It's cooler in Somerset.
As in: less hot. But maybe it's trendier, too. I was on Rightmove this week looking at houses in Frome, the town we left two and a half years ago, wondering when we might return.
Annie Ridout
Essays and poetry about living and working creatively, in London, with three school-aged children, a patch of wild meadow grown from seed and a pond with three fish. I'm hoping for a cat, too. I write and draw from a studio at the end of my garden.
Latest episodes
I water the garden with bathwater
The wild meadow is scorched and the bees aren't hovering any more. I decide to water the garden using the bathwater and while carrying tubs down the stairs, I reflect on what life is like now.
On the days that feel heavy
(a poem)
The Creative Way (final callout)
This course starts tomorrow. One month to design a new, creative online career (without burning out or getting bored). With me as your pocket coach. I won't be running it again any time soon.
Sirop de cerises, crêpe beurre-sucre and why I'm feeling regretful
I scheduled a post to go out while I was away in France and on reflection, it wasn't right. So, I'd like to apologise, backtrack and write about cherry syrup and crêpes, as well as a real-life villain
Billionaire Spanx founder Sara Blakely taught me something about pricing
When Sara Blakey launched Spanx (now a billion dollar company), she decided to price her new-to-market pants higher than her competitors.
I am the kind of person who...
I am the kind of person who hand-makes teachers’ cards at the end of the year, to thank them for supporting my children.
Did I peak too soon, with my career?
I'm hoping you don't only get once chance at success. Here's why I've been playing it small and how I'm planning on playing it BIG, once again.
The rules of laziness.
A dishwasher is ok. Using AI is not. Having a cleaner? Disputed. And: why people need need to think about accessibility, with all of this.
The one change that might save my Substack
We can earn, as writers, on Substack. And I have been, for over three years. But, we need to sprinkle something on top if we want to make this a proper job.
Tweet tweet.
Early-bird offer on The Creative Way to grow an online career (without burning out or getting bored) ends tonight. Get in now for £99, rather than £300.
My Substack has been declining for two years
I've been too ashamed to talk about it. Now, I'm going to show you my actual stats, talk about failure, common patterns of behaviour with a subscription model and what definitely does work on Substack
Are you on the guestlist?
On feeling included, excluded, what lies behind the curtain and what really matters, socially. Plus, why I didn't go to the Substack party.
Reasons to be hopeful: the internet
Hear me out. This one's separated into three sections: working online, using Roblox to make friends and whether we can trust our teenagers with smart phones.
Two rules you never ignore in business
(Unless your intuition says otherwise. Which, of course, mine did.)
I'M AN INFLUENCER
at last.
Reasons to be hopeful: the 40s.
As in: the age, not the period in time. This is a powerful decade. I'm well into it. Including notes on bikinis, spirituality, HRT (hormones), alcohol/sobriety, career. Like a Filofax, this one.
Is blogging dead, now that we have Substack?
Do you still need a blog on your own website, if you write on Substack?
Would you like to write with us?
As part of The Creative Way Collective, I offer two co-writing sessions a week (Tuesday evening, Friday mid-morning). I'm now extending this invitation to paid subscribers of my personal Substack, too
I've forgotten how to read.
Scrolling when you can't read. Reading when you can't write. Writing when you can't read.