Hi Nate, I'm a fellow designer who writes 👋. I found you through Salman, and am inspired by how you incorporate your design experience with writing. Something I'm navigating as well. Happy new year!
Well said Nate. Considering sharing something similar. Thanks for the inspiration. The art of the long view as practiced by Kadlac (and the turtle, please more)
Thanks for writing this! I had a little newsletter once upon a time for about 6 months and had 18 subscribers (only 2 were strangers). It got discouraging and I put a ton of pressure on myself to keep writing long, super valuable content every week. Maybe it shouldn’t have been so discouraging after all.
That pressure can feel debilitating, but take it easy on yourself.
Ignore all of the best practices, and find a simple format to lower the barrier. Even if it's just a few links, or publishing every few weeks, you can always build up to longer posts when that feels less daunting.
Spoiler alert: The difficulty of writing never goes away, but after clearing that hurdle enough times, it starts to look much smaller over time.
Hey Nate, I love that you've shared your calendar link. I started doing the same myself recently and have had so many interesting and serendipitous conversations. I tried your link but was given an error — maybe you could share an updated link?
Thank you for sharing, Nate! I’m just getting started with my own newsletter and, although you’re several steps ahead, it’s encouraging to know that we’re on the same path: the slow route, the long road, the journey of seeking quality over quantity.
Also: I found you through Tom and the Figma course you guys are doing! Excited to be following along with that adventure.
And yes, I'm planning to! I have a meeting at the top of the hour, but going to try to wrap it quickly and hop into the livestream. Hope to see you, soon!
Nate, thanks for pulling back the curtain! Absolutely loved this edition! Must've been the time off. ;-)
This line really resonated as something I've personally been trying to make more of an effort in:
"Creating something new is like revealing a new part of your personality your friends haven’t experienced. You’re letting them in on new stories, and secrets, allowing them to open up to you in ways unavailable to them before."
Thanks, Scott! It was fun to write, mainly because I felt it was difficult to talk about numbers that don't feel that large in my mind. It kind of allows me to own the fact that it's slow and arduous but WORTH IT.
That’s the type of relationship I aim to have with most people, and this is an almost automatic way to increase the give:ask ratio.
You’ve been an ongoing inspiration to me Nate, and have had a heavy hand in my own growth. It was wonderful to read about your journey with your writing and take some notes about how we the people can improve on our writing, outreach, community as well!
Happy to have been in on Plan Your Next early. It’s had steady impacts on me over and over again.
Appreciate that Matt. You've inspired me along the way.
Thanks for the shout-out and for doing what you do! Keep up the always great and inspiring work, and Happy 2023!
Appreciate you and thanks for your support!
Hi Nate, I'm a fellow designer who writes 👋. I found you through Salman, and am inspired by how you incorporate your design experience with writing. Something I'm navigating as well. Happy new year!
HNY! You're one of the few! Great to meet you, and I hope you continue embracing writing and designing.
As someone who’s spoken to you twice through a call, glad to have discovered your newsletter. Will have to schedule another call with you again soon!
Thanks, Jonathan! I can't wait to catch up.
Well said Nate. Considering sharing something similar. Thanks for the inspiration. The art of the long view as practiced by Kadlac (and the turtle, please more)
Let's do this together! It will be incredible to see where we are in a few years. Joseph too 🙂
Thanks for writing this! I had a little newsletter once upon a time for about 6 months and had 18 subscribers (only 2 were strangers). It got discouraging and I put a ton of pressure on myself to keep writing long, super valuable content every week. Maybe it shouldn’t have been so discouraging after all.
That pressure can feel debilitating, but take it easy on yourself.
Ignore all of the best practices, and find a simple format to lower the barrier. Even if it's just a few links, or publishing every few weeks, you can always build up to longer posts when that feels less daunting.
Spoiler alert: The difficulty of writing never goes away, but after clearing that hurdle enough times, it starts to look much smaller over time.
Here's to 2023 and Anna's rebooted newsletter! 🥂
Hey Nate, I love that you've shared your calendar link. I started doing the same myself recently and have had so many interesting and serendipitous conversations. I tried your link but was given an error — maybe you could share an updated link?
That's great! I actually took mine down after doing 100+ calls, and after moving this newsletter to https://makeityours.co.
But here's a link for just you and I'd love to chat! https://calendly.com/kadlac/chat-with-nate
Woah, that's awesome!
Thanks for sharing the link, I've just booked a call for next Friday 🙏
Thank you for sharing, Nate! I’m just getting started with my own newsletter and, although you’re several steps ahead, it’s encouraging to know that we’re on the same path: the slow route, the long road, the journey of seeking quality over quantity.
Also: I found you through Tom and the Figma course you guys are doing! Excited to be following along with that adventure.
So glad you found it helpful.
Knowing we're playing the long game takes the edge off of it slightly, doesn't it?
Tom's incredible. You should join us today if you can!
It does! The Infinite Game.
And yes, I'm planning to! I have a meeting at the top of the hour, but going to try to wrap it quickly and hop into the livestream. Hope to see you, soon!
hell ya this rocks thanks for sharing dude!
Thanks Alex! Loved your insight about coming up with a tagline. Might need to do that myself.
Nate - I felt like this post was speaking directly to me and my motive for starting a Substack this year https://robustimperfection.substack.com/p/figuring-out-what-i-have-to-say.
One of my primary goals is finding a community and what you said here makes me feel like I’ve been welcomed into one. Thank you!
YES!! Congrats on setting this up. Can't wait to read more.
Nate, thanks for pulling back the curtain! Absolutely loved this edition! Must've been the time off. ;-)
This line really resonated as something I've personally been trying to make more of an effort in:
"Creating something new is like revealing a new part of your personality your friends haven’t experienced. You’re letting them in on new stories, and secrets, allowing them to open up to you in ways unavailable to them before."
One day, I'll make my first 100!
Thanks, Scott! It was fun to write, mainly because I felt it was difficult to talk about numbers that don't feel that large in my mind. It kind of allows me to own the fact that it's slow and arduous but WORTH IT.
You'll hit 100 before you know it!!
As a writer who designs – and has literally no idea what I want to focus on from minute to minute – I felt this in the depths of my soul.
I love the personality of your site!
It sounds like we're cut from the same pixel. I'm rooting for you from the sidelines!
Thanks, Nate. I think so too! The one thing I do know I want to be is my true, weird self. #stayweird
That's one hashtag I can live by.
I loved this quote:
That’s the type of relationship I aim to have with most people, and this is an almost automatic way to increase the give:ask ratio.
You’ve been an ongoing inspiration to me Nate, and have had a heavy hand in my own growth. It was wonderful to read about your journey with your writing and take some notes about how we the people can improve on our writing, outreach, community as well!
Thanks, Heather! I'm so fucking amped that you're writing online, too. Looking forward to reading more of your adventures.
Can I get an extension to make tweets look like that aesthetic 😀
😂