400 days of sharing links

Hey.

Yesterday marked the 400th (!) edition of Read This.

That's 400 weekdays of sharing links and ideas from 280+ different sources across the internet. That's 400 things I thought might be helpful for someone trying to build an audience around their creative work, with an email newsletter at the center.

Full disclosure: I haven't hit 400 straight weekdays. There have been a few long streaks (106 is my current record), and a few stretches where the sharing slowed down (or dried up completely). So it goes.

Read This started as a small challenge: could I connect others with interesting and helpful information without relying on social media (and enjoy the process along the way)? The answer is, well, yeah, totally. What started as a small game has turned into something I genuinely enjoy. It's led to new opportunities, conversations with interesting strangers, and plenty of thoughtful replies from folks on this list.

So, thank you. Thank you for subscribing, opening, clicking, and responding when something I shared resonated with you.

Anyway: As always on the 100s, here’s a batch of my favorite recent finds.

14 books that shaped the way we think about newsletters

And that might help you.

The audience shortcut

How the right people paying attention changes everything.

Build a labyrinth, not a funnel

On prioritizing process, adventure, and pathways — over metrics and conversions.

Everything I know about self-publishing

An incredibly comprehensive breakdown of your options by Kevin Kelly.

Hide & Seek

DW Winnicott on creativity.

Interest in everything

Stuck? Trust your own interest.

Make something heavy

We're creating more than ever, but it weighs nothing.

Resonance over reach

The 3 pieces of a clear, memorable, differentiated message

The case for making art when the world is on fire

A short video.

The social media mirage

And the humble email.

There is only one hack

Do it for a decade.

Two rules for a better audience

Interest is everything.

A small invitation...

One last thing. To push back against the algorithms and connect more human-to-human, I offer complimentary office hours.

If you want to talk through a question about your newsletter; think through a new marketing strategy; catch up, generally; or just chat with someone else trying to figure all this stuff out ... you can schedule a 30-minute convo right here.

No pressure, of course. But I always enjoy the conversations. Thanks for reading. I'll check back in after another 100 (if not before).

See you in your inbox,