Kathleen, great fun that you -- and your guests -- share what you love in popular culture. It's a great way for those of us who don't follow it closely to learn a lot about what's hot and what's not!
The line about not needing to make videos or share your personal life, just engaging on your own terms, is the permission a lot of authors are waiting for without knowing it. I’ve spent the past month building a following almost entirely through genuine comments on other people’s work rather than self-promotion, and it’s slower but it feels sustainable in a way broadcasting never would. The press release versus pitch distinction at the end is worth bookmarking too, most authors send the former when what actually gets read is the latter.
as a legacy mag survivor (last job was as finitas director of Rolling Stone) ai agree substack won't/doesn't replace magazines but the paradoxical relationships here are fascinating and I got frustrated when folk balked at paying $5 for a digital subscription for the entire site/archive at TS but would fork over the same for Matt Tainni solo which is... strange?!
I read the entire interview with Stephani McNeal. It was informative and made me think of my own habits. Whenever I have a flight to catch, I stop at a bookstore and look at its publications. I'll buy a magazine that reaches out to me with valid information like House Beautiful since we're remodeling our kitchen. Fashion magazines are good to look at but not to purchase. Too many advertisements. I used to faithfully buy the New Yorker, but I've noticed that it's either not on the stand or it's out of date. But magazines are all one-sided communications. I like Substack because it gives me a chance for a conversation and write my stories.
This is really interesting, I was talking to one of my former magazine editors about how I like writing a substack, because I miss writing those short, fun pieces. I also used to make $5 a word on magazine pieces, and the last one I was offered was $.50 a word. And now there are barely any magazines to write for. Sigh!
Very appreciative on this note about parasocial relationships, which I don't think we talk enough about as one of the drivers of people being able to "take off" in the attention economy. I have a personality that tends to inspire people to regard me parasocially, and if there's any further advice from a guest on how to better make use of that, I'm here for it! People are constantly booking me as clients and then spending the first few minutes fawning, saying that they feel they know me, etc.--and it feels like they rebook out of wanting a relationship, not even necessarily just what they need that I can offer. It's kind of weird, but it feels promising for my writing career... if I can learn how to work with it better.
I’m always surprised when people talk about enjoying reality tv. I’ve never watched any of it; it doesn’t sound good at all! It sounds vapid. And we all know it’s not actually real.
This seems like a good time and place to ask this: What do people get out of things like shows based on housewives or random celebrities?
(I did watch part of the Survivor episode that had the wife of the then-Illinois governor’s wife on it, because I needed to write about it. It was as bad and shallow as I had assumed and I was never tempted to tune in again. So that’s my only exposure.)
For me, it is a time when I completely shut off my brain. I work at least 12 hours per day, and I work weekends more often than not. Plus grad school and teaching college. Reality TV is my guilty pleasure. It is meaningless, it is fun, and it is cotton candy for my brain. It’s that simple. My true reality obsession: real estate shows. I can watch them for hours.
Kathleen, great fun that you -- and your guests -- share what you love in popular culture. It's a great way for those of us who don't follow it closely to learn a lot about what's hot and what's not!
YM, oh my gosh, memory surge of whole lazy afternoons swallowed by magazines!
The line about not needing to make videos or share your personal life, just engaging on your own terms, is the permission a lot of authors are waiting for without knowing it. I’ve spent the past month building a following almost entirely through genuine comments on other people’s work rather than self-promotion, and it’s slower but it feels sustainable in a way broadcasting never would. The press release versus pitch distinction at the end is worth bookmarking too, most authors send the former when what actually gets read is the latter.
as a legacy mag survivor (last job was as finitas director of Rolling Stone) ai agree substack won't/doesn't replace magazines but the paradoxical relationships here are fascinating and I got frustrated when folk balked at paying $5 for a digital subscription for the entire site/archive at TS but would fork over the same for Matt Tainni solo which is... strange?!
I read the entire interview with Stephani McNeal. It was informative and made me think of my own habits. Whenever I have a flight to catch, I stop at a bookstore and look at its publications. I'll buy a magazine that reaches out to me with valid information like House Beautiful since we're remodeling our kitchen. Fashion magazines are good to look at but not to purchase. Too many advertisements. I used to faithfully buy the New Yorker, but I've noticed that it's either not on the stand or it's out of date. But magazines are all one-sided communications. I like Substack because it gives me a chance for a conversation and write my stories.
This is really interesting, I was talking to one of my former magazine editors about how I like writing a substack, because I miss writing those short, fun pieces. I also used to make $5 a word on magazine pieces, and the last one I was offered was $.50 a word. And now there are barely any magazines to write for. Sigh!
thanks for reading Julie! $5 a word, wow!!!!!
I am very old!
p.s. Writing for Cindy Lieve at Glamour back in the day was my favorite!
Ive heard it was amazing back then! Sadly we never overlapped.
Very appreciative on this note about parasocial relationships, which I don't think we talk enough about as one of the drivers of people being able to "take off" in the attention economy. I have a personality that tends to inspire people to regard me parasocially, and if there's any further advice from a guest on how to better make use of that, I'm here for it! People are constantly booking me as clients and then spending the first few minutes fawning, saying that they feel they know me, etc.--and it feels like they rebook out of wanting a relationship, not even necessarily just what they need that I can offer. It's kind of weird, but it feels promising for my writing career... if I can learn how to work with it better.
I’m always surprised when people talk about enjoying reality tv. I’ve never watched any of it; it doesn’t sound good at all! It sounds vapid. And we all know it’s not actually real.
This seems like a good time and place to ask this: What do people get out of things like shows based on housewives or random celebrities?
(I did watch part of the Survivor episode that had the wife of the then-Illinois governor’s wife on it, because I needed to write about it. It was as bad and shallow as I had assumed and I was never tempted to tune in again. So that’s my only exposure.)
For me, it is a time when I completely shut off my brain. I work at least 12 hours per day, and I work weekends more often than not. Plus grad school and teaching college. Reality TV is my guilty pleasure. It is meaningless, it is fun, and it is cotton candy for my brain. It’s that simple. My true reality obsession: real estate shows. I can watch them for hours.