So, a couple of weeks ago I sent a pitch to the Guardian. Despite casually dropping, “Oh, used to write for the Guardian …” into any conversation I’ve ever had, I haven’t written that much for the Guardian. But I have written for the Guardian before. A few times. I just want to make that clear.
Anyway, here’s the pitch I sent to Ann Lee, commissioning editor for G2.
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To: annlee@guardian.co.uk
From: steve@stevewriteswords.com
Date: Aug 6th 2026
Hi Ann,
Like no doubt many others, I was pleased to see that the UK government is bringing in walk-in mental health hubs (in banks, libraries etc.) for those experiencing mental health conditions.
As the BBC reported yesterday:
Ministers have set out plans to create a network of nearly 200 community mental health centres and mental health A&Es by 2029.
The aim is to give those experiencing a mental health crisis or significant distress somewhere to go to get help when they need it – with plans to open dozens of the hubs in high street locations like banks and libraries.
One in five people struggle with their mental health and thousands of people turn up at A&E when they get to crisis point because they cannot find help elsewhere.
My slight quibble with this is that it feels a bit too late for me.
When I was nineteen I started getting panic attacks and visual distortions and would hear voices, particularly at nighttime.
This, as you might expect, terrified me. And I carried that terror around with me for a year or so and watched in horror as these symptoms worsened. Finally, I plucked up the courage to see my GP. (I was worried about getting sectioned – or worse.)
My GP’s advice?
“What you need is a long walk on the beach.”
And so began a long, steady march towards decades of mental health problems. I’ve been diagnosed with a bunch of different mental health conditions – C-PTSD, BPD, and depression among them – and have experienced disorders as varied as exploding head syndrome (about as bad as it sounds) but nothing has quite stuck.
In fact, I’m pretty much a normal, buoyant, functioning member of society now. But I often wonder how my 20s, 30s and 40s might have looked if I’d had better mental health care at those critical times as an adolescent.
I’d have probably drunk a bit less and worked a bit more. I’d have paid more taxes. Maybe I’d have kids and a driving licence and a permanent place to live. Perhaps I wouldn’t have scythed through relationships so readily.
Anything in this? Do you think there’s something in using this personal experience as a jumping off point to explore the benefits of these in-the-pipeline mental health hubs? I have a handful of GPs, psychologists, mental health professionals and kindred spirits I could call upon at the drop of a hat for quotes etc.
I’ve written for the Guardian before on mental health here, and about my life as a semi-professional poker player here, where I also detailed my unravelling mental health. I’m honestly tons better now.
And, also honestly, I feel these mental health centres are a brilliant, much-needed initiative.
Many thanks for reading Ann,
Steve
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Hi Ann. Many thanks for reading Ann. What a creep.
Anyway, here’s what Ann replied:
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Yep, nothing. Crickets. So I gave it a few days and tried TWO editors at the Independent. Here’s what they said:
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Same thing. In a fit of a pique – because, you know me, I can often get piquey – I tried the Daily Mail. Same thing. Or rather: same nothing.
Yet I’m not that fussed. It’s taken me a long time to realise this but I love pitching. And I love the world. I love pitching the world! And, yes, there have been one or two bumps in the road since I launched this back in 2009 but I’m more convinced than ever that I’m going to be a famous writer.
Famous writer. I sound like a five-year-old girl. But it’s true. I feel like I’ll get there. Despite AI. Despite the ghosting. Despite all of this, whatever all of this is. All of that, and all of this, is going to propel me to exactly where I want to go, probably.
[ENDS]
Pitching the World 