John Harms: How to Balance Creativity with Commercial Writing Against a Looming Deadline

In this episode of Let’s Talk Design, Renée sits down with writer, historian, and publisher John Harms to unpack the delicate balance between creative expression and the commercial realities of writing for a living.From navigating inconsistent freelance income to working under tight deadlines, John shares an honest and insightful look at what it really means to sustain a career in writing. The conversation explores how structure, discipline, and creative curiosity coexist - often in tension - within the world of commercial writing.They also dive into the evolution of publishing in the digital age, the democratisation of writing through online platforms, and how building your own ecosystem can offer both creative freedom and financial resilience.John Harms is a writer, historian, and publisher with a career spanning decades. He has written for major publications including The Age, The Canberra Times, and The Australian, and is the founder of the Footy Almanac - a platform that has published thousands of pieces from a diverse community of writers.The Footy AlmanacThanks for listening!Subscribe, follow, visit: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LexDesignAgencyApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/lex-talk-design/id1797431854Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3SrN9hpHzI6cUjmDj2eRIK?si=64d95dca6e3c4401Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexdesignagency/