Author name: Cam Dawes

Cam is a writer and storyteller who’s spent years navigating the often messy reality of local life and history. He’s all about speaking the truth, no matter how uncomfortable, and cutting through the noise to focus on what really matters — the stories that shape our communities. His column, Reality Check, confronts the tough truths of the writing life and the world around us, this column cuts through the fluff. Cam tackles uncomfortable writing subjects head-on, offering a no-nonsense perspective that challenges readers to see things as they truly are, without bias or embellishment. Whether discussing the writing world or author issues, it’s about stripping away the illusions of being a writer and getting to the core of what really is really like as a writer.

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Reality Check

The Myth of the Starving Artist — and How to Push Back

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The “starving artist” is not a badge of honour — it’s a harmful story that keeps creatives small, silent, and scared to ask for fair pay. To the editor who says, “Real writers don’t do it for money”: No — real writers pay rent. To the gallery rep who says, “We only work with raw, hungry talent”: That’s exploitation, not discovery. To the voice in your head whispering, “Am I allowed to want more?”: Yes. You are. You don’t have to suffer to matter. You can create, earn, and live well. Let’s bury the myth!

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Reality Check

Writing About Real People (Ethically)

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If you’re writing about real people, you’re walking a tightrope over a pit of snakes — legal, emotional, and reputational. The trick is to use a safety net made of ethics, due diligence, and clear boundaries.
Because at the end of the day, protecting them is also protecting you. And if you do it right, you can tell the story with integrity and sleep at night.

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Reality Check

Writing Hard Things with Integrity

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Writing hard things with integrity isn’t about confession. It’s about connection. It’s not about shock or revenge or trauma-for-clicks. It’s about shining a light into places that often get left dark. Whether you’re writing personal essays, memoirs, literary fiction with teeth or a raw blog post about what actually happened behind the scenes… there’s a way to do it that’s honest, not harmful. True, not brutal. Clear, not exploitative.

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Reality Check

Why the Writing Life Isn’t Always Romantic

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The romanticised version of writing — the one where words flow effortlessly and everything feels meaningful — leaves a lot of people out. It forgets the writers who are caregiving between edits. The ones holding down three jobs to afford time for their manuscript. The ones burnt out from writing for clients all day and then trying to squeeze in an hour for their novel at night.

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