Monday Memo #40
Start an email newsletter.
The Monday memo is food for thought to fuel your week.
Hi everyone,
I've been thinking a lot about creative habits, the things we do to keep the creative energy flowing. I love our weekly Friday Campfire calls, and now that I’ve been hosting them for a year, I find I look forward to them more than anything else I do. Turns out, having that weekly rhythm really helps get the creative juices flowing.
This week, consider starting an email newsletter. You don't even need subscribers. In fact, it might be easier without them. Imagine a space where you can gather your thoughts, explore your interests, and experiment, without the pressure of an audience. Think of it like a journal. You don't have to write for anyone else but yourself.
Your newsletter can be like a treasure chest for anything interesting that you think about or notice. You can write about anything that catches your eye—a quote from a book, an idea from a podcast, even something interesting you saw on your daily walk.
There’s no pressure to perform: If you don’t have subscribers, you don't have to worry about being polished or profound. Just write for the pure joy of it.
Find your voice: When you write regularly, even just for yourself, you start to discover your unique voice and perspective. It’s like having a conversation with yourself but getting to refine the ideas along the way.
Over time, you will attract people who like the way you think.
Email newsletters are a way to keep in touch with people who are interested in your work. They allow you to reach out when you have something new, get feedback on your work, and foster a community of people who are on your side.
A newsletter is a way to invite people who care about you to follow your work. If you start with no subscribers, you can write whatever is on your mind. And when people subscribe, they are telling you that they care, that you matter. They are inviting you into their inbox, something they review every day. It’s a very intimate kind of connection, like telling a friend they can drop by your home without calling first.
As you attract subscribers, your list becomes a tool: a way for you to reach out whenever you have something important to share. Email subscribers are more intimate, personal connections than social media followers. They subscribe because they don’t want to miss anything.
Collecting subscribers is a first step toward creating customers. They are just one email away from your next idea or offer. When you want to have a conversation, you can reach out to your email list to start the ball rolling.
Anyone who is serious about creating customers has an email list. There’s a good reason for this: It’s the most reliable way to forge true relationships with friends, fans, followers, and potential customers.
Whether you’re on your own already or think you might want to try your own thing one day, an email newsletter will be your most important tool for reaching out to potential customers. An email newsletter is like a social network or a safety net. You can’t start it when you need it. You have to start it before you need it. Preferably today. The best day to start an email newsletter is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
Exercise.
Here's your exercise for the week: Start your own email newsletter. Just you, a blank page, and whatever thoughts and ideas you want to collect. Don't worry about making it perfect—just have fun with it.
Our next Collaboratory.
In this week’s Collaboratory, we will work with coach and consultant Kevin Farr on “the economics of self.” I’ve known Kevin for many years. He’s a thoughtful, caring human who has been through a lot, including addiction and recovery, and is bringing all of those experiences into creating meaningful work in service of others. In this session we will spend some time reflecting on our core values and comparing them to how we actually spend our time and money. I expect we will generate some interesting insights.
Become a member today to access this live, interactive session, on Wednesday, September 18, from 9 to 10:30 am Pacific time.
Project studio.
Starting with a kick-off call on October 9, I will run a seven-week intensive I’m calling Project Studio. I will provide a lightweight structure within which we will work together to complete our personal creative projects, encourage and support each other, and hold each other accountable to being true to our creative selves. Project Studio will meet weekly, every Wednesday, from 9 to 10:30 am, starting October 9 and wrapping up on November 20, just before Thanksgiving in the US. Project studio will be free for members.
In between now and October I will be sharing a lot more details about Project Studio, so if you’re interested, check out the detailed description on our website. If you’re not sure yet you can follow the journey here and decide later.
Members get access to all events, event recordings, and our archive.
As of this week we have 84 members. In 2025, membership dues will increase to $30/month, $300/year. If you join now, you will lock in the $20/month, $200/year rate for as long as your subscription remains active.
If you’re already a member, thank you. You’re making this possible.
More information for members is below the fold.