When it comes to slowing down without stopping, writers recognize the value of intention and focus over sheer output. The key is to manage your creative energy and find a sustainable rhythm.
Interesting that you conflated consistency with volume.
Also struck by the expectation that subscribers might be overwhelmed.
Because I come at writing from a more functional marketing perspective, I've never thought everyone would read everything. Which is depressing yet liberating.
Interesting and a great read as always and yet another reminder that there is no one right way to do this; there's only a right way for you (and me and that dude over there and that chick outside) to do this.
Depressing yet liberating is such a great descriptor here. I don't expect anyone to read anything, but so far I've found this cadence adjustment has helped boost engagement.
I redid my website over the summer while making sense of this volume/consistency discrepancy. Now I publish shorter, daily emails over there on a separate list; which gives me an outlet for consistency, while dialing volume to those who opt-in. At the same time, it's let me turn down the volume on my longer, monthly essays and podcast episodes here on substack—while maintaining consistency.
It’s made such a difference with my own creative energy and enjoyment, and has also boosted engagement on both substack and the daily emails from my website. My theory is that it's created a choose-your-own-volume adventure for readers. So, when they see my name in their inbox—less frequently than before, but still consistently—they've had enough time to miss me.
Thank you for sharing. And yes, writing too much can be a drag.
I’ve published my ‘start up to grown up’ substack weekly. But there are weeks when I think ‘what will I write’. I added the accompanying podcast for more depth and distribution. It’s pretty much my written article so only an extra 20-30 mins to record and quickly edit in Riverside.FM.
But I am very intermittent with the deep and long ‘paid’ posts.
I am only doing a podcast for my How To Make Partner substack. It’s deliberately fairly snackable content. I will often spend a few hours and get 6+ podcast episodes ready to go.
Super cool to hear about your approach. Thanks for sharing! I use Riverside too and I love it—it makes my life so much easier than it would be otherwise.
Deliberately snackable content is an awesome strategy! It's also not really what I make so adjusting my process has been such a huge help.
When it comes to slowing down without stopping, writers recognize the value of intention and focus over sheer output. The key is to manage your creative energy and find a sustainable rhythm.
Absolutely agree!
Interesting that you conflated consistency with volume.
Also struck by the expectation that subscribers might be overwhelmed.
Because I come at writing from a more functional marketing perspective, I've never thought everyone would read everything. Which is depressing yet liberating.
Interesting and a great read as always and yet another reminder that there is no one right way to do this; there's only a right way for you (and me and that dude over there and that chick outside) to do this.
Depressing yet liberating is such a great descriptor here. I don't expect anyone to read anything, but so far I've found this cadence adjustment has helped boost engagement.
I redid my website over the summer while making sense of this volume/consistency discrepancy. Now I publish shorter, daily emails over there on a separate list; which gives me an outlet for consistency, while dialing volume to those who opt-in. At the same time, it's let me turn down the volume on my longer, monthly essays and podcast episodes here on substack—while maintaining consistency.
It’s made such a difference with my own creative energy and enjoyment, and has also boosted engagement on both substack and the daily emails from my website. My theory is that it's created a choose-your-own-volume adventure for readers. So, when they see my name in their inbox—less frequently than before, but still consistently—they've had enough time to miss me.
Thank you for sharing. And yes, writing too much can be a drag.
I’ve published my ‘start up to grown up’ substack weekly. But there are weeks when I think ‘what will I write’. I added the accompanying podcast for more depth and distribution. It’s pretty much my written article so only an extra 20-30 mins to record and quickly edit in Riverside.FM.
But I am very intermittent with the deep and long ‘paid’ posts.
I am only doing a podcast for my How To Make Partner substack. It’s deliberately fairly snackable content. I will often spend a few hours and get 6+ podcast episodes ready to go.
Super cool to hear about your approach. Thanks for sharing! I use Riverside too and I love it—it makes my life so much easier than it would be otherwise.
Deliberately snackable content is an awesome strategy! It's also not really what I make so adjusting my process has been such a huge help.