During the Writer Holiday Party, we’d love to hear from you in the thread. We will prompt you throughout the party to share your thoughts on the following questions:
What's your advice to fellow writers heading into 2022? We asked Anna: How do you stop to recognize what you've accomplished? And how do you refocus and refresh when starting a new chapter? How would you answer?
What’s one word you would use to describe how you are feeling about the year ahead?
Remember, you can visit writer and reader profiles by clicking on the profiles of writers in the thread.
Her story reminded me of what happened to me on New Years Eve. I had been featured in a profile in Forbes. Strangely, I was *pissed*. I wasn't even sure why I was in such a rotten, rotten mood until I caught onto the productivity dysmorphia demons in my head. They were beating me over the head with "you must do more to be happy! even this wasn't enough!" I caught onto the absurdity of it and it hasn't had the same power over me since.
The term “productivity dysmorphia” resonated with me. But in a nod to moving away from the language of the 24/7 work culture, may I suggest “progress dysmorphia”?
I loved the term "productivity dysmorphia". I feel as if what I do is never enough, and I know it's a mental distortion. But after more than a year and half writing regularly on Substack, I have started to enjoy looking back and seeing all that work that I've done. Maybe I'm getting better at appreciating my own efforts
"When I’m fretting about my newsletter, a game I like to play is zooming in and out of the graph in the 'subscriber' tab. There, I can see my growth over the last 30 days, 90 days, and all time. My 30-day chart looks like a rollercoaster; a rickety track of dizzying climbs preceded by stomach-flipping descents. Then I toggle to the 90-day view and things look a little gentler. At the “all-time” setting, all the bumps are smoothed out into a healthy line that clearly points upwards. At that distance, I have an uninterrupted view of how much further along I am now from my starting position." - Anna
“The question becomes, how can we recognize our accomplishments in the moment?
For me, the answer lies in getting back to why I write in the first place. I believe that the writing subjects we’re drawn to aren’t random. Richard Bach, the American writer said, 'We teach best what we most need to learn.' And I think the same is true for writing – I write best about the things I need to work out for myself.”
Thank you substack for this loving community - so heart warming to see everyone today and I feel like I belong.. I am right where I need to be.
I can't believe I am self publishing my first ebook tomorrow Dec 21 2021, and this is happening because I made a promise to help folks and be a voice for the unspoken and break the stigma on mental health..
A broken teacup: Filling the cracks with mindfulness, essentialism and self care.
2021 was brutal. I say that because it was super busy and I spent most of the year feeling as if I was driving a car I was trying to upgrade and repair while it was driving 100 miles an hour.
I tend to judge success with the newsletter based on the people who are reading it and sharing it. Mine has added a lot of media industry executives and reporters. Which tells me that there must be some worth there, given they're signing up for something that is going out five days a week. Also, I pay attention to the open rate as a metric to tell how valuable it is to readers.
❓What’s one word you would use to describe how you are feeling about the year ahead❓
Excited! 🤩
Hopeful
Change
strange to say: hopeful!
energized
Growth-inspiring
Faith!!
yes!
Busy
Survival
ready!
Excited! 🚀
Transitory
apprehensive
Exhausting
liberation
Strange (but in a good way).
❓What's your advice to fellow writers heading into 2022❓
Connect with other writers!!
Absolutely. THis has been where my real growth has come this year. I'm grateful to the other writers who've shared their wisdom
Do it for the love of it!
This is something I keep reminding myself of, and it helps!
Write that which either slices you apart in two or stitches you back together. It will do the same for others.
Write for your own pleasure.
write your heart out - when you open your mind to a new possibility, the universe conspires..
Get words on the page - you can always edit it later but you can't do much with a blank page.
Patience.
Write
❓What stood out from Anna Codrea-Rado’s advice column❓
Her story reminded me of what happened to me on New Years Eve. I had been featured in a profile in Forbes. Strangely, I was *pissed*. I wasn't even sure why I was in such a rotten, rotten mood until I caught onto the productivity dysmorphia demons in my head. They were beating me over the head with "you must do more to be happy! even this wasn't enough!" I caught onto the absurdity of it and it hasn't had the same power over me since.
Love the the idea about inability to see progress because of productivity. This is so true in my experience as well.
The term “productivity dysmorphia” resonated with me. But in a nod to moving away from the language of the 24/7 work culture, may I suggest “progress dysmorphia”?
I loved the term "productivity dysmorphia". I feel as if what I do is never enough, and I know it's a mental distortion. But after more than a year and half writing regularly on Substack, I have started to enjoy looking back and seeing all that work that I've done. Maybe I'm getting better at appreciating my own efforts
Not sure how much it works for me because as a fiction writer, I first have to love my story
❓How would you describe 2021 in one word❓
Productive
Mine too
Peaceful
discombobulated.
Yes! :)
Whirlwind
Never knowing
endurance
Hopeful.
Challenging!
Ambitious.
Grind
Fatiguing
Rollercoaster!
You can check out Anna’s Substack here: https://annacodrearado.substack.com/
Germaine de Staël wrote, “The human mind always makes progress, but it is a progress in spirals.”
"When I’m fretting about my newsletter, a game I like to play is zooming in and out of the graph in the 'subscriber' tab. There, I can see my growth over the last 30 days, 90 days, and all time. My 30-day chart looks like a rollercoaster; a rickety track of dizzying climbs preceded by stomach-flipping descents. Then I toggle to the 90-day view and things look a little gentler. At the “all-time” setting, all the bumps are smoothed out into a healthy line that clearly points upwards. At that distance, I have an uninterrupted view of how much further along I am now from my starting position." - Anna
I do this too, and it does help.
love this idea Anna - its all about perspective!
That was a great piece Anna, thank you for sharing!
“The question becomes, how can we recognize our accomplishments in the moment?
For me, the answer lies in getting back to why I write in the first place. I believe that the writing subjects we’re drawn to aren’t random. Richard Bach, the American writer said, 'We teach best what we most need to learn.' And I think the same is true for writing – I write best about the things I need to work out for myself.”
Thank you substack for this loving community - so heart warming to see everyone today and I feel like I belong.. I am right where I need to be.
I can't believe I am self publishing my first ebook tomorrow Dec 21 2021, and this is happening because I made a promise to help folks and be a voice for the unspoken and break the stigma on mental health..
A broken teacup: Filling the cracks with mindfulness, essentialism and self care.
bit.ly/brokenteacup
Grateful!
Just want to second the folks saying that we need to have quarterly parties that are five hours long. 😉
2021 was brutal. I say that because it was super busy and I spent most of the year feeling as if I was driving a car I was trying to upgrade and repair while it was driving 100 miles an hour.
I tend to judge success with the newsletter based on the people who are reading it and sharing it. Mine has added a lot of media industry executives and reporters. Which tells me that there must be some worth there, given they're signing up for something that is going out five days a week. Also, I pay attention to the open rate as a metric to tell how valuable it is to readers.
Hopeful!!!!
Anticipating
Encouraging!
hungry
excited!
Wild.
Buggered 2021
Revolution 2022
1. 2021 = "Unpredictable"
2. We should definitely celebrate what we have made/written, even if it doesn't feel like "success"
3. Advice: Schedule a once-per-week "what I've achieved smugness session"
4. 2022 = "Scared" (and excited)
Failure
Hello Substack world!
1. Fudged-up! (there’s a better word for this but want to keep it PG)
2. Never read her column but the editors pitch article is right up my alley.
3. Why not write while you “lock down” again, and again, and again.
4. Snarky
I am Oludare Victoria from room 10. I am here.
One word for this year? Transition. ‘Nuff said, I think...
Connecting with these writers was lovely and a boost to end the year with. thanks everyone for the positive energy and community.
#4: optimistic!
unstoppable
fearless
Confident
bewildering
Transformational
Turbulent.
about the current year: scary and somehow happy.
Busy
wordcount