About Brilliance & Bastardry
Welcome to Brilliance & Bastardry—a newsletter for writers, readers, and creatively-inclined chaos lovers.
I’m H.J. Smith-Williams, and this is where I share original fiction, satirical essays, and the unfiltered process of turning my writing life into a business—without becoming a coach, a content guru, or one of those people who pretend they don’t care about money (but secretly really do).
💀 The Brilliance
You’ll find short stories, fiction serials, character experiments, competition entries, and the messy middle of a novel in progress. Expect eerie, unsettling fiction, sharp humour, and the occasional narrative side quest into something totally unhinged. If it’s compelling, disturbing, or slightly ridiculous—I’m writing it.
💸 The Bastardry
I’m also documenting how I plan to earn £1.5 million in 12 months (after tax) by combining storytelling, digital products, and a multi-brand strategy. You’ll get real-time updates on what I launch, what flops, what works, and how I’m monetising fiction, satire, and strategic chaos.
This includes:
How I built two successful Substacks under two wildly different identities
How I structure digital offers without becoming a “personal brand” robot
How I use story (not spam) to grow a loyal, paying audience
What I’m earning—and exactly where it’s coming from
✍️ For Writers Who’d Rather Write
If you’re a writer who wants to build something smart and profitable without turning into a walking sales funnel, this is for you. There are no 10-step blueprints here—just real strategy, experiments, and tools that work because they’re built for writers, not marketers.
🚪Free vs Paid
Free subscribers get regular posts with fiction, essays, and creative process notes.
Paid members unlock the vault—exclusive fiction, income breakdowns, writing templates, product strategies, and honest updates on the £1.5M project. It’s the full ride.
Thanks for being here. This is Brilliance & Bastardry.
It’s part writing studio, part financial experiment, and part reminder that you can make strange things—and make money—without selling out.
See you in the inbox,
H.J.
