Micro-Interview: Scott Dikkers, Founder of The Onion

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EDITOR’S NOTE: 

(If you want to start copywriting for your dream client, do this:)

A few years back, I met the founding editor of The Onion at Second City in Chicago.

I was taking a course he was teaching on satirical writing. 

“Hey, Scott,” I said after class. 

“Hey, man.”

I adjusted my backpack. 

“Hey,” I said, “I subscribed to your list!”

He smiled. 

Then I asked the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 20 books if I could rewrite one of his emails “with conversions in mind.” 

I was nervous. Scott Dikkers was employee #1 at The Onion, long before it became the satirical powerhouse we all know. He also founded The AVClub and created Jim’s Journal. He also won the Thurber Prize for American Humor, not to mention a Peabody. 

And here I was, some copywriter. 

“ABSOLUTELY!” he said. 

I smiled. 

I’ve been working with Scott ever since, pinching myself along the way. Now I’m incredibly honored to have him on for a VeryGoodCopy micro-interview. 

In only 242 words, Scott shares: 

• The source of his biggest failure — plus how you can avoid it... 

• The most important thing about work — plus how to get REALLY good at it... 

• The 3 most valuable books he’s ever read — plus 1 book that spawned a new career... 

And more!

P.S. Wanna do creative work for your dream client? First give them something valuable for free.

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Thank you, Scott.

Let’s get started:

“What’s your work routine?”

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I wake up without an alarm (to make sure I get the sleep I need) and spend the first three hours of the day doing my most high-leverage work. For me that's writing new material (like my next book). 

The rest of the day I focus on my to-do list.

“What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

The important thing is doing it and finishing it, not trying to make it perfect.

“What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

Bootstrap it. 

My biggest failures have always been investing too much time and money in start-up projects. I know now it's best to bootstrap a project first, see if it gets traction, and only then invest time and money. 

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“What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Being obsessed with it.

“What book has helped you the most over your career?”

I think you mean books by other authors, and if so I have to pick three: 

1. Information Anxiety by Richard Wurman

2. The E Myth by Michael Gerber

3. Raising Your Emotional Intelligence by Jeanne Segal

But the book that's helped me the most is my own book, How to Write Funny, because I wrote it and self-published it quietly, and then it was a surprise success and spawned a new career for me.

“And your parting piece of advice?”

Enjoying your work is the best way to get good at it.

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Hey there, thanks for reading. :)

If you want more “micro” content, feel free to explore 100s of articles, interviews, courses, and series — all free. 

Enjoy!

Eddie Shleyner
VeryGoodCopy, founder

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