Excellent advice as always, Henry. I would add one thing. Your most important reader is you. Write to please yourself first of all (remember Auberon Waugh, the best wine writer of them all). If you're trying to write for someone else, you are a PR person.
Really excellent advice. Particularly enjoyed the suggestion about making enemies. If you try and please people all the time you have no hope of being a decent writer
All excellent, but I would say that the 'speciality' mention can be a double edged sword in that even if you specialize in something minor, the risk of pigeon holing runs strong in the human spirit.
I am in the fortunate position of being retired and on a decent pension,but have found out that I am rather good at writing about wine and thanks to sound advice and editing am getting better.At 72, it has given me a new challenge which combined with travel,I relish.
Excellent advice as always, Henry. I would add one thing. Your most important reader is you. Write to please yourself first of all (remember Auberon Waugh, the best wine writer of them all). If you're trying to write for someone else, you are a PR person.
Thanks Miles. Very good point. I write for my wife. If it's going to amuse her, then I'm on the right lines.
I shall all I can to help you prosper so that in ten years time you'll not rewrite this!
Love it!
This strangely goes pretty well with becoming a winemaker after 40 too. Thank you.
👏😅
Always such great advice 🙌
Really excellent advice. Particularly enjoyed the suggestion about making enemies. If you try and please people all the time you have no hope of being a decent writer
Very good point.
Absolutely Brilliant. Nothing here I can't agree with and not a word that I don't wish I'd written first.
Thanks Tim. Blimey!
Fantastic piece Henry. Especially like point 1!
I've never taken my own advice.
Good piece mate! 👍
All excellent, but I would say that the 'speciality' mention can be a double edged sword in that even if you specialize in something minor, the risk of pigeon holing runs strong in the human spirit.
All good advice
Many thanks for ignoring your own advice! I quote Empire of Booze constantly!
Thank you!
Thanks for posting the advice. I've made lots of enemies, I just need to focus on the other bits now.
Still, good to have enemies. Especially prestigious ones.
I am in the fortunate position of being retired and on a decent pension,but have found out that I am rather good at writing about wine and thanks to sound advice and editing am getting better.At 72, it has given me a new challenge which combined with travel,I relish.
I was going to put after 'start young, 'start late'. Have a career, make some money, develop some hinterland, and then start writing.