Dying to Meet You
That’s it, the name of my Substack. And this was my first post, published on 2 July. Apologies for the delay as I sort out my ‘hectic’ publishing life.
I am utterly transfixed by Substack and its vast and accomplished level of content, and have been for the past few months. Sadly, I’ve also been intimidated to the point of ‘analysis paralysis’. But today, I am taking a deep breath and diving straight in. What do I have to lose?
I really enjoy writing and specifically, I enjoy the work I do as a freelancer to produce a news obituary - the research, the procrastination, the agony of finding the best way to tell a person’s life story in 800 words. (Note: I have never yet managed to stick to my word count, although it is a life goal that I suspect my editor is hoping I achieve soon).
And I think people might be interested in learning more about how I research and write news obituaries - usually in advance - and why I consider being an obituary writer to be the journalistic equivalent of working in an indie book shop with a gelateria next door.
Certainly, people are always asking me questions when they learn I am a professional obituary writer. Here in Australia, when I tell people I’m an obit writer, I watch their smiles fall, their eyes widen, and a quizzical look cross their faces as they subconsciously label me a ‘weirdo’ or morbid AF, thanks a bunch.
I think that’s a general vibe across the world though, because humans are inherently terrified to talk about anything to do with death.
And of course, obituaries are nothing much to do with death at all but are,
in fact, all about a person’s life.
But trying to get that message across is … challenging. Unless you’re the New York Times obituary section, which is prime real estate. I recently tuned in to a Narratively Academy interview with NYT obit writer Mike Rosenwald, who mentioned how keen people are to be featured within its pages when they are dead. Apparently an obit in the NYT is quite the status symbol - as it probably is in the UK’s Times or Telegraph.
I have been writing news obituaries since 2012 and am pretty much self-taught. Obit Writing 101 was not on the subject list at journalism school so what I have learned, I have learned from my editors who have guided my writing or from a few international obituary writers I met when I attended a conference a decade ago. Yes, a proper conference, with speakers, whiteboards, and merch.
So, if you’re an obituary writer too, I’d love to know you because you are the ones guiding me on this wildly enjoyable ride. Please say hello!
