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Anna C.'s avatar

This was really helpful advice as a beginner writer hoping to someday be paid for my writing. I loved the examples you used with Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf!

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Annie Ridout's avatar

I’m pleased you liked it, Anna x

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Amy Cuevas Schroeder's avatar

100% agree

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Penny Wincer's avatar

I would 100% buy a backpack designed by your Annie - if you ever feel inclined to start a product business :)

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Annie Ridout's avatar

Ha, thanks Penny xxx

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Jessica Chivers's avatar

I’m identifying with much of what you’ve written Annie, thank you.

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Jane Duncan Rogers's avatar

Oh goodness, do I recognise myself in this! I'm always having ideas about new businesses, how to transform this that and the other, and so on. Lovely writing, as usual Annie.

This bit also landed: "Penny does the writing she loves most first, rather than last". I know it goes against the grain of our reward culture, but this works for me too.

I learned it first from a Monday morning when it was snowing and all I really wanted to do was go out in the snow. But it was Monday morning, and I 'should' have been doing all the things that had deadlines to them.

However, I dared to play in the snow for an hour, and then guess what? I got ALL the other stuff done in record time. Moral - it really works to do what you love first, rather than have it be the reward you come to last.

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Annie Ridout's avatar

I love the idea of starting Monday with something joyful. Such a powerful way to start the week. And a strong message to self: I choose how my week unravels x

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Kate Howlett's avatar

Thank you so so much for this! No idea what I’m doing at all and this makes me feel seen 🙏

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