I’m a trained actress. I never intended to be an author, journalist, or sex-columnist. It happened by default.

In 2011, after a decade of back-to-back acting gigs, I had a nervous breakdown. It was so severe that the mere mention of acting triggered a debilitating emotional response. The nervous breakdown literally stripped me back to nothing and I had to rebuild myself from scratch.

I turned to writing to metabolize my experience and, within a few months, was being paid for my words. I never actually cashed my first writing paycheck. I framed it.

Over the next four years, I churned out 100 articles for a low-budget publication, earning myself a measly dollar per piece. I consider that period of time as my apprenticeship in the writing business.

I dreamt about blogging for The Huff Post and, in 2015, decided to make my move. Back then, it was run by CEO and founder Arianna Huffington. I submitted a column numerous times via the front of their website but I was unsuccessful.

I happened to mention my dream of becoming a Huff Post Blogger to an author I knew and, bizarrely, she had Arianna Huffington’s email address. It was like a gift from the gods!

I sent Arianna a pitch but, sadly, never heard back. Never one to give up, I pitched another column to Arianna … and she responded!! I was over the moon!

The first blog I wrote for The Huff Post went viral. It was syndicated and mocked on a popular American youtube show. The first year blogging for The Huff Post was life-changing. I found my voice with my sex blogs, and garnered a following.

I used my Huff Post sex-blogs as a springboard to reach my next goal — which was writing for major newspapers and magazines.

After being published in numerous publications around the globe,I used my portfolio to approach editors and springboard to an even higher goal. I dreamed of  having a regular sex column in a magazine.

In February 2017, I was brought on board Maxim Magazine as their monthly sex columnist, a role that I relish.

Considering I never planned this life-path. I must say I’ve done pretty well for myself.

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Vanessa de Largie is an Australian actress, author, sex-columnist, and journalist primarily based in London.

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