This was excellent. You really made me think! I'm sorry to admit I often bristle reading about women coaching other women on the soft stuff of professional success. My first thought was to be mad that we're still focused on "fixing the women," rather than fixing the systemic bias that works against us from the moment we're born. And of course I thought about all my own career-related insecurities and vulnerabilities and why I'm not actively seeking coaching like you, LOL.
BUT: I ❤️ the juxtaposition of you tackling deep shit in a comics format. My friend who likes to wear sequins with ripped jeans calls this "working the dichotomy," and maybe that's the dirty little secret known by all lovers of graphic novels? What *seems* like just a bunch of drawings is actually a thoughtful, insightful, abstract, and deliberate arrow into the brain. Who needs the Paris Review when we've got your drawing links haikus : )
Edith, your newsletter is so good and you're so great at making work that is both funny/beautiful and thought-provoking! Also, I think the joke about the garbage was a winner.
Thanks for sharing this and for drawing and writing about your journey! I have many of the same feelings as you do. My thing is also weird and hard for me to describe (I create poetry comics but with abstract art). Your newsletter is an inspiration to me (I even started my own Substack after reading yours for several months). Based on this post, I also followed Gaby Abrams on Instagram. Keep doing your thing! It's making a difference in people's lives!
This was so great. I came here from Today in Tabs and signed up immediately. "If people don't like the newsletter they will unsubscribe" totally resonated with me. I'm doing a weekly one as creative practice and am way too timid to ask for money (which, since I have a full-time job, I don't *need*). Ideally, that should free me up to do whatever I want — but I'm *still* worried about disappointing readers! It's free! They won't read! They'll unsubscribe! I should do what I want!
Good to see you again. I'm not an entreperneur or however you spell it, but this was an interesting read and gave me some stuff to consider. My new boss is big on "go outside your comfort zone" and I'm feeling scared because, well, comfort zone. Thanks.
What you're doing IS Weird, Edith & whatever it is & wherever it's going, It's your special weirdness that makes this publication one of my favourites on Substack!
"Surely the commenting function for such a great and popular newsletter is only for paid subscribers, right?", the thought in my mind before I found out, I'm able to comment on your post as a free subscriber.
Edith, you've made me feel normal. I know, it's weird to say that. But in doing your "weird" thing, you've made, I suspect, many of us out there, felt normal.
"I just want my newsletter to work." In six words, you've described all my doubts and all my desires for this newsletter-business thingy.
It's truth-in-six-words I dare not even acknowledge to myself. Let alone, others. Like, it's wrong to want it to work.
It's something I've been questioning myself, my sanity, my plans for some years. Like, it's wrong to wanna be paid for doing something good. But then again, I would question, is what I'm doing even considered good?? And the labyrinth of fuzziness and doubt restart.
I wanna thank you for being real with your struggles. I love how you illustrate those conflicting thoughts in your head. It really made me feel I'm less alone in the madness of my thoughts.
This was excellent. You really made me think! I'm sorry to admit I often bristle reading about women coaching other women on the soft stuff of professional success. My first thought was to be mad that we're still focused on "fixing the women," rather than fixing the systemic bias that works against us from the moment we're born. And of course I thought about all my own career-related insecurities and vulnerabilities and why I'm not actively seeking coaching like you, LOL.
BUT: I ❤️ the juxtaposition of you tackling deep shit in a comics format. My friend who likes to wear sequins with ripped jeans calls this "working the dichotomy," and maybe that's the dirty little secret known by all lovers of graphic novels? What *seems* like just a bunch of drawings is actually a thoughtful, insightful, abstract, and deliberate arrow into the brain. Who needs the Paris Review when we've got your drawing links haikus : )
Thank you, Jenny!
Edith, your newsletter is so good and you're so great at making work that is both funny/beautiful and thought-provoking! Also, I think the joke about the garbage was a winner.
Chris! Thank you. And thank you about the joke. That is, of course, what I’m really going after with this.
Thanks for sharing this and for drawing and writing about your journey! I have many of the same feelings as you do. My thing is also weird and hard for me to describe (I create poetry comics but with abstract art). Your newsletter is an inspiration to me (I even started my own Substack after reading yours for several months). Based on this post, I also followed Gaby Abrams on Instagram. Keep doing your thing! It's making a difference in people's lives!
Also please share a link to your newsletter!
It's freemium. Free post on Tuesdays and a Thursday post for paid subscribers. Here is the link: https://weirdopoetry.substack.com/
Thank you so much, Jason.
i’m never going to read Karl Ove, i know this about myself or
Best blog yet. You're terrific.
Aw, hell yeah! Thank you, Tony!
You don't need to see ahead 10 twists in the road; 1 or 2 will do just fine.
This was so great. I came here from Today in Tabs and signed up immediately. "If people don't like the newsletter they will unsubscribe" totally resonated with me. I'm doing a weekly one as creative practice and am way too timid to ask for money (which, since I have a full-time job, I don't *need*). Ideally, that should free me up to do whatever I want — but I'm *still* worried about disappointing readers! It's free! They won't read! They'll unsubscribe! I should do what I want!
Thank you!
Thank you, Sebastian!
Good to see you again. I'm not an entreperneur or however you spell it, but this was an interesting read and gave me some stuff to consider. My new boss is big on "go outside your comfort zone" and I'm feeling scared because, well, comfort zone. Thanks.
Thank you, PM! <3 to you
What you're doing IS Weird, Edith & whatever it is & wherever it's going, It's your special weirdness that makes this publication one of my favourites on Substack!
Tara -- thank you.
and omg! I just followed your link to Gaby's IG. Her vids are addictive! I died laughing and came back to life.
Right? I love that description :)
"Surely the commenting function for such a great and popular newsletter is only for paid subscribers, right?", the thought in my mind before I found out, I'm able to comment on your post as a free subscriber.
Edith, you've made me feel normal. I know, it's weird to say that. But in doing your "weird" thing, you've made, I suspect, many of us out there, felt normal.
"I just want my newsletter to work." In six words, you've described all my doubts and all my desires for this newsletter-business thingy.
It's truth-in-six-words I dare not even acknowledge to myself. Let alone, others. Like, it's wrong to want it to work.
It's something I've been questioning myself, my sanity, my plans for some years. Like, it's wrong to wanna be paid for doing something good. But then again, I would question, is what I'm doing even considered good?? And the labyrinth of fuzziness and doubt restart.
I wanna thank you for being real with your struggles. I love how you illustrate those conflicting thoughts in your head. It really made me feel I'm less alone in the madness of my thoughts.
Virtual hugs because of geographical distance,
Melinda
p.s. Fresh from the oven, my just-published post on my jangled thoughts, on how should I move forward with my newsletter, and this whole turning writing & art into a business thing. https://hopemail.substack.com/p/how-to-move-forward-with-hopemail?r=fmhof&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy
Melinda, I love this so much. Thank you.