Light Hustler: Making Your Mess Into Your Message

Dennis Hensley was the very first real writer I ever knew—back when getting a book published felt like spotting a unicorn in 1990s LA.His debut novel Misadventures in the (213) came out in 1998, and I thought it was the coolest thing imaginable.Years later, we'd find ourselves sweating through Ben Allen's dance classes together, proving that creative people really do wear all the hats.Dennis has written for everyone from Joan Rivers to Wondery podcasts, created party games and somehow made more money dancing in commercials than writing this year.Our conversation (recorded the day before his 61st birthday) goes deep on resilience, disappointment and figuring out how to keep creating when the scoreboard stops making sense.Topics Discussed:The 1990s writing gold rush: When Gen X believed you could actually make a living as a writer, gift bags overflowed at parties. and  magazines paid $1 per wordBreaking in: How an audition rejection for Madonna's Blonde Ambition tour became Dennis's first published article, lea