11 Comments
User's avatar
Nomad's avatar

Thanks for this Ben, valuable advice moving forward for sure.

Ben Sixsmith's avatar

My pleasure!

Christopher Brunet's avatar

I will tweet my support for Harmeet Dhillon to replace Pam Bondi for $1,000

Graham Cunningham's avatar

Promote yourself.....Oh go on then! If its charmingly idiosyncratic chin-stroking philosophising you're after (with an occasional side-order of rock music) then check out my Slouching Towards Bethlehem Substack: https://grahamcunningham.substack.com/ "Reflections on the Spirit of the Age....the political underpinnings of our 21st c. Zeitgeist; the rise of its 'Social Justice' religion and victimhood cults. Plus occasional posts on more cheery stuff."

Ben Sixsmith's avatar

A shot well taken!

Graham Cunningham's avatar

And thanks Ben for the opportunity.

John Aziz's avatar

Amazing strategy—have rich and generous parents.

This works for many careers alongside being a writer!

Jimmy Nicholls's avatar

I would have snubbed this advice when I was younger, but there's a good case for getting a job outside of publishing and doing writing in your free time. You may not get the clout of calling yourself a full-time writer, but you'll avoid much of the unglamorous and middlingly paid work of the publishing industry, and you'll also have something to write about that isn't writing.

Walter Egon's avatar

"If you are excited to write, prepare to convey your excitement to others."

But not by simply stating that "I'm so excited to ..." I unceremoniously block anyone who begins a piece/note by postulating excitement; it reeks of unoriginality.

How about having something interesting to say and the ability to say it in a fairly entertaining way?

Ben Sixsmith's avatar

Oh, for sure. Show rather than tell is in this case the key.

Adam McDermont's avatar

Having sent a pitch to him the other day, I found this very timely.