there's a solution to 'inbox stuffed with shit' and thats to set up an RSS reader (i spin my own 'freshrss' for free but there are plenty of solutions like feedly or inoreader) and add all these substacks/beehivs/etc to that, categorize. then whenever you feel like it, visit your page and calmly and quietly read all of these. if i have them emailed to me i find a sense of anxiety at an unread email, and i don't want that.
yes, the email inbox isn't ideal but it is the best way to reach a lot of passive consumers, which most news readers are! Hopefully there are better products in the future.
Love this discourse. Thanks for sharing. I feel like "newsletters" need a better name for marketing reasons. It can be whatever you want it to be! (Ideally something you'd love to read yourself)
Interesting read! Sharing my experience with reading newsletters:
1/ I am suscribed to very topic-driven newsletters, I read them as alternatives to specialised magazines. The themes helps me to stay connected or at least feeling up to date with what interest me or would be useful for work or my side hustle (which also involves writing newsletters lol but it's more than that):
- environment, sustainability + degrowth first
- culture & politics of food
- critic of the beauty industry
- online marketing
- fashion styling
- millenial culture
- weed and psychedelics
- photography
- travel.
Not all of them emerge from Substack, some are newsletter from established publications or magazines.
2/ Unlike the critics above, I want newsletters of high writing levels because, as a non-native english speaker and writer, I don't want to be influenced by average lenguage lol. For ex. even if I like her style and stuffs on Instagram, I stopped reading Jenny Walton's newsletter because the words were not good enough for what I am used to read. Same for Shit you should care about and GEN Z wording. I realised than most of the newsletter I received are written by pro-journalists.
3/ And the latest kind of ties back into the full email inbox comment. If I am annoyed to receive a newsletter, I unsuscribe. It's costing literally resources and energy to receive and keep emails for nothing... XD
I post (very occasionally!) about ceramics on here. This conversation has given me a lot to think about, maybe I should worry less and post more 🏺😀
there's a solution to 'inbox stuffed with shit' and thats to set up an RSS reader (i spin my own 'freshrss' for free but there are plenty of solutions like feedly or inoreader) and add all these substacks/beehivs/etc to that, categorize. then whenever you feel like it, visit your page and calmly and quietly read all of these. if i have them emailed to me i find a sense of anxiety at an unread email, and i don't want that.
yes, the email inbox isn't ideal but it is the best way to reach a lot of passive consumers, which most news readers are! Hopefully there are better products in the future.
I’ve always wanted to write a newsletter in my dog’s voice so can you thank Katy for giving me the push I needed! 🙌
Thanks for putting this together! Super helpful for how I plan out future coverage on my own projects.
It's interesting how there's a gendered split re: niche+depth vs more parasocial+service+snackable. Small sample size etc. but notable nonetheless.
I'm curious, what was the format for the actual discussion? Like a google doc? Or was there a zoom or something.
Love this discourse. Thanks for sharing. I feel like "newsletters" need a better name for marketing reasons. It can be whatever you want it to be! (Ideally something you'd love to read yourself)
Interesting read! Sharing my experience with reading newsletters:
1/ I am suscribed to very topic-driven newsletters, I read them as alternatives to specialised magazines. The themes helps me to stay connected or at least feeling up to date with what interest me or would be useful for work or my side hustle (which also involves writing newsletters lol but it's more than that):
- environment, sustainability + degrowth first
- culture & politics of food
- critic of the beauty industry
- online marketing
- fashion styling
- millenial culture
- weed and psychedelics
- photography
- travel.
Not all of them emerge from Substack, some are newsletter from established publications or magazines.
2/ Unlike the critics above, I want newsletters of high writing levels because, as a non-native english speaker and writer, I don't want to be influenced by average lenguage lol. For ex. even if I like her style and stuffs on Instagram, I stopped reading Jenny Walton's newsletter because the words were not good enough for what I am used to read. Same for Shit you should care about and GEN Z wording. I realised than most of the newsletter I received are written by pro-journalists.
3/ And the latest kind of ties back into the full email inbox comment. If I am annoyed to receive a newsletter, I unsuscribe. It's costing literally resources and energy to receive and keep emails for nothing... XD
I think one thing is a bit too one-dimensional, it is helpful to add four things for a better picture. :)