Sep 11, 2023·edited Sep 11, 2023Liked by Carissa Potter
Hi there, First, let me say... I'm not a paid sub b/c the writers strike has me so crazy poor, it's not even funny, otherwise I would be a subscriber. I first came upon you via Elise Loehnen when I was running The Idealists podcast for LSE. I SO love your illustrations... they always speak to me and I wonder if a Liana Finck strategy might serve you better? My agent recently told me I was always trying to bring the kitchen sink and that I needed to do less... I was already enough. Re: your podcast, I haven't always made it through... not because of you, but just a number of guests, I find, need a degree of "show prep" to be really GOOD guests... But there's something about building a body of work here (paid or not) that feels like the innards of a book? But perhaps shorter posts, maybe akin to Austin Kleon? Just unsolicited thoughts on a Monday from an oldster who appreciates you. :)
OH gosh. I am not begging for people to go paid. But thanks for thinking about that! Ha. BUT I AM asking for advice. And I love your thoughts! Will you tell me more about Liana Finck? How you think she does hers? I thought about a book, I really most enjoy doing the interviews but they could be more refined. Or need to be. But I would have to hire someone to help with the production. All and all, I am really really grateful that you are here and for your advice. What is The Idealists? I should know about that...
The idealists podcast is done, but it gave a voice to loads of amazing women around the world. Liana Finck keeps things simple. Here's her site: https://lianafinck.com/ I so admire her ingenuity. Since you love interviews, but they are a bear to produce, I know a producer from the BBC & NPR who might be able to help. But you could also recast your interviews simply as Creative Hangouts or Salons to deep dive on meaty topics and have those be a subscriber perk. You give so much away is all :) If the interviews are indeed what blow your skirt up... maybe it's worth reaching out to Mark McDonald from the Beeb just to talk. Here's his linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcdonaldus/ His work email is: mediamcdonald@gmail.com I still think you could use the creative fodder from the informal interview/hangouts to spark your illustrations into books, prints, and custom pieces. But just thoughts from an outside observer :)
Do you know him? I love Lilana's work. I def follow her. If I re-cast them as creative hangouts, do you think that the intervieweee would still be willing to do it? I think I did that for Katherine May's Substack, it was really fun and actually fit the content more. ALSO, thank you so much for this help and feedback. I am all ears. And if you think I should reach out to Mark, I will!
Sep 11, 2023·edited Sep 11, 2023Liked by Carissa Potter
I do know him--I worked with him at LSE and when The Empress starts up podcasts, we'll use him again to help launch that. He's an amazing resource with video, getting original theme music for nothing, making sure the episodes are super clean in terms of editing, we had bad audio from the jungle in Africa that he worked magic with. I LOVE Katherine May so much and as a writer, myself, who has been on loads of podcasts as part of a book tour--I always loved when there were more people there and it was a hangout because it took some of the pressure off me to be super "on" and perform solo--so I'd say... some writers might very much enjoy more of panel chat over a solo grilling :) I'll text Mark and say you might be in touch to pick his brain. Again, just love what you're doing!
YOU are going to start a podcast again too? I would love to hear more about that. I am going to email him now. I really appreciate you Alisa, for all your super thoughtful help with this.
Yeah, but knowing me... it will be short, sweet, straight talk-ish and very Mel Robbins-y b/c I'm very much that way... I'm not a shiny broadcaster lady, lol.
This is such an intelligent post. Like Alisa, I'm an older writer, but WAY older Alisa. I'm on strike, as well, although when you're my age, you don't get much work anymore. I have reinvented myself countless times because of career ups and down. I teach screenwriting at USC and people often say to me "don't you feel guilty" knowing most of the kids you teach will never get jobs? My answer: not in the least. Who am to decide who is going to make it and who isn't? As a creative person, you must trust your gut. I know someone who spent their entire life trying to break into the movie business as an actor and never made it. He died miserable. Another friend gave it up at 45, started a new career as a headhunter and twenty years later is happy as a clam. The BEST thing about being a writer is you're a writer simply by writing. If you decide to end your SubStack, you haven't ended your voice! If you love writing and you clearly do, you'll find a way. If we judge ourselves by how much we earn, we're doomed. You can't bank on your writing making you bank! On 9/11 I was at the Toronto Film Festival with a movie I wrote. It took me ten years to get made. It was the thing that was going to give me the career I dreamed about. The US premiere was in NYC. Needless to say it never happened. The only reason I'm telling you this is because as writers we spend a lot of time imaging what our careers will look like. What we have to focus on is writing. You write until it no longer makes you happy to do so. Don't let your disappointment kill your joy and talent.
This comment section is so full of love. It reflects how much you’ve done for others. Glad you’ll be taking care of yourself - even life guards must go home.
Sep 13, 2023·edited Sep 13, 2023Liked by Carissa Potter
I really, really appreciate your decision to honor the pace that suits you for this platform, even when that may not be the pace you would have wished for in the first place. Wishing you lots of peaceful, aligned, resonant times with yourself, your family, your creativity and art. Thank you for being a presence in this space, it is very much appreciated🥹.
Thanks so much Sanika! This was a really beautiful wish to give someone. I want to send it back to you in full force. May there be ease in every step you take. XOXO
The “Something Else” I want to see is just you living your life, loving your family, and resting. I remember discovering your work when I was heartbroken (and you JUST finished at SFAI). I didn’t know you, but you made work (still do) that resonates so deeply with people (around the world). And honestly, I would be happy just to know that you are taking care of you so that you can be there for your loved ones. The “so what now” is on my mind a lot these days (having recently graduated in June and, honestly, no more grad school for me). 😆 What I want and wish for you is comfort and ease and peace of mind that if you left all this and scaled down even more...that what you have given is enough and always will be. But if you wanted to ramp up and do more at some point...that you are allowed to change your mind and do what makes you happy and feeds your soul. I’m just grateful to see have witnessed you being you all these years. ♥️ Sending you a lot of love.
And so now what? I don't know. But I do know I enjoy you Dorothy. I actually didn't know you read this. As a fan of yours for literally 13 years, I will say that I have hope for you. I think I hear that if I let go now, I will have to let go forever. I don't know. Do you feel that way? Are you teaching?
Sep 12, 2023·edited Sep 12, 2023Liked by Carissa Potter
Carissa! I am always so blown away by the amount of content you create and how courageously and generously you share your heart with the world. Even continuing to do that in a more scaled back way will still be such a gift!
But truly, nearly every day I see something new (an email an interview a product) from you and I wonder how in the world do you do it?! I hope you will be able to figure out a balance in your life and work that will still allow you to do your favorite parts. And I hope this choice will open up some space for you to feel more connected and in control again (as much as we are ever in control!)
Sending you lots of love! And looking forward to yoga soon…
Thanks so much Suzanne! I want to do things like Yoga... I also don't do everything alone. I have a really wonderful team at PIL who help sort life out. I think I am just stressed about how much money it requires to keep going...
You do have a wonderful team! But still.. you are a powerhouse! I hear you on the money front. You've grown a ton and I am sure it feels like a lot of responsibility when you have so many people depending on you. And you also want to be able to do the things that are most fulfilling to you. Unfortunately, many of us wind up getting into something because we love it, but then wind up being sidetracked/consumed with all of the business elements. I know you've got lots of great people around you, but I'd be happy to hold space for a conversation around all this and maybe a brainstorm! xo
First time commenting on here, I really enjoy discovering your letter in my inbox.. Today it helped- some days are harder than others. So I need to keep the faith in me and Life and what the Universe has for me . so THANK YOU
Thanks so much! I think about this word you used Alignment a lot. What does that mean? It makes me think in some ways about being a good fit, or traveling downstream vs upstream. I think the issue I have is I don't have a knack for certainty. "Awareness is a gift." No truer words could be said. Thankful for you.
My first thought is you do you. And those who want to follow, will. So, the schedule you laid out - two essays a month, etc - is still A LOT! No need to live up to what others are doing. I can't keep up with most of it and I'm sad when I hit delete cause I just give another 5 minutes of my time to read a mind-blowing essay/memoir/thought/flash. How many times a day can I get my mind blown? I need to be writing myself! Not reading everyone else all day long! Substack is an amazing collection of people and writers, but, man, they (we) all need to scale back! I think you will start a trend. And I pay you cause I can afford to and I want to. You promote me and my books and that is amazing. I want to do the same for you (even if you weren't so supportive of me I would!!) And I love the zoom creative corner. Laurie Stone is offering these to paid subscribers and it's been an amazing perk. So many wonderful connections being made. But YES - you must take care of yourself first. xoxox
OH dear Susan, thanks for the sweet note! I love supporting you. I am going to look up Laurie Stone - She is new to me. I hope you can scale back too! AND HAVE FUN IN ICELAND. Shit. Those workshops are going to be mind-blowingly good.
Your planned content is still a lot to give us. And you're appreciated for that. And what comes next will eventually be revealed and it will be, at least times, amazing, and it's great that you're creating space for it. <3
Hi there, First, let me say... I'm not a paid sub b/c the writers strike has me so crazy poor, it's not even funny, otherwise I would be a subscriber. I first came upon you via Elise Loehnen when I was running The Idealists podcast for LSE. I SO love your illustrations... they always speak to me and I wonder if a Liana Finck strategy might serve you better? My agent recently told me I was always trying to bring the kitchen sink and that I needed to do less... I was already enough. Re: your podcast, I haven't always made it through... not because of you, but just a number of guests, I find, need a degree of "show prep" to be really GOOD guests... But there's something about building a body of work here (paid or not) that feels like the innards of a book? But perhaps shorter posts, maybe akin to Austin Kleon? Just unsolicited thoughts on a Monday from an oldster who appreciates you. :)
OH gosh. I am not begging for people to go paid. But thanks for thinking about that! Ha. BUT I AM asking for advice. And I love your thoughts! Will you tell me more about Liana Finck? How you think she does hers? I thought about a book, I really most enjoy doing the interviews but they could be more refined. Or need to be. But I would have to hire someone to help with the production. All and all, I am really really grateful that you are here and for your advice. What is The Idealists? I should know about that...
The idealists podcast is done, but it gave a voice to loads of amazing women around the world. Liana Finck keeps things simple. Here's her site: https://lianafinck.com/ I so admire her ingenuity. Since you love interviews, but they are a bear to produce, I know a producer from the BBC & NPR who might be able to help. But you could also recast your interviews simply as Creative Hangouts or Salons to deep dive on meaty topics and have those be a subscriber perk. You give so much away is all :) If the interviews are indeed what blow your skirt up... maybe it's worth reaching out to Mark McDonald from the Beeb just to talk. Here's his linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcdonaldus/ His work email is: mediamcdonald@gmail.com I still think you could use the creative fodder from the informal interview/hangouts to spark your illustrations into books, prints, and custom pieces. But just thoughts from an outside observer :)
Do you know him? I love Lilana's work. I def follow her. If I re-cast them as creative hangouts, do you think that the intervieweee would still be willing to do it? I think I did that for Katherine May's Substack, it was really fun and actually fit the content more. ALSO, thank you so much for this help and feedback. I am all ears. And if you think I should reach out to Mark, I will!
I do know him--I worked with him at LSE and when The Empress starts up podcasts, we'll use him again to help launch that. He's an amazing resource with video, getting original theme music for nothing, making sure the episodes are super clean in terms of editing, we had bad audio from the jungle in Africa that he worked magic with. I LOVE Katherine May so much and as a writer, myself, who has been on loads of podcasts as part of a book tour--I always loved when there were more people there and it was a hangout because it took some of the pressure off me to be super "on" and perform solo--so I'd say... some writers might very much enjoy more of panel chat over a solo grilling :) I'll text Mark and say you might be in touch to pick his brain. Again, just love what you're doing!
YOU are going to start a podcast again too? I would love to hear more about that. I am going to email him now. I really appreciate you Alisa, for all your super thoughtful help with this.
Yeah, but knowing me... it will be short, sweet, straight talk-ish and very Mel Robbins-y b/c I'm very much that way... I'm not a shiny broadcaster lady, lol.
This is such an intelligent post. Like Alisa, I'm an older writer, but WAY older Alisa. I'm on strike, as well, although when you're my age, you don't get much work anymore. I have reinvented myself countless times because of career ups and down. I teach screenwriting at USC and people often say to me "don't you feel guilty" knowing most of the kids you teach will never get jobs? My answer: not in the least. Who am to decide who is going to make it and who isn't? As a creative person, you must trust your gut. I know someone who spent their entire life trying to break into the movie business as an actor and never made it. He died miserable. Another friend gave it up at 45, started a new career as a headhunter and twenty years later is happy as a clam. The BEST thing about being a writer is you're a writer simply by writing. If you decide to end your SubStack, you haven't ended your voice! If you love writing and you clearly do, you'll find a way. If we judge ourselves by how much we earn, we're doomed. You can't bank on your writing making you bank! On 9/11 I was at the Toronto Film Festival with a movie I wrote. It took me ten years to get made. It was the thing that was going to give me the career I dreamed about. The US premiere was in NYC. Needless to say it never happened. The only reason I'm telling you this is because as writers we spend a lot of time imaging what our careers will look like. What we have to focus on is writing. You write until it no longer makes you happy to do so. Don't let your disappointment kill your joy and talent.
This comment section is so full of love. It reflects how much you’ve done for others. Glad you’ll be taking care of yourself - even life guards must go home.
I really, really appreciate your decision to honor the pace that suits you for this platform, even when that may not be the pace you would have wished for in the first place. Wishing you lots of peaceful, aligned, resonant times with yourself, your family, your creativity and art. Thank you for being a presence in this space, it is very much appreciated🥹.
Love to you, Carissa ❤️
Thanks so much Sanika! This was a really beautiful wish to give someone. I want to send it back to you in full force. May there be ease in every step you take. XOXO
Thank you to you too!! ❤️
The “Something Else” I want to see is just you living your life, loving your family, and resting. I remember discovering your work when I was heartbroken (and you JUST finished at SFAI). I didn’t know you, but you made work (still do) that resonates so deeply with people (around the world). And honestly, I would be happy just to know that you are taking care of you so that you can be there for your loved ones. The “so what now” is on my mind a lot these days (having recently graduated in June and, honestly, no more grad school for me). 😆 What I want and wish for you is comfort and ease and peace of mind that if you left all this and scaled down even more...that what you have given is enough and always will be. But if you wanted to ramp up and do more at some point...that you are allowed to change your mind and do what makes you happy and feeds your soul. I’m just grateful to see have witnessed you being you all these years. ♥️ Sending you a lot of love.
And so now what? I don't know. But I do know I enjoy you Dorothy. I actually didn't know you read this. As a fan of yours for literally 13 years, I will say that I have hope for you. I think I hear that if I let go now, I will have to let go forever. I don't know. Do you feel that way? Are you teaching?
Carissa! I am always so blown away by the amount of content you create and how courageously and generously you share your heart with the world. Even continuing to do that in a more scaled back way will still be such a gift!
But truly, nearly every day I see something new (an email an interview a product) from you and I wonder how in the world do you do it?! I hope you will be able to figure out a balance in your life and work that will still allow you to do your favorite parts. And I hope this choice will open up some space for you to feel more connected and in control again (as much as we are ever in control!)
Sending you lots of love! And looking forward to yoga soon…
Xo
Thanks so much Suzanne! I want to do things like Yoga... I also don't do everything alone. I have a really wonderful team at PIL who help sort life out. I think I am just stressed about how much money it requires to keep going...
You do have a wonderful team! But still.. you are a powerhouse! I hear you on the money front. You've grown a ton and I am sure it feels like a lot of responsibility when you have so many people depending on you. And you also want to be able to do the things that are most fulfilling to you. Unfortunately, many of us wind up getting into something because we love it, but then wind up being sidetracked/consumed with all of the business elements. I know you've got lots of great people around you, but I'd be happy to hold space for a conversation around all this and maybe a brainstorm! xo
hi
First time commenting on here, I really enjoy discovering your letter in my inbox.. Today it helped- some days are harder than others. So I need to keep the faith in me and Life and what the Universe has for me . so THANK YOU
I need to find that faith in the universe too. I think that the nihilism has got me down.
I would like a little of everything . Most of all just be you . I'd pay for all of the above
This is all I have ever dreamed of hearing. I mean, are you good at telling people what they long to hear?
I doubt it . But I bet that a lot of people , out there, feel the same way about you and all of your art and writing .
Pivot as needed. Alignment to what’s true keeps changing. Your awareness of this is a gift ❤️
Thanks so much! I think about this word you used Alignment a lot. What does that mean? It makes me think in some ways about being a good fit, or traveling downstream vs upstream. I think the issue I have is I don't have a knack for certainty. "Awareness is a gift." No truer words could be said. Thankful for you.
My first thought is you do you. And those who want to follow, will. So, the schedule you laid out - two essays a month, etc - is still A LOT! No need to live up to what others are doing. I can't keep up with most of it and I'm sad when I hit delete cause I just give another 5 minutes of my time to read a mind-blowing essay/memoir/thought/flash. How many times a day can I get my mind blown? I need to be writing myself! Not reading everyone else all day long! Substack is an amazing collection of people and writers, but, man, they (we) all need to scale back! I think you will start a trend. And I pay you cause I can afford to and I want to. You promote me and my books and that is amazing. I want to do the same for you (even if you weren't so supportive of me I would!!) And I love the zoom creative corner. Laurie Stone is offering these to paid subscribers and it's been an amazing perk. So many wonderful connections being made. But YES - you must take care of yourself first. xoxox
OH dear Susan, thanks for the sweet note! I love supporting you. I am going to look up Laurie Stone - She is new to me. I hope you can scale back too! AND HAVE FUN IN ICELAND. Shit. Those workshops are going to be mind-blowingly good.
Your planned content is still a lot to give us. And you're appreciated for that. And what comes next will eventually be revealed and it will be, at least times, amazing, and it's great that you're creating space for it. <3
really love your content, hope to see more things coming <3 thank u