8 Questions for... David Roberts
Sparks from Culture by David Roberts
is the author of Sparks From Culture, the popular Substack about wealth, class, and capitalism written with transparency by someone with generational wealth.
David worked for forty years in the investment management business before taking on writing as his vocation. He is an active supporter of many non-profits with a focus on grassroots organizations that combat poverty. He is a lifelong Manhattanite as is his entire family––his wife Deborah whom he married in 1985, their three adult children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, one two year old grandson, another grandchild due in a few months, and Sophie the Shih Tzu.
1. Why Substack?
Early on I subscribed to a few Substacks, mostly political ones. I became a very active commenter. I debated and often disagreed both with the writers and their readers. This gave me no pleasure, only annoyance.
My wife Debbie said I should write my own Substack since I was dissatisfied with the content of others. The third or fourth time she suggested it, I went ahead. Debbie’s advice to me is invariably on the money. I had neither a plan nor any Substack knowledge. That was April 2022.
2. How long did it take you to find your groove?
A little over a year after I started, I found my way to Sarah Fay of Writers at Work. She taught me how to use Substack and how to improve my writing. She’s the best teacher I’ve had. Sarah helped me find my initial Substack and writing groove. I continue to work with Sarah because she continues to make me better.
I discovered last fall that as a wealthy person writing transparently about issues of wealth I was a rarity. So that was my second groove, an unusual angle that brought coherence to my posts and proved interesting to readers.
I think grooves could also be called gears. I’m not a car person but I know that manual transmission cars have four (sometimes five) gears. Perhaps I’m now in second gear, and I hope to have a few more gears to go.
3. How has it changed you?
Writing has helped free my POV from the narrow lights of my own life experience. For example, I’ve recognized the truth, obvious in hindsight, that marriage and children are not the be-all and end-all for everyone. On capitalism I’ve become a believer that there’s an urgent need for substantial reform. On the responsibility of wealth, I’ve embraced a deeper sense of noblesse oblige, which has led to a more intentional, thoughtful, and expanded program of charitable giving.
I’ve acquired a new set of friends through Substack. These friendships have become very important to me, and I’ve been able to meet quite a few friends in real life (including Eleanor in London!)
I’m also reading a lot more, not only Substacks but books that have been published by my Substack friends (Formal request for a walk-on part when Eleanor’s novel In Judgment of Others becomes a mini-series.) As well I’ve loved the Substack book groups led by professors who provide phenomenal added content. Great appreciation for Simon Haisell on the Cromwell trilogy, Haley Larsen on The Age Of Innocence, John Halbrooks on Emma, and Karen Swallow Prior on the poetry of John Donne.
4. What mistakes have you made?
I’ve oversubscribed to Substacks and can’t keep up with all the fiction and memoir serializations that I’d like to be reading. In terms of my writing, when I compare my essays from a year ago to my essays now, I can see I’ve made a lot of progress. I hope that a year from now, I’ll have similar observations about what I’m currently publishing.
5. To pay or not to pay?
Given my transparency about my financial situation I felt uncomfortable asking people to pay me. Yet I also didn’t want to be a free-rider on Substack. My solution was to provide a pay option (no paywall) and donate all revenues to the Robin Hood Foundation, a very effective poverty fighting organization in New York City. It gives me great pleasure to provide readers with the dual opportunity to recognize my writing and to contribute to a worthy cause.
6. What artistic and technical choices have you made
I started doing audio recordings of each post this year. Reading my post aloud for a practice run always sharpens the writing (an example of a “first gear” practice.)
I like using charts to make a point, and I enjoy choosing a relevant movie clip or photo for each post. I wrote an essay on the danger of raising spoiled children and included a picture of evil Prince Joffrey of Game of Thrones fame. No one oozes the spoiled child evil vibe like Joffrey although Veruca Salt of Willy Wonka fame is a worthy runner-up.
7. What’s been the effect on your writing?
The audio has helped with voice and rhythm.
8. In it for the long haul?
Yes. I’ve been posting a substantive essay each week almost without fail. However, if I took on another writing project (euphemism for a book) I’d have to alter my schedule to one week devoted to Substack writing and reading and one week to the “project.” My writing mind can’t yet handle working on more than one piece of writing at the same time.
The challenge of simultaneous writing projects reminds me of a sport I recently learned about––combat juggling. Click through to see the video and you’ll get the idea.
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Another fascinating insight and a new name for me. Interesting stuff, David. This is such a brilliant series, Eleanor.