4 Bartending Lessons that Make Me a Better Writer (and Maybe You Too)
Brought to you by a jaded former drink slinger
Across nine years of bartending, I made hundreds of margaritas and once picked up poop when someone shat themselves on the dance floor. Other things happened, but those are the highlights.
Over nearly a decade, I learned there’s more to being a drink slinger than memorising weird shot names.
Sidenote: Bars and strip clubs are the only places you can say ‘slippery nipple’ and get away with it… maybe maternity wards, too.
Those late-night shifts taught me a thing or four about writing. Here’s what I learned behind the bar and how it can help raise the bar in your writing.
Lesson #1 — Shut up and listen
The best bartenders are black-belt listeners because they love cash. When customers dictate the conversation, they feel heard. When they feel heard, they feel understood. When they feel understood, the tip jar overfloweth.
Great writing places you at the centre of the conversation, too. Successful articles have an uncanny ability to capture your feelings and spotlight your problems, emotions and…
