Love what you’re doing re working fiction by yourself a bit. I’ve just started publishing short fiction serially here for the first time and I find the timing versus quality a tough balance.
What do you think of in process beta readers? I was thinking of trying that out and maybe also a fact-checker myself. I don’t want the quality to suffer but I don’t want to slow down too much yet.
Personally, I don't want beta readers because I just want it to be mine. And I know when it's not feeling right (like right now!). With my first book, I had the worldbuilding pretty much done before I started it (I had completed my graduate studies in catholicism and had studied abroad in Paris and had spend countless trips to New Orleans—I knew what I was writing), but this one I don't. So I think maybe I need to do the worldbuilding work first before I can write it and that's what I'm doing with my newsletter now. But I think it's different for each of us what works and what doesn't. And yeah, it's tricky to figure out that balance!
I'm new to you and took a chance shelling out subscription money. You are touching my wheelhouse looking to the future, where I am the only person I've found coming up with ideas about what we-the-people can do that could redirect us from conflict to cooperation. We are in an old story of capitalism and rugged individualism when science told us not that long ago that we are in a quantum world and need a new story to become a cooperative species. For ideas you won't find elsewhere, that might inspire some content for what you are writing, check out my Substack.
Got “The Nordic Theory of Everything” in the cart... my in-laws are Danish and I spend a fair bit of time there (well, pre-covid... gonna start again here soon, pry myself out of this rut)
I am baffled by Americans who think they have the best of everything when they... don’t. Not even close. There are challenges everywhere, but America is the land of needless friction and questioning the value of things that should not be; like whether or not humans deserve food, water, housing, health care and then only the humans that work deserve these things. Entirely foreign concept to Danes.
Re-entry gets harder and harder every time and one time I’m just not gonna bother coming back. I hope you make it to Europe next year.. mvh
The Nordic Theory of Everything is such a good book and I'm so excited to study it in greater depth (I also really love all the essays written by the author Anu Partanen!) And I agree, I think there are a lot of things the United States could learn from other countries who have this a bit more figured out!
You will be seen as one of the pioneers in this medium, Elle, in the future. I appreciate that you've got a long way to go before it's self-sustaining, but getting to 10,000 subscribers is a massive achievement.
This whole list interests me, and I wanted to float the idea of also doing something in person. I know you mentioned the possibility of a writing group in an earlier thread. Another option could be some kind of regular facilitated meeting that explores new ways to do business. Assuming there's some critical mass of people working in Silicon Slopes who are hungry for new models — and I think (hope?) there are — it could be an additional revenue stream. I'd pay per meetup or pay for, say, an 8-week in-person exploratory course on the topic. I don't yet have the capacity to lead out on something like this, but I'm hungry for it.
Yes!!! I really want to do do this!!!! I've actually been thinking about local literary salons, and specifically a five part dinner series thinking through better capitalist structures. I'm really horrible at events though so I'm partnering with a friend to see if she can help me put them on. I definitely have you on the local list and hope I will be reaching out soon!
I seem to recall reading something from you in an older post about how you and your partner had planned your future while traveling so that you'd hit a point of financial freedom by your mid-30s (though it's possible I've completely made that up and if so disregard all that's set to come).
In my experience the cost of life goes up insanely when we fix ourselves in one point of space, through a house or whatever, and add mortgages etc. (I think we also consume more when we are in a fixed place, something about money not wanting to stay still) and I think something in this is contributing to our struggles with capitalism.
Indigenous Australians lived on the move, burning their land behind them to encourage regrowth and healthy soil, and took what they needed with them.
If you can swing 30k a year purely of your own efforts, through your mind and your hands, you are financially free and can be in movement with no overseer whatsoever - what we own ends up owning us.
What I want to do with this post is reinforce what you might not see: YOU ARE DOING THIS ALL BY YOURSELF! I don't think you need to consider employment as a possible saviour if the situation doesn't work out for you, I think you'd do better to close the door in your mind and give your new path all your energy because this IS the future utopia and you're going to be a leading figure of it.
Thanks again for all your hard work and trailblazing efforts :)
Yes!!!! My husband and I have already achieved financial freedom in that we have no debts, we rent our home when we are away, and we do not own a lot of possessions. We don't need much to be happy and our lives are pretty utopian as it is.
We still desire to earn enough that we can travel, eat, and support the two of us as we move to Europe next year, and that is really all I'm hoping to achieve here. As you've said, it's already incredible to see how this community is coming together here, and I'm definitely putting all my energy here.
Would take this course from you Elle 💓
What course?
There isn't one yet, I'm hoping you'll make it based on all of these books for me to take!!
Love what you’re doing re working fiction by yourself a bit. I’ve just started publishing short fiction serially here for the first time and I find the timing versus quality a tough balance.
What do you think of in process beta readers? I was thinking of trying that out and maybe also a fact-checker myself. I don’t want the quality to suffer but I don’t want to slow down too much yet.
Personally, I don't want beta readers because I just want it to be mine. And I know when it's not feeling right (like right now!). With my first book, I had the worldbuilding pretty much done before I started it (I had completed my graduate studies in catholicism and had studied abroad in Paris and had spend countless trips to New Orleans—I knew what I was writing), but this one I don't. So I think maybe I need to do the worldbuilding work first before I can write it and that's what I'm doing with my newsletter now. But I think it's different for each of us what works and what doesn't. And yeah, it's tricky to figure out that balance!
I'm new to you and took a chance shelling out subscription money. You are touching my wheelhouse looking to the future, where I am the only person I've found coming up with ideas about what we-the-people can do that could redirect us from conflict to cooperation. We are in an old story of capitalism and rugged individualism when science told us not that long ago that we are in a quantum world and need a new story to become a cooperative species. For ideas you won't find elsewhere, that might inspire some content for what you are writing, check out my Substack.
Wow, thank you so much Suzanne, I really appreciate the support! Glad there are more of us out there, and so nice to meet you!
Got “The Nordic Theory of Everything” in the cart... my in-laws are Danish and I spend a fair bit of time there (well, pre-covid... gonna start again here soon, pry myself out of this rut)
I am baffled by Americans who think they have the best of everything when they... don’t. Not even close. There are challenges everywhere, but America is the land of needless friction and questioning the value of things that should not be; like whether or not humans deserve food, water, housing, health care and then only the humans that work deserve these things. Entirely foreign concept to Danes.
Re-entry gets harder and harder every time and one time I’m just not gonna bother coming back. I hope you make it to Europe next year.. mvh
The Nordic Theory of Everything is such a good book and I'm so excited to study it in greater depth (I also really love all the essays written by the author Anu Partanen!) And I agree, I think there are a lot of things the United States could learn from other countries who have this a bit more figured out!
You will be seen as one of the pioneers in this medium, Elle, in the future. I appreciate that you've got a long way to go before it's self-sustaining, but getting to 10,000 subscribers is a massive achievement.
😭 😭Thanks so much Natalie!!!! I'm so very grateful for the journey thus far!
The Dispossessed! One of the best.
This whole list interests me, and I wanted to float the idea of also doing something in person. I know you mentioned the possibility of a writing group in an earlier thread. Another option could be some kind of regular facilitated meeting that explores new ways to do business. Assuming there's some critical mass of people working in Silicon Slopes who are hungry for new models — and I think (hope?) there are — it could be an additional revenue stream. I'd pay per meetup or pay for, say, an 8-week in-person exploratory course on the topic. I don't yet have the capacity to lead out on something like this, but I'm hungry for it.
Yes!!! I really want to do do this!!!! I've actually been thinking about local literary salons, and specifically a five part dinner series thinking through better capitalist structures. I'm really horrible at events though so I'm partnering with a friend to see if she can help me put them on. I definitely have you on the local list and hope I will be reaching out soon!
Yes! I'm horrible at events too, but I enjoy attending and paying for them.
Hi Elle, this is a perfect Friday post. I can feel your enthusiasm, read your voice and get excited about your plans for this newsletter. Thank you ☺️
Keep up the good work!
I seem to recall reading something from you in an older post about how you and your partner had planned your future while traveling so that you'd hit a point of financial freedom by your mid-30s (though it's possible I've completely made that up and if so disregard all that's set to come).
In my experience the cost of life goes up insanely when we fix ourselves in one point of space, through a house or whatever, and add mortgages etc. (I think we also consume more when we are in a fixed place, something about money not wanting to stay still) and I think something in this is contributing to our struggles with capitalism.
Indigenous Australians lived on the move, burning their land behind them to encourage regrowth and healthy soil, and took what they needed with them.
If you can swing 30k a year purely of your own efforts, through your mind and your hands, you are financially free and can be in movement with no overseer whatsoever - what we own ends up owning us.
What I want to do with this post is reinforce what you might not see: YOU ARE DOING THIS ALL BY YOURSELF! I don't think you need to consider employment as a possible saviour if the situation doesn't work out for you, I think you'd do better to close the door in your mind and give your new path all your energy because this IS the future utopia and you're going to be a leading figure of it.
Thanks again for all your hard work and trailblazing efforts :)
Yes!!!! My husband and I have already achieved financial freedom in that we have no debts, we rent our home when we are away, and we do not own a lot of possessions. We don't need much to be happy and our lives are pretty utopian as it is.
We still desire to earn enough that we can travel, eat, and support the two of us as we move to Europe next year, and that is really all I'm hoping to achieve here. As you've said, it's already incredible to see how this community is coming together here, and I'm definitely putting all my energy here.
Thank you so much for the encouragement!
Great comment, I agree completely!
Looking forward to all of it!