Oh thank you so much for your kindness in mentioning my newsletter!! I'm delighted that I've inspired you!! If it helps you: sometimes I think of my sketchbook as a common place book (collection of quotes) with watercolor blobs and scribbles in it.
I want to read your recommendations too, since you have led me already to much wonder already. I'm not sure who led me to whom, but you and Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich are two of my favorite substackers. I wish I had more time and energy to read all the worthy writers. I have wide ranging interests and passions, but lately I am more drawn to inspiration so I will definitely be checking out those posts.
Also, I adore your artwork of the iris. What medium did you use? It is so beautiful, flowing, colorful! I loved receiving February Iris song because I have a tiny iris in the garden called Iris reticulata that is so diminutive (and blue!) that you literally have to get down on your belly to appreciate its beauty since it's only about 4" tall. It's one of the only early bee and pollinator plants left in the garden after that wicked deep freeze killed so many of the plants to feed the Littles. Iris are miraculous creatures!
yes, you both have that purity of spirit, open-minded and open-hearted outlook, even while discussing harder realities. I appreciate this so much. i don't know how to post a pic of the iris... maybe in notes? - if i can find in my many thousands of pictures.
Thanks, you've provided my reading list for the next month with your five favorites.
Great photos. Funny, my Mexican family uses the word, chiflador, as one who whistles. The dictionary says, a fool. Slang infers boastful, at best. I like to think of the falls at El Chiapas as whistling (singing) waters.
Sharing this weird ecosystem with you, I'm curious how you define "substack celebrities." I know what you mean - some folks already seem to have a megaphone on the platform, but are we talking 10,000+ subscribers? Is there a higher threshold than that? I know a few people who are at that level, but they still seem really hungry and like they're only reaching a small portion of the ecosystem.
Definitions! The main criteria is personal impact, but I try to only amplify writers who are in the low numbers (under 3 - 5 K) ... using the word celebrities gives me some wiggle room in case someone with many thousands of subscribers really rocks my world. I've tried to keep these recommendations away from "judgment" (which I do not feel qualified to do) and make them simply about how a specific post impacted me.
I am repeatedly amazed at how many writers here deliver amazing content and are still relatively "undiscovered" in the sense of numbers of subscribers.
Same. Many who have attained enormous followings are amazing writers too, but there's certainly not a direct correlation there. A lot of big name writers brought huge user bases with them here (I very deliberately didn't do that, mainly because of personal/mental health reasons, and I'm so much happier as a result).
I think the first climb to a thousand his incredibly hard. I just spent the better part of a year doing it, and I had the unbelievable luxury of focusing hours every single day here. I think I'm spending about as much time as anyone who isn't doing this as a main source of income could hope to do, and those are my results.
But the time (for me, anyway) just north of a thousand and (probably) up to 3 or 4 thousand is really important, too. I'm figuring out who I want to be when I grow up. I am in this camp right now (very early days), and I can see something akin to what we call the "blue belt blues" in jiu jitsu: just as you seem to attain a bit of recognition and rank, you start getting your ass handed to you by a whole new group. Many quit during this time.
Thanks, Andrew ... all of that makes complete sense. I'm also spending a LOT of time here and grateful to have the time and freedom to explore this incredible offering. Being able to amplify some of the talent and generosity I find here is a major part of the delight in being here.
Oh thank you so much for your kindness in mentioning my newsletter!! I'm delighted that I've inspired you!! If it helps you: sometimes I think of my sketchbook as a common place book (collection of quotes) with watercolor blobs and scribbles in it.
Thank you for the incredibly kind words, Joyce!
You deserve even more!
A damn nice post
I want to read your recommendations too, since you have led me already to much wonder already. I'm not sure who led me to whom, but you and Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich are two of my favorite substackers. I wish I had more time and energy to read all the worthy writers. I have wide ranging interests and passions, but lately I am more drawn to inspiration so I will definitely be checking out those posts.
Also, I adore your artwork of the iris. What medium did you use? It is so beautiful, flowing, colorful! I loved receiving February Iris song because I have a tiny iris in the garden called Iris reticulata that is so diminutive (and blue!) that you literally have to get down on your belly to appreciate its beauty since it's only about 4" tall. It's one of the only early bee and pollinator plants left in the garden after that wicked deep freeze killed so many of the plants to feed the Littles. Iris are miraculous creatures!
I've never seen a tiny iris ... what a delight that must be. And I'm delighted to be in Edwin's company, even at a distance.
yes, you both have that purity of spirit, open-minded and open-hearted outlook, even while discussing harder realities. I appreciate this so much. i don't know how to post a pic of the iris... maybe in notes? - if i can find in my many thousands of pictures.
Thanks, Joyce! I'll be checking these people out! 💙
What a lovely post, Joyce. I'm looking forward to exploring the writing by these authors. Isn't it wonderful when someone's work touches your heart!
Thanks, you've provided my reading list for the next month with your five favorites.
Great photos. Funny, my Mexican family uses the word, chiflador, as one who whistles. The dictionary says, a fool. Slang infers boastful, at best. I like to think of the falls at El Chiapas as whistling (singing) waters.
Sharing this weird ecosystem with you, I'm curious how you define "substack celebrities." I know what you mean - some folks already seem to have a megaphone on the platform, but are we talking 10,000+ subscribers? Is there a higher threshold than that? I know a few people who are at that level, but they still seem really hungry and like they're only reaching a small portion of the ecosystem.
Definitions! The main criteria is personal impact, but I try to only amplify writers who are in the low numbers (under 3 - 5 K) ... using the word celebrities gives me some wiggle room in case someone with many thousands of subscribers really rocks my world. I've tried to keep these recommendations away from "judgment" (which I do not feel qualified to do) and make them simply about how a specific post impacted me.
I am repeatedly amazed at how many writers here deliver amazing content and are still relatively "undiscovered" in the sense of numbers of subscribers.
Same. Many who have attained enormous followings are amazing writers too, but there's certainly not a direct correlation there. A lot of big name writers brought huge user bases with them here (I very deliberately didn't do that, mainly because of personal/mental health reasons, and I'm so much happier as a result).
I think the first climb to a thousand his incredibly hard. I just spent the better part of a year doing it, and I had the unbelievable luxury of focusing hours every single day here. I think I'm spending about as much time as anyone who isn't doing this as a main source of income could hope to do, and those are my results.
But the time (for me, anyway) just north of a thousand and (probably) up to 3 or 4 thousand is really important, too. I'm figuring out who I want to be when I grow up. I am in this camp right now (very early days), and I can see something akin to what we call the "blue belt blues" in jiu jitsu: just as you seem to attain a bit of recognition and rank, you start getting your ass handed to you by a whole new group. Many quit during this time.
Thanks, Andrew ... all of that makes complete sense. I'm also spending a LOT of time here and grateful to have the time and freedom to explore this incredible offering. Being able to amplify some of the talent and generosity I find here is a major part of the delight in being here.