You guys, I’m so excited about today’s post, because after months of secretly working on the service and the content, I finally get to talk about my newsletter.

Origin Story

I’ve wanted to start a Words From The Sowul newsletter for… well, an embarrassingly long time. I first announced it on the blog back in August 2015, but I ran into some problems. After spending hours picking out the service I wanted to use, I finally chose MailPoet. I loved its design and ease of use. But something went wrong with the installation, and it stopped working on my site, so I temporarily abandoned the project. (This should have been a warning sign.)

In 2016, I used MailPoet for my newsletter on The Creativity Perspective, the now-defunct web/project that I flirted with for several months. MailPoet worked well on that site, and I was happy with the results.

In February 2017, I returned to MailPoet for Words From The Sowul, choosing to sign up for the premium version so I could get better customer service. They fixed my installation problem in just a day, and I thought I was all set… but then other problems popped up, and the customer service did not respond in a timely fashion. (I had an email thread going with them that lasted over a month.) So I looked around again and settled on MailChimp. I find it less user-friendly, but now that I’ve figured it out, I can see why it’s one of the best-rated services available.

So…why a newsletter?

I’ve always been a big fan of the newsletters of Gabriela Periera and Laura Vanderkam. Even though I read both of their blogs regularly and am the first to purchase their books when released, my favorite content comes via their newsletters. In Gabriela’s case, the DIY MFA newsletter is very personal, giving me insight into her writing process and the inner workings of her marketing genius. Her writing is always extremely persuasive and inspiring. Laura’s newsletter is more matter-of-fact, as is her style, but her positive mindset shows through, and she manages to keep her productivity tips fresh. Even though time management can be a boring topic in some hands, she makes it shine. In short, the content of their newsletters, while similar in some ways to the content they put on their websites and in books, is still unique and crave-worthy.

I see a newsletter as a gift that lands in your in-box once a month or every few weeks. It’s a chance to pause, take a breath, and delve into a fresh worldview.

A good newsletter is like Dumbledore’s Pensieve. You’re dipping into someone else’s story, contemplating their perspective with your own point of view.

What does “The Perspective Post?” mean?

Sorry, but I’m not going to explain that here. I tend to find that learning too much about something makes me less likely to try it, not more. I explain the title –and the theme of the newsletter– in your second email.

Why should I sign up? What’s in it for me?

• A Pensieve into my mind. (I find it a weird and fascinating place.)
• A fresh perspective.
• A breath of air for your inbox.
• AND…. a special, personalized offer for all new subscribers.

 

Wow! What am I waiting for?

Sign up right now! It’ll take about sixty seconds. Use the slide-in box, or (if you’ve already dismissed it) click the tab on the homepage that says “newsletter subscription incentive.” You’ll get a free download as a thank-you for subscribing (that’s in addition to the personalized offer in your welcome email).

Don’t forget to click “confirm” when you get the first email. You won’t be on the list unless you confirm your subscription. And, of course, you can opt out at any time with just a few clicks. But I’m going to work hard to live up to my promises  so that you’ll never want to unsubscribe.

In other news…

I’ll be doing a LIVE reading at the Millbrook Literary Festival tomorrow (Saturday, 5/20/17) at 1:00, if anyone local is interested in attending. I’ll be reading the 750-word essay that got me nominated as a finalist for the Scott Meyer Award. Immediately after the three finalists have read, the winner will be announced. I really really don’t have any expectations of winning, so I’m practicing my “gracious loser” face, a la Joey on Friends. If you come, please stop by and say hello!