A decade in the wilderness
Ten years ago, in December 2013, I stopped. And started.
I stopped working for someone else and started working for myself as a freelance writer.
Since then, I’ve written thousands of speeches for domestic and international audiences, edited and re-written hundreds of policy documents, cleaned up after some big-end-of-town consultancies, carried out major research projects for Royal Commissions and documentaries and NGOs, and lectured in universities.
I've also — during the past decade — published three books: one non-fiction, one poetry collection, one novel.
The best part about what I do is the flexibility. I’ve maximised my time with my three children and my wife. I also love that — in essence — I’m paid to meet new people and learn new things.
In recent years, another highlight has been the time I’ve spent with the Pathways to Politics program, teaching speechwriting to aspiring female politicians. I suspect I’ve learned more from the Pathways cohorts than they’ve learned from me.
And what does the next decade hold?
More novels. More poetry. More teaching. More time with my family. And less speeches.