📅 Can you believe I’ve been writing this newsletter for 52 weeks? An entire year. I’ve never missed one or taken a week off—I’ve written in sickness and health, rain and well, no snow here, so sunshine, and in all kinds of moods, through the pandemic round one, and now round two for some of us.
I had no idea going in how much work a weekly newsletter would take, and I learned that weekly is a little too frequent for me in the long run. Most of the good newsletters I enjoy are fortnightly, so you may see where this is going.
I have enjoyed coming up with 52 topics to talk about. I keep a running list on my phone, on my computer and in a notebook (though the only ones that make it to the notebook are the ideas I get while sitting in front of said notebook, which is to say rarely).
Some weeks a brilliant idea crosses my desk or a friend’s dilemma, success or stressor is the perfect fodder for a 6FFMM topic. Sometimes it’s something I’m going through, which lends itself perfectly to writing in the newsletter.
💵 Hello late payments, time management, money mantras, productivity hacks and pandemic follies. And thank you to those who recognize themselves in this content on a regular basis and email me happy to be fodder for my ramblings.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing about writing for writers. Many of you might not know this but I once had a great book proposal on writing that made the rounds through many, many, many publishers.
Finally, my agent at the time told me that what I was proposing to do—take a look at the pitfalls of writing for the women’s magazines— as much as she loved it— was kin to giving people a peak into the sausage factory, and no one really wants to see how the sausage is made.
📖 At the time I wrote a lot for Writer’s Digest and The Writer and I loved writer’s books (still do) and I really, really wanted to write a writer’s book.
So, this glorious foray into writing about writing for writers—well, right up my alley! And stay tuned to maybe see if I can turn some of this first years’ worth of writing content into something bigger.
By the way, I morphed that writing book proposal into a look behind the same curtain of women’s magazines—but not solely for writers, and it became Airbrushed Nation: The Lure & Loathing of Women’s Magazines, published in 2012.
Anyway, where was I? I was about to tell you that I’m first off taking a little break from the weekly newsletter. And when I come back in the new year, I’ll likely make some changes. Going to take out some things I don’t want and put in some things I do want. If you have any ideas for me, please reach out and let me know.
Also, I’m going to a fortnightly schedule because not only is that a cool word that means every two weeks but because it’s a much more manageable schedule. I also may come back with a paid option.
I’m still offering masterminds, but it has been slow. I’ve held some incredible ones and made some lifelong writer friends along the way. I’ve also learned how HARD it is to curate a group of likeminded professionals. I still have people on a wait list who wanted to take a mastermind, but they wanted to do so with a certain group of say, high earners, or writers with 10 years of experience, etc., and let me just say that was super tough if not impossible to curate.
So, if you are on a wait list, and have been for a while, I haven’t forgotten you, it’s simply that the group I was trying to curate, never panned out or got enough members to fill it.
I also had several of you on lists for upcoming masterminds and when I reached out, it wasn’t a good time, or you were going in a different direction or making other business decisions or were just overwhelmed with work or a project.
All this to say, it was really hard to curate masterminds and I may take that in another direction, too.
🙏🏻 So, with all those directions, I just wanted to thank you all dear readers for subscribing, for reading, for emailing me when something struck you funny, interesting, good or just struck you.
I appreciate every single one of you, and those who reached out over the past year and told me they enjoy the newsletter or some week’s topic. Especially all of you who took a mastermind with me, I thank you. I will be back, hopefully new and improved after a brief holiday hiatus.
Wishing you all a wonderful writing holiday season!
Who/What/Where to Watch?
Want to donate books to prisoners? The Prisoners Literacy Project is always looking for books.
Donate a book to Dolly Parton’s charity. The singer’s charity, Parton’s Imagination Library gifts a child a book every two seconds.
Get your books now for the holidays. You may run into a supply chain gridlock.
Obit oopsie! A French radio station published obituaries of people still alive. Mea culpa.
The charm of the large word. In other words, Hemingway vs. Faulkner? Pick a team.
Why we read? Science has the answer. MRI, PET and EEG scans have discovered that reading rewards our ancient hunter-gatherer brain. A fascinating look at pleasing your readers.
Seen on Twitter
Take a Virtual Mastermind with Me!
Six Figure Freelance Mastermind Magic #6FFMM
* sessions are limited to six participants.
Come scale up with us.
Whether you’re looking to make more money, land more clients, add niches, offer a new value proposition or just go in a different direction, and want to mastermind your writing business ideas or problems, a virtual mastermind can be very valuable.
Virtual mastermind groups meet via video conference weekly for 6 weeks.
Each week a different member of the group is in the hot seat and the power of group-think will help them with their business pain points and problems.
Plus, every week you get a chance to roundtable with other writers, and throw out your own conundrums—something sorely missing from our usual week to week.
Masterminds are a great way to scale up, reach higher and give your business a needed boost. All levels and types of writers welcome.
Cost: $250 for six week Mastermind.
Contact me at jennifer@byjennifernelson.com to sign up.
The power of mastermind lies in group think when everyone comes together to make your business better. It really is like magic!
Stay healthy and safe!
See you in the new year,
Jennifer