Scott Hulet is a legendary writer, editor, and current Creative Director at The Surfer’s Journal. He also has a new book titled Flow Violento: A Scott Hulet Omnibus, which is a compilation of more than thirty years of his writing about surfing, fishing, travel, food, music, and more. If you subscribe to my book recommendations email, then you’ll already know how much I loved the book– Scott brings to life the cultures, waves, and landscapes of Latin America using his unique blend of insights, humor, and perfectly crafted prose. If you’re a fan of travelogues, adventure tales, and cultural immersion, I know you’ll enjoy Flow Violento.
Scott was born and raised in southern California, and he’s been writing for longer than he can even remember. Skating and surfing entered his life very early, as did travel to Mexico for surf trips. Through a deep commitment to the craft of writing and surfing, he’s been able to build a successful career that combines both. But for all his success, there have also been some speedbumps along the way, including a string of health scares during his fifties that culminated with a very serious stroke. But after a ton of hard work and help from some inspiring medical professionals, Scott was able to make a full recovery– and refocus his efforts on writing, traveling, and surfing.
I’ve been a huge fan of The Surfer’s Journal and Scott for many, many years, so I was honored that he took the time to chat with me about his life, work, and the new book. I caught him just a few days before he took off to the Colombian Amazon for a fishing and research trip, and we had a fun chat about reading, writing, surfing, traveling, and more. Some of the topics include: his “hunting and gathering” approach to reading; some of his favorite childhood books; his first foundational surfing and traveling experiences; moving to Hawaii after high school; becoming a professional writer; the importance of approaching new cultures with respect; his health scares and lessons learned; his surprising thoughts on social media; rules for travel; and much more.
A big thanks to Scott for the conversation and his decades of important work. And another big thanks to you for listening. Enjoy!
—
Header photo by Ed, headshot by Ben Steele
LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
… or wherever you get your podcasts!
—
RESOURCES:
Topics Discussed:
- 3:30 – Scott’s “hunting and gathering” approach to reading
- 5:30 – Scott’s father’s influence on his reading
- 7:00 – Favorite childhood books
- 8:15 – A brief family history
- 9:35 – Childhood activities in San Diego
- 11:45 – First three foundational surfing experiences
- 16:00 – First adventure in Mexico
- 20:30 – Approaching new cultures and locations with respect… or else
- 24:00 – Heading to university
- 25:45 – Writing: from avocation to vocation
- 28:00 – Mentors
- 34:30 – How TSJ has maintained such a loyal following in the changing world of print media
- 36:45 – A surprisingly positive take on Twitter/X
- 39:45 – The importance of knowing a wide range of people with wide ranges of ideas
- 44:45 – The art of editing
- 47:15 – Courting the Muse
- 49:30 – Lessons learned from several super-intense health trials
- 53:30 – Pre-stroke Scott vs post-stroke Scott
- 55:45 – How to stand out from the crowd as a creative
- 57:15 – There are still unknown, off-the-map places to discover
- 59:00 – Rules for thinking traveler
- 1:01:00 – Important books
- 1:05:00 – Parting words of wisdom
Information Referenced:
- Flow Violento: A Scott Hulet Omnibus
- The Surfer’s Journal
- Scott on the The Surfer’s Journal podcast, Soundings with Jamie Brisick
- World Book
- Harvard Classics
- Robert Service
- My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
- The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
- Jim Thompson
- Autodidact
- Chris Ahrens
- Guy Motil
- Steve Pezman
- Kevin Naughton
- Drew Kampion
- Dale Herd
- Craig Stecyk
- The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola
- Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene and Christopher Hitchens
- Eyelids of Morning; the mingled destinies of crocodiles and men: Being a description of the origins, history, and prospects of Lake Rudolf, its peoples, deserts, rivers, mountains, and weather by Peter Beard
- Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery
- The Raw and the Cooked: Adventures of a Roving Gourmand by Jim Harrison
- Through the Brazilian Wilderness by Theodore Roosevelt
- The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
- Rio Orinoco
- Don’t Save Anything: Uncollected Essays, Articles, and Profiles by James Salter
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Chris Burkard, Part 2 – Seeking Beauty Through Adventure
- Christian Beamish – West Coast Craftsman
- John Vaillant – A Riveting Exploration of Fire
- Rick Wittenbraker – Humility, Generosity, and Building One-of-a-Kind Brands
- Logan Maxwell Hagege Returns – On Taking Action & Finding Balance
- Pete McBride Returns – Exploring & Documenting His Backyard River
- Nick Offerman – Empathy, Nuance, & Good Hard Work
- Kristine Tompkins – Nothing to Lose
Visit the podcast page for a full, searchable list of episodes
M&P IS POWERED BY:
FEATURED UPCOMING EVENT:
—
