‘Annie’s soul is so soothing and just encourages us to think of things differently’
– Holly Tucker, MBE
Hello, I’m Annie Ridout (non-fiction author, journalist for nationals, viral poet and Sunday Times bestselling ghostwriter).
On here, I publish work/life essays and author interviews.
Covering: success, failure, productivity, work-life balance and what it means to be a woman writer, aged (nearly) 40, living in London with a husband and three kids.
On Substack, I’m delighted to be a bestseller, named as a ‘Featured Publication’ and to rank in the global top 50.
If you subscribe, you’ll get weekly essays delivered to your inbox, with a hand-drawn illustration at the top.
(Scroll to the bottom for some of my most popular essays.)
My career
I’ve been a freelance journalist for over 15 years, writing for the Guardian, the Observer, Forbes, Grazia, Red Magazine, Stylist, Metro, the Telegraph, the Independent, the Evening Standard, Refinery29, You Magazine, Women's Health, iNews and more.
I’m also the author of three non-fiction books: Raise your SQ (Radar, 2023), Shy (Fourth Estate 2021), The Freelance Mum (Fourth Estate 2019). Plus, I’m a Sunday Times-bestselling ghostwriter for celebrities and I write poetry that goes viral on Instagram.
So writing is my thing.
But alongside writing, I’ve launched digital magazines and businesses that have boomed. Reaching 100,000 views a month; bringing in six figures a year. So I ‘get’ the online writing and creative business world and love sharing what I know.
Here’s what people in my Substack community say…
"I love reading Annie's work and often find both reassurance and empowerment in her writing" - Emma Svanberg
"Your work is thought provoking and encourages action. I love that!" - Shahidah Al-AMin
"Hi Annie. Always love what you write and always inspired by your Madonna-like ability to change, adapt and flex to what you, your family and your career require. Brava! Felicity " - Felicity Haythorn
Here are some popular articles…
