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Music So you want to be a writer.

The email began.

Sean, I want to be a writer.

I was sharing my work on social media, but people kept leaving hateful comments, and sometimes I'd be left in tears.

Do you have any advice? To be honest, I feel moderately forestalled. How do I get into the writing business? Should I start my own substack? Well, dear reader, first of all, congratulations

on this exciting new path.

The fact that you're coming to me for professional advice is the first step in any career's long and steady downward spiral into flames.

Namely, because as a long-time professional writer, I still have to move my lips when sounding out phrases like moderately forestalled.

Frankly, I don't know anything about the business of writing, and I'll let you in on a secret.

Neither do the publishers, editors, marketing teams, or proofreaders.

This is why the publishing industry has perhaps the highest turnover rate among employees except for perhaps the mafia.

Moreover, I am the wrong guy to ask for help because I'm not a businessman.

I suck at business, so the business of writing, I don't understand.

A good example of this was when I was in Cub Scouts. We Scouts sometimes

...