"Wait, so you actually pay your bills with your writing?"
I chuckled at the question I'd heard many times, one that even Princess Luna had asked when we first met.
"Mhm, yes I do. Surprising?" I asked the mare across from me.
Sunset Shimmer took a brief sip of her coffee, nodding as she did.
"I mean, yeah, kinda. Most people don't make their main living off of something like that, but... I guess that just means you're a really good writer, yeah?" she asked with a warm smile.
"Eh, I guess I'm okay, but honestly half of making enough money is about knowing what to write, not how to."
"Mmm... elaborate."
"Sure. So, yeah, I do write plenty of fantasy and fiction novellas and things that I actually wanna write, but... the main chunk of my income comes from articles I sell to the Canterlot Post."
"Seriously?" Sunset questioned.
"Mhm. I write things like opinion articles and advice columns and sell it to them. They kinda eat it up, actually," I chuckled.
Sunset ran her hoof around the rim of her mug, contemplating for a moment.
"But... and no offence of course, but... how do you manage to sell enough of your work like that?" she mused.
"None taken. See, all you really have to do is write pieces that the nobles around here like." I explained. Sunset raised an eyebrow at me.
"Ah, I know what you're thinking. See, the trick is... to write something that makes the nobles and business people agree with what you're writing while also doing it in a way that doesn't marginalize or disparage other groups of people."
Sunset narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Oh... but you're still writing advice columns in a paper for snobs, right?" she questioned.
"Yeah, but if you know what you're doing you can write about some pretty silly things and still have the paper trust you enough to buy your work."
"Like what?"
"Well... last week I submitted a piece criticizing the craftsmanship of some of the water fountains in Rosehill park."
Sunset narrowed her eyes at me again.
"And... they bought it? A newspaper... as big as the Canterlot Post... actually paid for it?"
"Oh yeah, cause... think about it... who would have built the fountains in that park?" I asked. Sunset tilted her head at me as she pondered my question.
"...you should have a pretty decent idea," I spoke, pointing to my forehead. Sunset looked at me for a moment before looking up at her own horn.
"...oh! The castle?" she asked.
"Mhm, exactly. The castle would have commissioned them. And basically, all you have to do as a writer is criticize the castle or the princesses and people will practically knock down your door for those stories," I spoke with a grin.
"Well I would imagine. You don't see a lot of criticism pieces on the princesses out there," Sunset pointed out.
"Mhm, but I do it in a way that you could barely call a criticism. I mean, come on... water fountain build quality? Who am I really making fun of there?" I asked.
"The people who actually built the fountain?" Sunset smirked.
"Mhm, but how many ponies are actually going to go and put in the effort to find out what probably now defunct company actually built the fountains?"
Sunset raised an eyebrow in realization.
"That's... actually kinda genius," she admitted. Taking a long sip of my coffee, I chuckled.
"And when I'm behind an anonymous pen name, who can trace it back to me?"
"Mhm, fair. Well played, Daniel. Well played," Sunset smiled.