I have to ask this!

I keep seeing snake pits of nodes to make all kinds of cool and interesting effects.

How on earth do you know to use those particular nodes and plug them in in that way to achieve that kind of effect?

All I can do is change a texture or colour in the material room.   If I had to add more nodes and connect them to other types of nodes, I wouldn't have a freaking clue which nodes to pick, or why, or where to connect them.

"It is good to see ourselves as others see us. Try as we may, we are never
able to know ourselves fully as we are, especially the evil side of us.
This we can do only if we are not angry with our critics but will take in good
heart whatever they might have to say." - Ghandi