My Life as a writer
When did you first realise you wanted to write for a living?
In my pre-teens, following in the footsteps of my journalist/printer father.
Which writer, past or present, do you most admire?
Chris Mullin.
What was your first published (or performed) credit as a writer?
Which piece of writing work are you most proud of?
Who or what inspires you to write?
I think I was hard-wired to write – first as a letter-writer, journalist and diarist, then as a screenwriter and book author.
How do you switch off when you’re not writing?
I don’t need to switch off. I am fortunate to be someone who just loves writing. It is not for me to say whether everything I write is good, but I am not one of those people who “suffer for their art”.
Which one piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Don’t be offended by criticism. Indeed, you should encourage honest comment. You might well learn something from it.
Why are you a member of WGGB?
In the hope that I will get help with the promotion of my writing.
Ian D. Richardson was born in Australia into a rural newspaper family. He spent seven years in Australian commercial radio news, then 27 years in London working for and editing BBC World Service radio and television news. He switched to writing screenplays and books after discovering a tragic scandal that had been covered up by his family and the Baptist Church. He is still waiting to be a rich and famous author!
