9 June 2021

So this landed in my inbox this morning:

Val Thinks, my newsletter baby of just under 4 weeks, now has over 100 subscribers!

Given that I’m shooting for thousands, 100 seems a measly amount. But girl’s gotta start somewhere.

Half of the first 100 came from tapping friends, family, and my professional network. (Thank you!)

The second half came from promoting my newsletter in a Facebook group of 1.1 million members for Thais looking to immigrate. I positioned it as English practice… you know, read great writing and improve your English kinda thing.

I don’t think I got any subscribers from this blog yet, but girl’s gonna keep hustling.

If you’ve read this far, you might as well check it out. In the past few weeks, I’ve written about coffee addiction, energy management, and perverse incentives. And I’ve got dozens more topics, ranging from moisterising to identity, in store.

My newsletter will keep your Fridays fun and unpredictable, and will probably make you smile.

Now go show some love.

Yours truly,

Val

19 May 2021

I’m back with some news:

I started a weekly newsletter on Substack!

Yep, indeedio I did.

It’s not something I’ve ever considered. But last Tuesday I read an Economist article about the modern creator industry and the article mentioned Substack as a platform independent writers can get on to get paid for their writing directly. (Obviously Substack takes a cut, but you can’t have your lunch and eat it too!)

Since the platform was mentioned in a reputable newspaper, I figured it was worth checking out. And the article planted the idea of starting a newsletter in my mind.

I’ve been blogging for almost 8 years in a variety of places, and all this time I never really considered making money from my blogs. I didn’t think it would be viable. Plus, I was doing it more for personal enjoyment and to practice writing.

But I think the time has come (no time like the present!) to try and strike out on my own as an independent writer, and a paid newsletter seems like a pretty solid way to do that. My writing, straight to your inbox, and if you want you can feed me for it. (If not, that’s cool. There will always be a free option.)

So, the day after reading the article, I checked Substack out and spent 3 hours setting up my newsletter: Val Thinks.

The idea behind the newsletter is to share a thought with you every Friday. A thought for your metaphorical penny.

This newsletter will be the culmination of a lifetime of reflection, observations, and discoveries. It will cover anything under the sun, from the supposedly mundane to the controversial. I will share with you the best thoughts I’ve ever had that I think have the potential to make your life a better place, change the way you see the world, or even just put a smile on your face.

The first edition of the newsletter went out last Friday mostly to friends and family. The next email will land this Friday, and I think it’s time to share it with my lovely readers.

Check it out, subscribe, and let me know what you think.

Love,

Val