Writers Like You: An Interview With Ben Skoda

When you start talking to writers who are getting published, you start to notice that none of them followed the prescribed “path.” They say things like, “This was out of the ordinary,” or “I didn’t expect for X to happen,” or “I got lucky.” And that may be true. But the bigger truth here is that no one’s path to publishing is “normal.” We all get into it in different ways.

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That’s true of today’s guest interview, Ben Skoda, too.

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Ben is working on his first book and recently signed with a literary agent whom he met through a mutual friend. They’re refining his proposal to start pitching publishers soon, and Ben is hard at work making sure he’s putting his best pitch forward. In our conversation, Ben and I talk about:

• The three C’s of publishing
• How to build your platform in a manageable way
• Taking the long-term view of building your platform
• Staying motivated even if you don’t receive immediate feedback on your content
• Being ready to say “yes” to great opportunities when they arise

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Ben Skoda is a writer, employment consultant, and career coach who helps individuals and organizations navigate the foggy landscape of modern employment. After two decades of exploring careers in education, nonprofit communications, and content marketing, he co-founded a co-working community, developing an audience for collaborative professional support that now serves his virtual network of career cohorts.

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The former adjunct professor in communications is still paying back student loans that subsidized two different college degrees, neither of which he actively uses. His ~50 job positions are a testament to persistence, curiosity, and a fair share of professional identity crises. His experience has provided valuable insight as he supports both employees and employers to help create better workplace experiences.

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An employment professional of four years, Ben helped hundreds of employees transition in and out of jobs during a global pandemic as HR Director of a prominent hospitality collective in Chicago—a pivotal role on his path to becoming a dedicated agent of change for the disoriented professional.

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Among colleagues who inform his work, Ben collaborates with researchers, mental health professionals, authors, content creators, and organizational leaders.