Out & About

Jim Gladstone is a writer and creative strategist based in San Francisco. A seasoned marketing/advertising professional and a widely published cultural journalist and author, he brings a valuable combination of critical thinking skills and lateral creativity to each of his projects.

Through his work as a creative director at several agencies and as an independent consultant, Jim has written and developed creative strategies for some of the world’s biggest consumer brands, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device/diagnostic firms.

Jim’s words have graced tampon packages, added spice to NASCAR recipe books, detailed the use of neurosurgical hemostats, generated intrigue around the treatment of Peyronie’s disease, encouraged the consumption of fresh turkey products, and been recited by the world’s most famous red and yellow candies.

His wide-ranging cultural commentary and criticism has appeared in publications including The New York Times Book Review and other newspapers including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chicago Tribune, The Detroit Free Press, and The Atlanta Constitution. His magazine pieces have been published in Billboard, P.O.V., Suspect Thoughts, Philadelphia, Egg, Passport, Art & Understanding, Seven Arts, Lambda Book Report and Spin among others.

Jim’s novel, The Big Book of Misunderstanding, won a Foreword Award for excellence in small press publishing and his short fiction has been published in journals including Christopher Street, American Writing and Pindeldyboz.

An engaging presenter, workshop leader and teacher, Jim has led programs in over 30 cities across the U.S. and in Europe. He has developed and facilitated branding workshops and strategic exercises for major pharmaceutical and diagnostics corporations and taught writing and creative process seminars to students at every level, from elementary schoolers to post-grad adults.

In addition to working on client assignments and his own creative projects, Jim has helped other writers, artists and arts organizations with the development and promotion of their work. He has served as a consultant, panelist and judge for literary organizations including Outwrite, The Lambda Literary Foundation, Bouchercon, The Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Ohio State Council for the Arts.

Educated at Yale College and the University of Pennsylvania, Jim’s checkered past includes stints as a devoted bookseller, library staff member, radio commentator, writing teacher, and leotard-clad Playboy Club dancer. He has lived in Philadelphia and Paris and currently resides in San Francisco.