for water-resistant inks if you want to brush them for dramatic effect or water-proof if you want them to withstand going through a river. 

4) Invest in heavy grain paper. You can tell the difference by rubbing fresh ink over various paper weights. Heavier grains will retain the position and wetness/luster better without bleeding. 

5) Don't invest in expensive pens and nibs. You'll go through one nib a season if you write as much as I do. Declogging is a b$tch with archival and acrylic inks, but cleaning nibs of water-based inks is as simple as drowning lovingly drowning them. 

6) Get a $2 case to hold your B, C, sketching, and handwriting nibs separate. There's nothing worse than having to search for a Gothic nib and finding it in your sketching well. 

7) Get a set of shadow nibs. There's quite a bit of fun to be had with shadow nibs and cryptography.