Sign up for my newsletter - it's like reading my diary!
On the first Thursday of every month, I send out a lovely newsletter (even if I say so myself!). I write everything myself - no AI (although I admit to occasionally asking ChatGPT’s input to get the ball rolling, whereafter I turn up my nose at the result and end up rather writing whatever it is that I needed advice on myself…). I thoughtfully curate what I share - high and lowlights of the past month; what’s on my easel in Real Time (and will only feature on socials weeks later); my musings on this crazy thing called Life… It takes me three to four days to compile it - I kid you not. Then, I send it out to about 500 people.
Now, if you knew anything about marketing (or basic math), you’ll know that 500 people is very, very few indeed… And only about half of these people ever open my emails. And only about 20 people then actually read the content. My newsletters also rarely generate sales.
At this moment, I can see your eyebrows furrow (that’s what eyebrows do, right? They furrow. The English language never fails to furrow my eyebrows!) as a very valid question forms on your lips, “Why even bother with this newsletter at all?”. Good question, Sally. I do it because I love to write. When I was a little girl, my cousin gifted me a diary, protected from the gaze of the world by a little golden lock (with matching key that I hid, stuck to the bottom of my desk drawer with Prestik). Ever since then, I kept a diary or journal of some kind. In fact, I had multiple note books — one for my innermost thoughts and secrets; one for ideas and dreams of the future; one for rough drafts of poems; another for the final version of my prose, written in my best hand; etc etc… In my language classes at school, I excelled at creative writing. I had multiple pen-pals all over the country and loved writing letters. I wrote all the time (when I wasn’t drawing!).
These days, I still have multiple, actively used note books. None of them boast locks. Admittedly, the content isn’t really lock-worthy: They no longer contain my innermost thoughts, secrets, dreams and heart-wrenching poetry… They’re full of To Do Lists, notes from courses and meetings, reminders, deadlines… They are Grown Up Note Books.
But, my urge to express myself through the written word has not waned. The way I put it out into the world has just evolved! Just like my art, my newsletter is a creative expression. It is the memoir of my happy, struggling journey -- my footprints in the sand. It holds my challenges and pain; thoughts and dreams. It is a hand-written love letter to the world.
I don’t mind at all that only 20 people in the world read my words. I write for me as much as I write for them. And thankfully, quite often, someone among the 500 will reach out to let me know that my words have struck a chord; tugged at a heartstring…
If you’ve read this far, I bet you’ll enjoy my newsletter! Sign up and I’ll give you the key to that little golden lock – to my dearest diary...
