Oh hey, we share the same newsletter strategy, how fun!
I’ve been mulling over the same things for my work. It’s so hard! When I was younger I got made fun of for being really proud of the clubs I was in or the work I did. It still feels wrong to be confident in my work. Why is this the way we view others who are passionate about something? I suspect it’s the same thing you mentioned about resenting others for their sparkly stats: envy.
I hope you achieve everything you set out to do! And I am stoked for some swag. 😎
Ashley, my daughter just turned 6, and it's just so amazing to watch her accomplish more and more new milestones and to develop her interests and passions ... Entirely unbridled by a lack of self-confidence or worrying what people think. And, meanwhile, myself remembering (barely) what it was like to go about life with that kind of eagerness! Then to mourn the knowledge that eventually, inevitably, she'll too experience the anxiety of meeting expectations (self-imposed or otherwise) and feel the sting of rejection.
Ooof, it's a lot to wrap my own sweet dumb brain around, for sure. But what if we treated our our own dreams like they belonged to our children? What would we say to them? How would we encourage them to pursue their goals?
So funny how success works. I felt such a pang of jealousy hearing about this program and not being invited to it. From where I write, I look to your newsletter as a goal. And in regards to strategy, I feel you deeply. I wish I had more to give to paying subscribers. I wish I had endless pitch ideas for how Shangrilogs, or even just my writing in general, would fit into larger publications. I've fantasized about going back to school to be a wildlife biologist to strengthen some of the pieces. And at the same time, berate myself for not re-allocating "newsletter time" to "novel time."
At the end of the page, I recommend your newsletter via mine because it's great. Your free subscribers show that. Your work is worth paying for, and I'll continue to promote it as such.
Kelton! You don't know how many times I've read your newsletter and wished that I could write like you! Thank you for the kind words. It means so much coming from you. And I wholeheartedly recommend your newsletter too. I love reading about your life!!
Wow, I can relate to so much of what you wrote. I definitely sell myself short, don’t post often enough on social media, and find it difficult to ask readers to pay for my content. I compare myself to more successful writers and wonder what I’m doing wrong. I just recently found the courage to even offer a paid subscription option! I also have mental health issues (writing about them online has actually been very therapeutic) that make it harder for me to have the confidence and take the risks necessary to grow. Here’s hoping we both find ways to shift our mindsets and do what we need to do to promote our work and generate more income!
Love it! I definitely sell myself short and keep myself small. It comes from my C-PTSD. There is always work to b done in finding balance. You are a shining star. Best of luck in yr endeavors.
Congratulations! Celebrate this shift - of being vulnerable in a different way, of recognising envy, calling it out and using that recognition for positive change in your life! (And BB’s Atlas of the Heart is the best!) It’s interesting how money and the discomfort in asking for it can make us, as you say, small. So we’ll done for thinking big, being vulnerable and Brave ❤️
I am endlessly fascinated by posts like this - I love looking at growth metrics and setting goals. I also admire your newsletter so much. Even if it doesn't always feel like it, the care and effort you pour into this project, and the respect your subscribers have for you, is clear! (Case in point: your recommendation of my newsletter has sent over 60 new folks my way! People trust you!)
I've resisted setting up paid subscribers, even though I pay for a lot of newsletters (including My Sweet Dumb Brain.) Most of the time I'm confident in my decision to keep my newsletter free, but when I see posts like this, or hear about new Substack programs, I start to wonder if I'm selling myself short. I think the comparison trap comes for all of us at some point, no matter how many subscribers we have or how much work we put into our projects and passions. Which is a very obvious comment, but I'm going to leave it anyway. :)
I love your newsletter, and I'm thrilled to support it and even more thrilled to read it. I hope you find all the success you deserve!
Is making the NY Times bestseller list meaningful if was due largely to algorithms? I think not.
Having once made enough to live off of selling $0.99 mystery novels back in 2010-2011, only to see it all disappear when I chose not to distribute exclusively through Amazon, my expectations are incredibly well-managed, at this point. :)
Oh hey, we share the same newsletter strategy, how fun!
I’ve been mulling over the same things for my work. It’s so hard! When I was younger I got made fun of for being really proud of the clubs I was in or the work I did. It still feels wrong to be confident in my work. Why is this the way we view others who are passionate about something? I suspect it’s the same thing you mentioned about resenting others for their sparkly stats: envy.
I hope you achieve everything you set out to do! And I am stoked for some swag. 😎
Thanks, Ashley! I'm so sorry that you struggle with confidence too. It is hard!
Ashley, my daughter just turned 6, and it's just so amazing to watch her accomplish more and more new milestones and to develop her interests and passions ... Entirely unbridled by a lack of self-confidence or worrying what people think. And, meanwhile, myself remembering (barely) what it was like to go about life with that kind of eagerness! Then to mourn the knowledge that eventually, inevitably, she'll too experience the anxiety of meeting expectations (self-imposed or otherwise) and feel the sting of rejection.
Ooof, it's a lot to wrap my own sweet dumb brain around, for sure. But what if we treated our our own dreams like they belonged to our children? What would we say to them? How would we encourage them to pursue their goals?
We all deserve to honor our ambitions.
One might even say we should treat our ambitions like they're our sweet dumb dreams... :)
So funny how success works. I felt such a pang of jealousy hearing about this program and not being invited to it. From where I write, I look to your newsletter as a goal. And in regards to strategy, I feel you deeply. I wish I had more to give to paying subscribers. I wish I had endless pitch ideas for how Shangrilogs, or even just my writing in general, would fit into larger publications. I've fantasized about going back to school to be a wildlife biologist to strengthen some of the pieces. And at the same time, berate myself for not re-allocating "newsletter time" to "novel time."
At the end of the page, I recommend your newsletter via mine because it's great. Your free subscribers show that. Your work is worth paying for, and I'll continue to promote it as such.
Kelton! You don't know how many times I've read your newsletter and wished that I could write like you! Thank you for the kind words. It means so much coming from you. And I wholeheartedly recommend your newsletter too. I love reading about your life!!
💛💛💛
Yay and good for you! I hope you find both confidence and good balance and mental health.
Thanks, Karen! I hope so too!
I have a line in my budget for "Katie's newsleter" but I didn't realize it wasn't still charging me! Hopefully it sticks this time!
Oh my gosh, I *love* that you have budgeted this. Thank you, Julie!
Wow, I can relate to so much of what you wrote. I definitely sell myself short, don’t post often enough on social media, and find it difficult to ask readers to pay for my content. I compare myself to more successful writers and wonder what I’m doing wrong. I just recently found the courage to even offer a paid subscription option! I also have mental health issues (writing about them online has actually been very therapeutic) that make it harder for me to have the confidence and take the risks necessary to grow. Here’s hoping we both find ways to shift our mindsets and do what we need to do to promote our work and generate more income!
Amen. Thanks, Wendi!
Love it! I definitely sell myself short and keep myself small. It comes from my C-PTSD. There is always work to b done in finding balance. You are a shining star. Best of luck in yr endeavors.
Thank you, Juliana! Right back at you.
Thank you for this. So relatable! I'm just starting out with Substack and found your words reassuring. Good luck with all you do x
Thank you, Georgina. Good luck to you too!
Congratulations! Celebrate this shift - of being vulnerable in a different way, of recognising envy, calling it out and using that recognition for positive change in your life! (And BB’s Atlas of the Heart is the best!) It’s interesting how money and the discomfort in asking for it can make us, as you say, small. So we’ll done for thinking big, being vulnerable and Brave ❤️
Thank you, Lisa! I love the way you framed this.
Lovely post and as a fellow Substacker thanks for sharing. Courageous and much appreciated.
Thank you, Ryan!
I'm excited to see where you take this newsletter Katie! It's my favourite thing to read each week and your writing matters a lot to me. :)
That is so kind, Val! Thank you!
I am endlessly fascinated by posts like this - I love looking at growth metrics and setting goals. I also admire your newsletter so much. Even if it doesn't always feel like it, the care and effort you pour into this project, and the respect your subscribers have for you, is clear! (Case in point: your recommendation of my newsletter has sent over 60 new folks my way! People trust you!)
I've resisted setting up paid subscribers, even though I pay for a lot of newsletters (including My Sweet Dumb Brain.) Most of the time I'm confident in my decision to keep my newsletter free, but when I see posts like this, or hear about new Substack programs, I start to wonder if I'm selling myself short. I think the comparison trap comes for all of us at some point, no matter how many subscribers we have or how much work we put into our projects and passions. Which is a very obvious comment, but I'm going to leave it anyway. :)
I love your newsletter, and I'm thrilled to support it and even more thrilled to read it. I hope you find all the success you deserve!
Success. What does it mean?
Is making the NY Times bestseller list meaningful if was due largely to algorithms? I think not.
Having once made enough to live off of selling $0.99 mystery novels back in 2010-2011, only to see it all disappear when I chose not to distribute exclusively through Amazon, my expectations are incredibly well-managed, at this point. :)
And here's why I refused to be Amazon-exclusive: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/amazon-profits-antitrust-ftc/677580/?gift=VsH0gJcmP62ddFPu8g8YkJgCOL51AxTQyW-qsdp6hSI&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share