Welcome to the first of a Creator Interview Series!
A space to meet other creators, learn about the people behind the publication and introduce audiences to amazing writers they may not have otherwise come across.
Welcome, “The Examined Life”
Let’s begin by getting to know you! Tell us about yourself and your publication.
The Examined Life is a magazine-style newsletter about the psychological and cultural forces shaping everyday human behaviour. The tagline is “Introspection For The Everyday”. I write about things people experience but rarely stop to name: for example, why we find gang culture compelling, what shrinkflation is actually doing to our trust. The niche is behavioural and cultural psychology, but written for people who don’t read academic papers. My goal is to make readers feel seen, and maybe a little called out.
I love it! I first came across your page with your article “Where Did All The Love Songs Go” and felt so drawn in, felt like having a conversation with a friend. What made you start publishing on Substack? How has your experience been?
I wanted a platform that respected the reader. Social media rewards short posts. Substack rewards the fully developed thought. I launched in March 2026, and it’s been a genuine exercise in discipline: showing up consistently, building an audience from zero, trusting that the right readers will find my work. It’s been both humbling and energizing.
Yes! It’s a great platform for experimentation and challenging yourself, in my experience. How do you think publishing on Substack has changed you as a writer?
It’s given me accountability. Before, writing was something I did when I felt ready. Substack taught me that waiting to feel ready is just a more comfortable way of not writing. The commitment to publishing regularly has made me sharper and more decisive. I’ve learned to trust my instincts faster.
Has that changed your process? What is your process when developing a new piece of work?
I’m an idea-first writer. Something catches my attention: a news story, a personal moment, a pattern I keep noticing. I sit with it until I understand why it bothers or fascinates me. That “why” becomes the basis for my articles, and I try to examine from my lens. I don’t outline heavily, but I always know the landing before I start writing. The structure exists to get the reader to that final point, feeling like they arrived somewhere.
So when developing a thesis, how does that work?
I start with the observable behaviour and work backwards to the psychology. For example, with shrinkflation, the behaviour is that you’re paying more and getting less. The thesis is: this isn’t just economics, it’s a slow erosion of trust that changes how we relate to brands and institutions. I’m always asking: what’s actually happening underneath the thing everyone’s already talking about?
So, your publication is called “The Examined Life”, which is a great name, by the way.
Much appreciated! I think the title of a publication is so important from a branding and positioning perspective
What’s your ultimate dream for the page?
A community of genuinely curious people who read The Examined Life the way you’d read a letter from a thoughtful friend; someone who challenges you without being condescending. 1,000 subscribers is the near-term target. The dream is a cultural publication that outlasts any single article.
Stunning. So the message you hope to send readers through your work is…
That self-awareness isn’t a destination. It’s a practice. You just need to be willing to ask honest questions about why you do what you do, and why the culture does what it does.
How do you like to connect with your audience?
Through the work itself, first. Then, through the comments and the posts that go alongside each piece. I also share my newsletters on Facebook and LinkedIn, not to chase an algorithm but to find the people the article was already written for.
What is important to you about connecting with them?
I write about human behaviour, which means I’m always, somewhere, writing about the reader. I want them to feel that. Not lectured at. Implicated, in the same way I implicate myself. That mutual recognition is the whole point.
What’s your favourite article you’ve published?
The Whitney Houston piece titled “The Voice”.
It’s not just about Whitney Houston. I weaved in how her song “You Give Good Love” brings me back to a prior part of my life, and the wonderful memories I have about a certain someone. It’s also about what happens to a person when the world decides what they’re for and won’t let them be anything else. She has had an enormous impact on my memories and my life. The Voice was a very personal piece for me to write.
That’s a beautiful thread to pull and one that feels relevant to her and so many other people in the public eye. It’s a wonderfully crafted piece. Stayed with me for a long time after reading it.
Thank you so much, I am happy that you enjoyed reading The Voice!
Okay, let’s talk more about you as a writer.
What gets you going when you feel stuck?
Music, usually. There’s something about a song that was written to feel something that can help me get unstuck.
Most unhinged writing advice?
Write the thing you’re embarrassed to admit you think. I think sometimes we are restrained by not wanting to put too much of ourselves and our thoughts out there for public consumption.
Any hot takes?
Most “authentic” content is more calculated than polished content. At least polished content knows what it is.
And, as we are here, let’s talk about Substack! What has been a surprising or pleasant experience Substack has given you?
Discovering that the articles I was most nervous to publish, where I put my own psychology on the page, got the most genuine responses. Vulnerability isn’t a risk in this format. It’s great!
Totally agree! I think because we are mostly all writers here, there exists a culture of celebrating vulnerability and championing each other’s work, which can be hard to find in online spaces these days. What publications do you like to read on Substack?
Anything that takes culture seriously without being precious about it. I’m drawn to writers who can hold a big idea and make it feel personal at the same time.
Is there anything you would like to see more of?
More writers willing to implicate themselves in their own arguments. Opinion without skin in the game gets old fast.
This topic seems to be doing the rounds, naturally, these days, so I’m curious to hear your thoughts on it. How do you feel about AI in creative spaces?
I use AI as a production tool for formatting, graphics, and visual assets. If I am stuck and feel my thoughts and sentences for an idea are not landing the way I want, I sometimes input the sentences I am struggling with to see how they may be communicated in a different manner.
I actually have a newsletter that will be posted on June 9th on the use of AI in writing. In this piece, I offer a viewpoint that AI should not be seen as a villain. I think people are confusing the product with the process. AI is a tool to help writers, and there are valid reasons for its use in certain contexts.
The concern, in my opinion, isn’t that AI will replace good writers. I am concerned that anyone who uses AI for any reason in writing will be seen as a fraud. I also worry that people will misuse AI, and we will be flooded with content that looks like writing but doesn’t mean anything. The answer is to be so specifically yourself that there’s no plausible substitute.
That ties back into what you were saying, I suppose. Put enough of yourself, your real life, lived human experiences, into your work, and it will always have a layer of depth that AI cannot replicate.
Exactly! AI does a great job of producing content based on the inputs. Your heart and soul can not, and should not, be replicated. The author is best suited to provide that emotion.
Do you have any advice for someone thinking of starting on Substack?
Write your second article before you publish your first. The hardest moment isn’t launching. It’s the silence after you launch. If you already have something in mind, it changes your psychology entirely.
Thank you so much! Is there anything else you’d like to share before we go?
I hope to launch a companion publication in the future, later in 2026. The Examined Office would focus on the leadership and workplace side of human behaviour.
I look forward to reading it and keeping up with your work!
Thank you so much. It has been a pleasure to have an opportunity to work with you on this newsletter!
To be part of the series, get in touch!
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Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate with you! It was a pleasure and I enjoyed the experience