The Write and Wrong Podcast | Writing Tips, Book Publishing and Literary Agents
Oct 19, 2026 · 32 min · 15 segments
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Max DotyGuestJamieHostno exactly um before we head over to the cabin i did want to just ask uh one little one question sort of an advice question um you've obviously racked up uh quite a lot of experience over the years across different parts of professional writing are there any useful things that you know now that you wished you'd known when you first started
Um, gosh, I mean, I think some, some of it is just that you do have to kind of take the journey.
Um, but, uh, you know, in terms of like, if you want to be in, well, any, any writing medium, I think, you know, be kind and be, be like, listen to advice.
Like I think, um, Uh, especially like when I, when I was working in games, I actually employed like 30 or 40 writers on my team by the end of that journey.
And, um, you know, I feel like, uh, people who wanted to learn and, and wanted to get better did so.
And then people who had that attitude of like, oh, I'm a, I'm an artist and everything I've done is perfect.
Okay.
Yeah.
So just be, be kind to people and make, cause also like making connections within writing is, is, uh, is so important.
I think you never know who's going to be like there in the future to, to kind of help you out when you, when you need someone, even if it's just someone to talk to about what's going on with you and publishing and things.
And like, yeah, because, you know, you go to your next company and you think, who do I want to hire now that I have this spot? And it's going to be people who are easy to work with and then had great ideas.
So if you're like, well, I don't think that quite works, but here's something we could do.
We need that enthusiasm and that energy of almost like When you're improv-ing, I guess you're supposed to say yes to everything.
It can't quite be that because you do need to squash some bad ideas, but you need to be able to pivot in and supply other ideas to replace the ones you're killing.
Yeah, which I think is just as true as an author when you sign with a publisher and you have to work with an editor on all the levels.
Because it's like, there are things that are going to be highlighted in your book.
And if you really want to, you can put your foot down and say, no, I don't want to change that.
no exactly um before we head over to the cabin i did want to just ask uh one little one question sort of an advice question um you've obviously racked up uh quite a lot of experience over the years across different parts of professional writing are there any useful things that you know now that you wished you'd known when you first started
Um, gosh, I mean, I think some, some of it is just that you do have to kind of take the journey.
Um, but, uh, you know, in terms of like, if you want to be in, well, any, any writing medium, I think, you know, be kind and be, be like, listen to advice.
Like I think, um, Uh, especially like when I, when I was working in games, I actually employed like 30 or 40 writers on my team by the end of that journey.
And, um, you know, I feel like, uh, people who wanted to learn and, and wanted to get better did so.
And then people who had that attitude of like, oh, I'm a, I'm an artist and everything I've done is perfect.
Okay.
Yeah.
So just be, be kind to people and make, cause also like making connections within writing is, is, uh, is so important.
I think you never know who's going to be like there in the future to, to kind of help you out when you, when you need someone, even if it's just someone to talk to about what's going on with you and publishing and things.
And like, yeah, because, you know, you go to your next company and you think, who do I want to hire now that I have this spot? And it's going to be people who are easy to work with and then had great ideas.
So if you're like, well, I don't think that quite works, but here's something we could do.
We need that enthusiasm and that energy of almost like When you're improv-ing, I guess you're supposed to say yes to everything.
It can't quite be that because you do need to squash some bad ideas, but you need to be able to pivot in and supply other ideas to replace the ones you're killing.
Yeah, which I think is just as true as an author when you sign with a publisher and you have to work with an editor on all the levels.
Because it's like, there are things that are going to be highlighted in your book.
And if you really want to, you can put your foot down and say, no, I don't want to change that.
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