Photo Copyright © Richard Gunn
Quietly contemplating a Peroni, the Nation’s Favourite Motoring Expert is sitting opposite me in the beer garden of the Cuckoo; his SAAB 900 Turbo making my Montego look decidedly low-rent in the yuppie corner of the car park. Richard Gunn was nominated in a poll in 2012 of CarLeasingUK readers, with over 50% of votes cast being for the tall chap with the beige BL fixation. But what was the path which led to such honour, and how can others enter the industry?
“I’d taken over the role of magazine editor for the Ford Anglia 105E Owners’ Club in my spare time and unpaid, from 1994 onwards. In 1999, I applied for a role on Practical Classics when a vacancy as staff writer came up. I didn’t get that, but when a similar position on Classic Car Weekly came up later that year, Russ Smith remembered me.”
Writing wasn’t Richard’s first dream – he wanted to be a lighthouse keeper! Not, we assume, for the long line of marriage proposals from fans of Erika Eigen… “As there’s not much call for lighthouse keepers these days – and I was very young then – that shifted to wanting to be a writer or a photographer. My mother was a journalist in the 1960s and I always liked – and was good at – English as a subject, so it seemed a natural thing to want to do.”
There are ups and downs to the world of writing, as Richard soon discovered. “It’s fulfilling to see an article you’ve enjoyed doing and are proud of, and then getting favourable feedback from readers – or seeing a photo you took get a great response when reproduced. Things like that still mean a lot, even after 12 years. I’ve personally found that as you work your way up through a magazine though, it can grow less fun and you stop doing the things you really enjoy. I rose to be the editor of a newspaper and it was more about balancing budgets, dealing with freelancers, planning and constant meetings rather than actually getting out and writing or taking photos. I went freelance before long, so I could get back to doing what I felt I did best.”
We all need friends when we start in a new industry, and Richard was fortunate enough to befriend some old hands early on. “Advice and support from more experienced journalists is invaluable when you’re just starting out, and I’m always grateful to anybody who provides that. Making good contacts, and keeping them, is essential, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the kindness of colleagues like Russ Smith, Nick Larkin and Peter Simpson. What they’ve passed on has been invaluable”
Biggest piece of advice to anybody considering a career in journalism? “Lots of high pressure deadlines mean this is far from a 9-5 job. I’ve had days of writing from about 5am through to midnight or beyond, just to get things done.” But he’s smiling – it’s a job he loves, alright…
