He spent nearly three decades as a journalist, including time as a freelance writer, and spent a year as an assistant professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
Bent authored several books and articles, many critiquing the practices of newspapers in their reporting.
He was appointed assistant professor of theory and practice of journalism at the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri when the school was opened in 1908, but resigned his position in February 1909 to return to the Post-Dispatch.
Later, he did publicity work in Chicago and then spent 13 years in New York City.
As a freelance writer, Bent contributed articles to The New York Times,[3] Harper's Weekly[4] and The Atlantic,[5] among others.