Eric Kim

Ever wonder how we got interested in eating mushrooms as food? Or did you know that mycelium chicken cutlets were a thing. This week's post covers all things edible mushrooms. Check it out! #enlightenedomnivore #mushrooms #mycelium #fungiasfood #interestingeats

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"it’s important to remember that there are no rules, and we can choose who we are and what we do every single day. Something I’ve noticed since starting my new job as a writer is just how diverse the label “writer” is. When most folks think of writers, they think of journalists who cover different industries and break the news on stories. But even within the narrow scope of “journalists,” there is so much variety. Some journalists cover finance, and within that, markets, and within that, venture capital and public equities and commodities. Other journalists cover sports, business, politics, and pop culture. Some writers, like me, apply a layer of commentary to the news. More often than not, I’m not telling readers what happened as much as I am why it matters. Some writers are pure essayists. Some are fiction novelists, others write biographies and histories. Some writers are equity researchers and hedge fund analysts, while others are copywriters, crisis comms strategists, and marketing executives. The scope of “writing,” as a profession, is infinite, because writing isn’t a profession. It’s a skill. And fine-tuned skills are valuable in a variety of “jobs.” Replace “writer” with teacher. Investor. Coach. If you only think about your career in terms of the job you do and other jobs that immediately progress from your current role then, yes, there are “rules” on what you may be able to pursue. But if you think about your career from the perspective of which skills you have developed and where else they might be applicable, you’ll realize that opportunities are near-infinite. Journalists can become investors. Corporate executives can become authors. Even in the case of the most rigid disciplines such as law and medicine, nothing is stopping you from going back to school right now, if you want to change course. You can reinvent yourself tomorrow if you’d like. The only “rules,” if any, are those that exist in your head. They’re self-imposed." No Rules: https://lnkd.in/d74EmhwW

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Over pizzas and beer the other day, a younger colleague casually asked me if I was a Gen Xer. I was mortified. Now, there is nothing wrong with being a Gen Xer. Except, I’m a millennial. The only thing that got hurt here was my vanity at being mistaken for being an entire generation older. In workplaces, a far grittier version of this is playing out when those over 40 are being treated like they are in their 60s. Dwindling growth prospects, mounting work pressures, and roles becoming redundant—all pushing seasoned professionals in tech, manufacturing, and retail/FMCG into earlier-than-planned career pivots or retirements. You can see them all around you. The 40- or 50-something “consultants”, “freelancers”, “part-time executives”, or “self-employed” hustlers. These are who we at The Ken call “the unwilling retirees”—people forced to shift from traditional career paths into makeshift roles. Nearly half of India’s 200-million-strong workforce was over the age of 45 in 2022–23, per the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). And for them, involuntary retirement is looming large. The Ken, earlier, did a survey of those over 40 on their beliefs on career longevity and found some stark results on just how long a career they hope to have. With the proportion of 45+ only growing further, Vanita Bhatnagar (She/Her) spoke to over 30 people to bring a story that captures the zeitgeist, and pieces together what is causing the rise of the “unwilling retirees”. Needless to say, it’s a must-read. https://lnkd.in/gcSiGuEW

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It seems I have achieved peak book nerd status. Merriam-Webster is using a line I wrote as a sample sentence for the usage of “front matter” (alongside Katy Waldman and The New York Review of Books—good company). 😆 If you are a publisher, editor, or author who would like me to write front matter for one of your books, my DMs are open. #books #dictionary #publishing

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When the bean counters are in charge, even the best and most talented employees are not safe. I am, of course, flashing back to my own layoff in 2018 after 27 years of excellent and loyal service. It was such a brutal and humiliating experience. How much $$ is PRH really saving by discharging these two publishers? The problem is that the market is saturated with too many books and too many of the same kinds of books. The old publishing model of seeing what sticks doesn't work anymore. A quick browse of the Strand Bookstore's discount carts will reveal a treasure of recent titles, already remaindered a month or two after their publication. #publishing #layoffs #penguinrandomhouse

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Whether you love Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf, Ray Bradbury or other acclaimed writers, chances are you’re drawn to their particular way of presenting content, or voice.  Here’s some food for thought on voice, including how it differs from style and tone – which it can be confused with. Writers of fiction books likely expect their voice to matter to readers, but voice is just as key for nonfiction works. The clean prose in Zen in the Art of Motorcycle Writing is part of what made Robert M. Persig’s work popular, for instance, while the frenetic energy of James Nestor likely appealed to many who read Breath: New Science of a Lost Art. Even the narrator, Stingo, in Sophie’s Choice, and Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, have a distinctive one, though. So, what is voice about? Voice involves a writer’s personality, attitude toward what they are covering, and word and style choices. Style is about whether sentences are often short, for instance, to speed up energy and affect a work’s rhythm, or the use of unusual punctuation choices. These elements that affect language flow and storytelling aspects are what a book line edit will focus on. Style is also an aspect touched on in copy edits, which take a more matter-of-fact, grammatical angle to helping a writer. And tone? Writers use different word choices depending on what type of piece they are developing, such as for distinct chapters told from the viewpoint of different characters. Those distinct voices are what tone is all about, related to the goal or angle they have on the subject matter, and how that informs the formality and mood of a piece. As a book coach, I compare tone to the different sounds of distinct genre of music; you wouldn’t expect a violin player to play the same way when performing classical music and folk music, right? The same applies to writing an op-ed for a newspaper about your frustration with abandoned homes locally, versus writing a scene about bolts of sunlight that have warmed a front porch after a chilly, rainy morning. 

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Here's a digestible and easy-to-navigate explainer on bird flu. Just click on the question you're most interested in (or worried about). Are runny eggs safe? What about farmer's markets or petting zoos? Can this thing kill me?! #birdflu #avianinfluenza #runnyeggs #rawmilk

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In my 14+ years of editing and writing, as both an in-house editor and a freelance writer and editor, I know the importance of sharing *POSITIVE* feedback. It's so vital, especially for freelance writers who are very much working in a silo without full purview on initiatives or analytics. If you're only giving edits that emphasize lack/misses/changes, you're not doing your job as an editor. Nothing creates good (great!) work like good, positive feedback. (Sidenote: If you are only giving negative/harsh feedback, ask yourself if there's something wrong in your briefings or expectations before continuously finding yourself in a negative feedback loop.)

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Such important tips!

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I'm back in Undark with an essay about music researchers who include a more globally diverse population to learn how humans respond to music. Most of the existing research looks at Western music and people in countries where that is the main music style, so researchers haven't been able to distinguish whether our response to music is specific to the music people have grown up with, or if it's universal. Now, this research field is branching out. #music #science #scicomm #sciencewriting #https://lnkd.in/e5FJeMDZ

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Here is a link to my latest post on Cultural Capital-Art, Politics, and Everything Else https://lnkd.in/eyxu7HJm

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Here is a link to "Art and Life," my latest post on Cultural Capital-Art, Politics, and Everything Else https://lnkd.in/eDjWYngG

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This is an excerpt from E. Prybylski's insightful post. If you are considering an editor but wondering about the cost, I recommend reading it. Editing is an investment that can help your book transcend into something truly special that speaks to readers. "I want to remind people that, above all, when you’re working with an editor, you are working with a human being. Most of us are deeply passionate about writing and editing and about our professions. Most of us are not wealthy at all (many are barely middle class, if that). Many editors come from backgrounds like disability or neurodivergence. We have studied our profession out of that deep passion I mentioned before, and we truly love what we do... Editors are your cheerleaders, your companions, your friends, and your mentors. And we need to eat, too." - E. Prybylski If cost is a factor you are balancing, consider focusing on one round of editing (developmental, line, copyediting) or an editor who offers a combination service to help you be cost-effective. Note that editing is a time-intensive process, and editors will acknowledge that combination service won't be as effective as both a developmental edit and copyediting pass, but sometimes it is what your budget, your book, and your readers need. Not sure what is right for your book? Ask an editor! Posts like these exist because we genuinely care and want to help you succeed, even if that means we are not the right fit editor for you. We can advise you on what type of editing your book needs to succeed and what might be optional. Feel free to reach out for a sample edit and an opinion! I (and we) are here to help.

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 🐑🐐 Inspiring Change: Fullerton Students Choose Compassion 🌱🌿 I'm thrilled to share a heartwarming story of generosity and bravery from Fullerton Union High's Future Farmers of America (FFA) program. Despite the tradition of raising animals for auction and slaughter, a group of students recently made a revolutionary decision: to spare the lives of two sheep and three goats. This act was spearheaded by a student leader who contacted Farm Sanctuary, leading to Phry and Shawn sheep finding a loving home at the Southern California Shelter, while Pam, Kevin, and Bruce goats now reside at Sage Mountain Sanctuary through our Farm Animal Adoption Network. This isn't the first time Fullerton students chose compassion. In 2015, a student named Bruno made ripples by sending his pig, Lola, to Farm Sanctuary, showing that alternatives to slaughter exist. The decision to rescue these animals was not taken lightly. As a condition for rescuing and caring for them, students must terminate their involvement in FFA's animal husbandry projects. It's important to show that rescue work is more than just a safety net: it's about discouraging the commodification of animals. These students are setting an important example, proving that enriching experiences within organizations like FFA can exist without harm to animals. By changing traditions, they've given Phry, Shawn, Pam, Kevin, and Bruce a chance at life free from harm. Let's honor these students for their empathy and commitment to change. Their actions inspire us all to consider the impact of our choices and to choose kindness whenever possible. https://lnkd.in/gdQZV_pC #AnimalWelfare #CompassionInAction #FFA #FarmSanctuary 

Writing is highly collaborative in nature. The classic image of a writer is of someone just typing away in a room all by themselves. But, unless you’re adept at multiple skills, have all the time and money in the world, and are able to truly, honestly look at your work with a critical and objective eye in the editing process, the process of developing and putting a good story out into the world is one that involves many people. (And if you think you’re super objective and critical and self-aware and therefore completely capable of editing your own work, think again. Even a great piece can be elevated further by the perspectives of others.) Case in point: Vibe Check, my podcast miniseries on mental health in the startup world. As someone very much in touch with his mental well-being yet full of questions and doubts about it, I decided to talk to founders and mental health professionals to learn from both their expert POVs and personal stories of struggle. I wrote, hosted, and basically had full creative control over the series, which came out in October 2022. Production spanned the better part of a year - I reached out and spoke to many people before settling on the final slate of guests; there were multiple script drafts for each episode; navigating the guests’ busy schedules to get them into the recording studio was tricky; there were design and marketing details to sort out… the list goes on. As much as this was my personal passion project, I had help at each and every stage. Nathaniel Fetalvero was my main man, with me from the start to stress test the concept, critique the scripts, and help with the technical aspects (not to mention provide the much-needed moral support). I asked Christine Toh to help with the look of the series, and she came back with not just design suggestions but also reasons and justifications for each design choice, which blew me away. And the all-important step of amplification was in the ever-reliable hands of Benita Vania and Ekky Pramana. Vibe Check was my baby, but it couldn’t have seen the light of day the way it did - a manner that I’m proud of - if I didn’t have these people helping and challenging me. I shall now commit a writing cardinal sin and use a cliche: Teamwork makes the dream work. You can check out the series trailer first (https://lnkd.in/gjhvCzVU) before deciding if you'd like to take the rest of the journey with me. I hope you enjoy listening to Vibe Check as much as I enjoyed making it :) #writing #podcasting #collaboration #mentalhealth #mentalhealthatwork

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For years, I felt trapped in a complex web of writing expectations—my desire to write, the need to be heard, and the so-called expert advice clashed constantly. Today, I share how embracing my instincts and direct experiences have transformed my writing journey. In my latest essay, I explore the importance of aligning your writing with your true self, rather than following external expectations. Discover how this shift can help you create more authentic, impactful work. #WritingJourney #AuthenticVoice #BusinessMindset #CreativeFreedom #SelfDiscovery https://loom.ly/L3CPC6c

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Permit me a rant: I feel like I'm being bombarded by stories of small businesses, creators, entrepreneurs, start-ups and nonprofits being — frankly — *taken* by "fancy" publicists / PR firms. The Food Section's editor sent out a note this a.m. about a PR firm she engaged that took the (probably 💰💰💰) contract apparently without even the dimmest idea about how to draft a pitch to explain why what she's doing matters. And they later told her as much. She had to, on her own, then come up with an outside-the-box idea — like IRL food events — to build audience. So, like... why did they even take her money? If they didn't know how they were going to do the job? Spoke to a #freelance #journalist this week who was reporting in Ukraine while being *harassed* over text by a publicist who wanted him to change petty inconsequential details (not factual inaccuracies) on a lifestyle story that had run weeks earlier. As if that's OK. Later it was revealed her clients had no idea she was making these requests and she hadn't even passed along this journalist's initial requests for interview for the story. Shocking behavior. And apparently she's one of the biggest names in the game for her industry. I've also watched my copywriting clients go through it. So sad. $5K/month retainer to a supposedly baller PR firm, only to be on weekly calls where literally no progress or action happens in between. And the only "results" are half-baked paywalled articles that run when someone on the account has time to call in a desperate favor. I was grossed out by it. Not all publicists are bad. I know some tremendously thoughtful ones. But some are "smoke and mirrors" as another professional I know recently put it. And some are downright vampires. 👁👁 Anyone else seeing this or is it just me 👁👁 #pr #scams

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