The Full Breakdown

• 0:00 – The “Off the Record” Intent Moving past polished tutorials to discuss the raw, often messy reality of the creator economy.

• 05:15 – The Leap from Corporate Mike discusses the transition from a traditional career to writing full-time and why he views Substack as a relationship tool rather than just a blog.

• 15:30 – Identifying the “Puddles” The core philosophy of the session: avoiding “puddles” like over-editing, obsessing over unsubscribes, and getting distracted by technical “feature creep.”

• 28:45 – The Minimum Viable Post (MVP) How to kill perfectionism. Mike explains his workflow for testing ideas in Substack Notes before committing them to a full-length article.

• 42:10 – Growth via the “Internal Engine” Why external SEO matters less than the Substack network. Insight into leveraging Recommendations and cross-stack collaboratio…

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To watch more related content, please subscribe to my YouTube channel @rajofftherecord.

Here is a summary:

• Proposed Elimination: The main focus is on bills being introduced by some lawmakers, including a Florida representative, to completely eliminate the H-1B visa program. The proposed legislation, titled the “EXILE Act,” is framed to end what proponents call “Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions Act”

• The Argument for H-1B: Larry Bone argues that eliminating the program would be detrimental to technological excellence in the U.S. He contends that companies rely on highly qualified foreign workers, often with advanced degrees, to maintain a competitive edge, and restricting this talent could hurt the companies and the overall economy.

• Proposed Reforms: The guest suggests that if American students are facing unfair disadvantages in the job market, the government should focus on reforming the program legislatively to address these specific issues, rather than cutting out the whole program.

• Administrative Changes: The discussion also touches on recent changes by USCIS, which have moved away from a purely lottery system for the visa and are introducing a tiered, qualification-based selection process (favoring higher degrees like PhDs).

• Impact on Students: The video highlights the real-world consequences of the uncertainty, noting that many students are currently in a state of limbo, with some interview appointments being postponed and others choosing to leave the country early.

This is a developing story.

Video Guide & Key Moments

• 00:00 – The Performance Trap An introduction to why memoir is so difficult today. We discuss the tension between our “public selves” and our “remembered selves.”

• 08:15 – The Act of Excavation Dr. Naik explains her process for digging through old memories. It’s not just about what happened, but about finding the emotional truth buried under years of perspective.

• 18:30 – Family, Ethics, and Shared History A major hurdle for every memoirist: How do you write your truth when it involves other people? Insights into navigating the complexities of family stories.

• 28:45 – Killing the Inner Censor Practical strategies for overcoming the fear of judgment and the instinct to “sanitize” your life story for an audience.

• 38:20 – Writing as a Mirror A look at how journaling and long-form reflection act as tools for personal clarity, helping the writer understand their own patterns.

• 44:10 – Living Honestly Final thoughts on how the discipline of memoir writing eventually bleeds into real life, leading to more authentic interactions and self-awareness.

Top 3 Takeaways for Aspiring Writers

1. Truth over Facts: A memoir isn’t a legal deposition. It’s an exploration of how a moment felt and how it shaped you. Don’t let a missing date stop you from writing the feeling.

2. The “Two-Year” Rule: Much like Mike Searles’ advice, writing is most effective when you speak to a past version of yourself. It grounds the narrative and removes the need to “perform.”

3. Journaling is the Gym: You don’t start with a book; you start with a page. Use consistent journaling to build the “memory muscles” needed for larger projects.

Find more content on my YouTube channel @rajofftherecord, for more conversations with writers about their craft, and why any of it matters.

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This video features a discussion with Marc A. Wolfe, author of the book “Yeah, But... Cut Through the Noise to Live, Learn & Lead Better.” The conversation centers around his book, his journey as a first-time author, and the concept of overcoming “yeah buts” or limiting beliefs.

Here’s a summary of the key points (summarized by Google Gemini):

• About the Book “Yeah, But” (1:30-2:21): Marc explains that the book was 14 years in the making, born from the common phrase “yeah, but” which he heard frequently in his career. He realized that “but” often negates possibilities, and the book aims to help people overcome these limiting beliefs, including his own initial “yeah, but” about writing a book (2:52-3:17).

• Marc’s Background and the “Yeah Buts” (4:06-5:36): Marc has owned his own business since he was 16. He encountered “yeah buts” early in his career, even in technology and coaching, where people had limiting beliefs about new systems or strategic plans. He emphasizes that “yeah buts” are limiting beliefs that can hold people back, often originating from past experiences.

• The 15 “Yeah Buts” in the Book (8:49-10:01): The book covers 15 common “yeah buts,” structured into five sections:

  • Time-based: “I’m not ready,” “Somebody already did it,” “I don’t have time” (20:57-21:04).

  • Path-based: “I don’t know where to start,” “I don’t know what to do next,” “What’s the plan?” (21:06-21:10).

  • Worry-based: “I’m not sure I can do it,” “It’s not safe,” “I need help” (21:12-21:16).

  • Demographic-based: “I’m too old or too young,” “You can’t where I’m from,” “I’m not qualified” (21:17-21:24).

  • Perspective-based: “I don’t feel successful,” “What will others say or think?”, “What if I fail?” (21:24-21:30). The book also includes a final chapter, “Yeah, but now what?” (9:59-10:02), and features 25 stories of people who have overcome their “yeah buts” (10:17-10:31).

• The Book as a Tool (11:18-12:01): Raj highlights that the book is evergreen and can be revisited repeatedly, as people go through cycles of limiting beliefs. Marc designed it so readers can pick up any chapter relevant to their current “yeah but” (12:56-13:00). Each chapter includes a “but buster” section for self-reflection (15:32-15:59).

• Marc’s Biggest Struggle (17:03-18:00): Marc reveals his biggest “yeah but” was “What are others going to say?” or “What are people going to think?” as he was not a professional writer.

• The Publishing and Marketing Journey (24:02-32:50): Marc details his extensive process for publishing and marketing his book, including:

  • Using Reedsy.com to find editors (24:28-26:50).

  • Learning about different types of editors (developmental, copyediting) (25:50-26:00).

  • Emphasizing that the book was not written with AI (26:17-26:26).

  • Working with a UK-based editor for 18 months on cover design, editing, and layout (26:50-27:29).

  • Registering with the Library of Congress and obtaining ISBN numbers (27:41-27:44).

  • Ensuring worldwide distribution through platforms like Ingram (27:44-27:47), leading to sales in Italy, Sweden, and Brazil (27:48-27:53).

  • Producing the book in multiple formats: hardcover, paperback, ebooks (Apple, Kindle), with an audiobook in the works (28:05-28:22).

  • Handling the marketing himself (29:02-29:03), leveraging his business background and CRM to track advanced reader copies, engagements, and endorsements (29:06-29:35).

  • Acknowledging that most first-time authors sell fewer than 100 copies, and many book buyers don’t read the books they purchase (31:36-32:05).

• Prioritizing Time and Value (33:09-35:50): Marc introduces his “wolfeisms” acronym BUMPT (Best Use of My Prioritized Time) (32:57-33:03). He advises people to read his book first before asking for his time, establishing a barrier that shows willingness to invest in themselves and value his time (34:00-34:52).

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Conversation Summary (by Google Gemini)

This video captures a live session that encountered initial technical difficulties (0:01-0:12), leading to the host, श्रीraj, temporarily losing his intended guest. While waiting, he discusses the new desktop live streaming feature (0:27-0:31) and invites viewers to join and test it out (0:37-0:50).

The original topic for the live session was “street photography in the age of smartphones” with Rajiv Chopra from Delhi (1:48-1:52, 35:56-36:03), but due to his absence, the conversation shifted.

Larry Bone, an author, unexpectedly joins the live stream (3:14-3:26). The host introduces Larry’s book, Myself Lost (4:43-4:57), a thriller about a character named Lal Benjamin (or Red Benjamin) who experiences challenges while visiting India for the first time (10:19-11:03). A unique aspect of the book is that Larry wrote it without ever having been to India, relying on extensive research and his knowledge from Bollywood movies (11:19-11:37, 13:38-13:50).

Larry discusses his two-year writing process (16:58-17:02) and how he was motivated to finish the book by a colleague from Kerala (17:19-18:08). He also touches on the challenges of marketing his book, particularly to an Indian audience (26:38-27:46), and the hope of attending the Jaipur Book Festival (32:33-32:52).

The host also mentions other Substack authors and their works, including Alicia, a house sitter (34:38-35:05), and Flavio, a photographer (29:30-29:55), who recently visited India. The session concludes with the host expressing excitement about the new desktop live streaming feature (36:10-36:23) for building community and promoting content on Substack (40:09-41:04).

Get more from श्रीraj in the Substack app

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Conversation Summary (by Google Gemini)

This live session is a conversation with Rajiv Chopra about various topics, from personal journeys to cultural insights. The purpose of the live session as an opportunity to connect with people (0:39-1:11) and our shared passion for writing and photography as a way to escape the current political climate (1:28-2:06).

Rajiv resides in India (3:07-4:19). The conversation highlights interesting ways people travel the world, including an introduction to Alicia, a global house sitter (4:42-6:20), and Flavio, a volunteer traveler (6:26-6:50).

Rajiv shares his personal history, describing himself as part of the “sandwich generation” due to his family’s refugee status during the 1947 partition of India (7:27-10:03). He recounts his career journey from engineering to corporate life, and his unexpected …

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For me, it’s the cafe I stopped over at Lorne, Australia. We were driving back to Melbourne after a day of exploring the scenic views and beach towns along the Great Ocean Drive when I noticed a quaint little coffeehouse on the roadside overlooking the ocean. Since then, I’ve dreamt of opening my own cafe someday, when I am ready to slow down and ease into life.

For world travelers, Mykonos (Greece), seems to be the hot spot to relax by the seaside with their favorite cup o’ joe. Similar bucket list destinations flaunt breathtaking views, attracting tourists from all over the world to the lure of watching boats pass by as they sip on a cappuccino.

Unique cafes are popping up everywhere, even in small remote forgotten places. In my hometown in South India, we now have a retro themed highway tea stop which has been capturing the intrigue of young Instagrammer’s. Their USP? A recreated 1970’s village vibe! All it takes is one reel from an influencer to ensure their cash registers don’t stop ringing. The only caveat is that the place needs to be easily accessible, politically stable, and structurally intact.

For Yosef, his unique cafe was supposed to be in his homeland - the Gaza Strip.

It would have been centrally located on his beach-facing family land situated alongside Al Rashid Street, bringing Gazans from the North and the South of the strip to experience a cafe culture that’s not common to the region.

Yosef dreamt a life of a cafe owner. He would start his day early to serve his famous Mazaj Latte to the morning commuters along the Gaza strip, to brighten up their morning with the freshness of pistachios and cardamom infused in his signature drinks.

It would have been Deir Al Balah’s very own Deir Cafe, if October 7th, 2023, was just another peaceful day in the Gaza Strip.

That morning, when yet another Israel-Palestinian war was about to become breaking news, Yosef logged into zoom waiting for his interior designer in Gaza to join from the site, eager to see the progress they were making on his dream seaside cafe. No one joined. Instead, he received a call from his cousin in the Gaza Strip about the unfolding situation.

We all know what happened next. As millions in Gaza woke up from their dreams to the nightmare that would upend their lives for more than a year, Yosef watched another war break out in his homeland.

War was not new to Gaza nor was it to Yosef. He had seen the loss and devastation it brought from the frontlines during the Israel-Palestinian conflict1 of 2020. Yosef was a young aspiring doctor of internal medicine at the time, working in every ward at the Al-Shifa Hospital2 as part of his residency, including the casualty ward where his steady hands were entrusted to stitch up war-torn men, women and children of the Gaza Strip.

The Al-Shifa Hospital is in ruins today, and buried underneath the rubbles are the dreams and aspirations of many Gazans. Only some got to live another day, to rewrite their stories, or to rebuild their dreams. Yosef was one of the lucky few.

In November 2024, a year after that fateful October day, Deir Cafe opened its door 7000 miles away at the buckle of America’s Bible Belt in Nashville, Tennessee. At this ethnically inspired coffee house there is no calming sea breeze flowing in nor the warmth of an Arabian sun shining through. The setting is wildly different from what Yosef had imagined it would be, but the culture of Gaza thrives at this little neighborhood cafe through inspired lattes, tasty treats, and lively conversations.

Today, 6 months in, Yosef serves a diverse customer base - Middle Eastern, American, Asian, and Indian; families, students, tourists, and local Nashvillians. People from all walks of life find their way to Deir Cafe, the first Palestinian-owned cafe in Middle Tennessee.

As I sit here and write this, an Egyptian artist fills the air with soft tunes, and Yosef is busy preparing orders one by one, making his unique cardamom and pistachio infused caffeinated drinks for customers who hang out for hours together. The doorbell chimes as customers pop in and out with their takeaway coffee, and on the paper cups they find their names inscribed in Arabic.

For many the cafe is a home away from home. For some the cafe pays tribute to what got lost in conflict. For me this is a place that brings back fond memories of a childhood long gone.

It’s peaceful here. No politics, no fights, no divide.

At Deir Café3 everyone is welcome.

For the past four months, I had been immersed in the whirlwind of wedding planning—from scouting the dream venue to helping her choose her perfect dress, and every detail in between. These were moments I would cherish forever. My firstborn was marrying the love of her life. Her fiancé, a kind and remarkable young man.

Though she lives 967 miles away, the anticipation was palpable. My tickets were booked, and my hotel reservations confirmed. The countdown had begun.

Then my phone rang. The caller ID displayed: "Vanderbilt Medical Center." I picked up, not thinking much of it. The voice on the other end changed everything.

I was officially on the kidney transplant list.

Disbelief, joy, gratitude, excitement, and fear swept over me all at once. I had been waiting for this moment for seven long years. This was my third attempt to get placed on the kidney transplant list at Vanderbilt.

How Did I Get Here?

At just 15, a life-altering diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease cast a long shadow over my future. My kidneys were now riddled with countless cysts, beginning a slow decline. Seven years ago, the grim reality of stage five kidney disease loomed large. A transplant or dialysis became the only options to keep me alive.

In an effort to avoid the inevitable, I sought a kidney transplant before dialysis became necessary. Twice, hope was dashed by rejection,due to underlying health conditions.

Six long years of dialysis, constant pain, and invasive treatments, countless surgeries, and large needles. The past six years have been a relentless, grueling battle. Each day was a precarious tightrope walk, a constant gamble with life and death. Yet, despite the immense physical and emotional toll, I am profoundly grateful for the precious gift of life it has afforded me.

A relentless cycle of treatments, both in the sterile clinic and the sanctuary of my home, became my lifeline. The constant fear of missing a single treatment, of succumbing to the disease's relentless grip, was a heavy burden to bear. Yet, amidst the hardship, I discovered a strength and resilience I never knew I possessed.

Every day was a conscious choice to live. While others wake up to life effortlessly, I had to work for it. My three children, especially my youngest, who was just a kindergartener when my health took a turn, were my unwavering source of strength.

I vividly recall picking him up from school after dialysis, my body heavy with exhaustion, my head throbbing with pain. Often, I would pull over to rest, ensuring our safe journey home.

Now, The Unimaginable Choice.

13 days later, after that initial call, Vanderbilt called again—they had a kidney for me! I couldn’t believe it. My daughter's wedding was only six days away, and now I had to choose: accept the life-saving organ I had waited so long for or attend my daughter's wedding.

A whirlwind of emotions surged through me. What should I do? The decision weighed on me like a ton of bricks. The clock was ticking, each heartbeat a drumbeat echoing the gravity of the moment. The organ was already at the transplant center, kept on ice.

I had just one hour to decide whether to head to the hospital or turn down the offer. Do I say no to a chance at freedom and a normal life to attend daughter's wedding? It was a tough choice.

I called my daughter to tell her. She was with her fiancé when she answered. I explained the situation. They were both so happy for me. With love and unwavering support, they told me to go for it.

"Don't let this opportunity pass you by," they said.

Her calm and immediate reassurance reflected the incredible woman she had become.

I spoke with my youngest daughter and other family members, and they all echoed the same advice.

"Get the transplant."

For them, the choice seemed clear. Yet, for me, it was anything but. The thought of missing my daughter’s wedding pained me deeply. At the same time, the prospect of a healthier life filled me with hope and gratitude.

I reconciled my decision by focusing on the many key life events I would be present for in the future. I felt a sense of clarity as the time ticked down. Never had I felt so much support from my family as I did at that moment.

I took an Uber alone to Vanderbilt. The drive to the hospital felt surreal—emotions swirling, thoughts racing. My mother and uncle met me at the hospital and stayed by my side through the pre-op testing and preparations. Their support meant the world to me.

I felt like a celebrity when one of the surgeons personally wheeled me into the OR for the urgent transplant. The chief of the department performed my surgery, and I couldn’t stop singing and humming "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" throughout the pre-op.

The surgery went well. My new kidney started producing urine on the surgical table—a sign of success. I hadn’t been able to urinate in four years. When I woke up in the recovery room, surrounded by angels (the nurses), I felt immediate relief. I had a new birthday: September 30, 2024.

I am eternally grateful to the donor and their family for this incredible gift of life. Their generosity will allow me to share countless more moments with my three children.

I was discharged from the hospital the day before my daughter’s wedding.

The Wedding Day!

I wore my purple gown, and ordered a salmon dinner, the same meal I would’ve had at the wedding. I watched my eldest daughter get married live on FaceTime with my other daughter, who stayed to support me after my transplant.

I’m deeply grateful for her help. It was bittersweet—heartbreaking not to be there in person, yet filled with gratitude for this second chance at life.

The wedding was everything she had dreamed of. The New England fall foliage was vibrant, the sun shone in a clear blue sky, and the warm 75-degree weather was perfect. She looked stunning in her vintage lace gown, holding her bouquet of wildflowers under a beautifully decorated arch.

Since the transplant, my health has transformed. I was at stage 5 kidney failure, on dialysis five days a week, unable to urinate or eat many of the tropical foods I loved. Now, I can drink freely, enjoy my favorite meals, and keep up with my son, and be there for both of my daughters. My energy has returned, and life feels brighter.

Looking back, I am confident I made the right choice. Though I missed my daughter’s wedding, I gained the ability to share in many future milestones. As autumn painted the world in vibrant hues, my daughter and I both embarked on new chapters. For me, it was freedom from dialysis and renewed hope. For her, it was the beginning of a beautiful journey with her husband.

It was a time of inexplicable grace.

Yeoh-ho stated a revolution, but it had one major flaw. Every citizen started to believe their truth. If your source of truth isn’t mine, then yours must be fake news. If hate news outlets are an abomination for some who demand censorship, it is a constitutional right for others. We have lost trust in government, but we believe in the truth socials controlled by megalomaniacs. We are skeptical about what the Center of Disease Control (CDC) warns us because a TikTok trend says otherwise. I can go on, but you get the gist.

Part 1: Substack’s Free Speech Issue

I am writing this post on a platform where many writers congregate. Some of the smartest and brightest creative minds share their thoughts here, including authors, journalists, and influencers. Since 2020, Substack has been a space where creative freedom is valued. But their “hands-off approach to content moderation” has created a divide among its writers — one camp for unregulated free speech and the other for regulated free speech.

It started when The Atlantic published an exposé article: Substack Has a Nazi Problem. This kicked off a battle between the powers that be of Substack — its founders and their golden children. Many open letters were written, secrets conversations were had, and petitions were signed. In the end, many writers packed their thoughts and left. Casey Newton was one of them.

Casey, a prominent tech journalist who left The Verge to create a technology newsletter called “Plaftormer”, was one of Substack’s original success stories. Earlier this month, he announced his decision to leave Substack. He explained that his choice to find a new home on the Ghost platform, a competing independent publishing platform, is the result of Substack’s unwillingness to mend their rules for stricter moderation of content.

Meanwhile, the main stream media did not waste the opportunity to kick Yeon-ho’s revolution where it hurts. The Guardian reported this: Reporter Casey Newton takes more than 170,000 subscribers elsewhere over company’s failure to police extremist content. The Verge said this: Platformer is leaving Substack over its policies around pro-Nazi publications using the platform.

But substack stood their ground with minimal concessions while their opposition moved on. The fight was over but left behind in its aftermath are the many independent publishers who couldn’t afford to leave for various reasons. Many are in limbo, undecided, trying to grapple with the guilt of having sold their souls to the devil. They are the underdogs of Substack, and the next part is for them.

Part 2: Q&A with Casey Newton

I found Casey’s farewell post “Why Platformer is leaving Substack” to be a compelling one. It was a graceful exist and I admire that about him. So I decided to reach out and requested for an offline Q&A to help me make sense of it all. To my surprise, he obliged.

In my questions, I quoted Casey’s statements from the article that stood out to me, starting with how he credited Substack for Platformer’s growth:

In 2023, we added more than 70,000 free subscribers. While I would love to credit that growth exclusively to our journalism and analysis, I believe we have seen firsthand how quickly and aggressively tools like these can grow a publication.

(This made me wonder if my newsletter with <500 subscribers would be at a disadvantage if I left.)

Me: What can you tell us newbies about Ghost’s ability to do the same for us if we were to migrate now?

Casey: Ghost has a free concierge service which we used to help us migrate. We had some issues as we made sure all the subscriptions were ported over properly, but on the whole it went very smoothly. 

Substack’s tools are designed to help publications grow quickly and make lots of money — money that is shared with Substack. That design demands responsible thinking about who will be promoted, and how. 

(While I agreed with Casey’s statement above, I wondered what stops other independent publishing platforms, like Ghost, from changing their policies in the future.)

Me: In your opinion, how do we keep these platforms accountable beyond just taking their word for it?

Casey: You can keep searching Substack for Nazi blogs and writing about them! I hope journalists and other users of the platform continue to pay attention.

Me: The crux of the issue is Substack’s unwillingness to stop promoting hate speech content via Notes, its weekly email digest, and any algorithmic ranking logic that curates such content on our feeds. Should we still be hopeful that Substack will do the right thing someday, if we continue to protest from within and outside the platform? 

Casey: They seem pretty set in their ways. I don't expect to see a real change until some sort of true crisis.

We didn’t ask Substack to solve racism. We asked it to give us an easy, low-drama place to do business, and to commit to not funding and accelerating the growth of hate movements. Ultimately we did not get either.

Me: Given your relationship and experience with Substack, would Platformer continue to lead this fight for/with us?

Casey: I think we've kind of had our say here ... we're looking forward to getting back to doing our journalism and spending less time thinking about our email provider.

Ghost tells us it has no plans to build the recommendation infrastructure Substack has. It does not seek to be a social network. 

Me: This concerns me. If not for these recommendation engines and algorithms, how else can writers grow their publications quickly and organically, on any platform for that matter?

Casey: Through great writing and reporting. I think it's a mistake to rely on algorithms to grow your audience ... Substack's recommendations are basically a dark pattern that encourage people to sign up for newsletters without even knowing what they're about. It gives you a vanity metric that you can brag about, but most of those subscribers will never even open your emails. So focus on writing something good enough to get someone to authentically share it and forget about the algorithmic promotion.

Me: Platformer’s focus seems to be on topics concerning social networks and tech primarily. Meanwhile, my small publication “The Marinade” focuses on global politics, diversity in culture/lifestyle, and travel. 

Do you have any suggestions for the smaller aspiring newsletters on how to stay relevant in this very competitive space? There really is no secret here — you've just got to show up on a regular basis and have something interesting to say. If you do that, readers will follow!

Me: Substack and Platformer have paved the path for many of us who aspire to make our mark in this revolution. I speak for many underdogs writers when I say that we need both — a platform that helps us grow fast and success stories such as yours for inspiration. Casey, I want to thank you for taking time out to respond to these questions. I truly appreciate it.

Casey: Thanks for having me.

Part 3: Why I’m Not Leaving

A part of me wishes to leave Substack. The other part intends to fight the system from within. Casey’s responses helped me decide on the latter.

I can’t grow my publication unless I have the tools to do so. Casey is the living proof of that. I realize that some of Substack’s metrics are simply “vanity metrics” like Casey puts it, but how else would I know that I’m on the right track? If not for the chart that plots an upward trend of free subs, I would begin to doubt my writing and eventually, my confidence.

I understand Substack is an open marketplace. I don’t agree with their choice of whom they do business with, or their policies. But as long as I still have the power to choose what I consume, and the option to block people or content that I disagree with - I am deciding to stay.

So I will keep writing and growing my reach here by building on the momentum I currently have. It wasn’t easy to get here, and it’s not going to be easy to grow. I have no choice but to stay.

But that’s my choice. Not yours. For those who are still undecided, I have this to say: When we are faced with conflicting choices, and when we don’t know what to do, we just have to decide to pick the one that is our truth, and stick with it. That’s what Casey did. That’s what I am doing.

Thanks for reading.

For writers who would like to understand the process of transitioning to the Ghost platform, please read my Q&A with ex-Substacker.

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The First 500 Club

This is Christine, a successful Romance Author who has written plenty of books, enough to fill a bookshelf. Take a look at this Good Reads showcase and you will see. But that’s not how I came across Christine’s work.

Lately, I have been on the lookout for some writer-friendly stickers to decorate my laptop. When I’m on a writing spree at a coffee shop, I want these stickers to attract wandering eyes. It will tell them I am a writer. I will show off Edgar Allan Poe quotes. I’ll even make them think I’m writing about them. All with the muted messages displayed on my laptop. It will be (wait for it) L-E-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y.

So I searched the internet long and wide until I ended up finding some pretty unique stickers on Etsy. That’s how I met Christine, the entrepreneur, who was kind enough to carve out time for the conversation that follows.

Christine, tell me about your Etsy journey. What was your motivation to start “Bookish Owl Designs” in 2021?  

Since 2011, I’ve been an independent author, writing romance novels on platforms like Amazon, Kobo, and Apple. I started Bookish Owl Designs because I wanted to create stickers and bookmarks to give away at my book signings. Readers went crazy over them and told me I should sell them on Etsy. So that’s precisely what I did.

With over 7k in sales and operating from New York, what does a day in the life of an Etsy business owner look like?

I have a home studio (it’s just my basement) where I write and illustrate. After getting my kids to school, I split the rest of the day evenly between designing artwork, cutting out stickers and bookmarks, and writing. I pack any orders that come in at the end of the day and run to the post office to drop them off.

So you are a Writer by day, and a Sticker-maker by night. How do you balance time between both passions, and everything else you do? 

The best way I balance everything is making sure I stick to a strict routine. As soon as I get into my studio, my phone gets silenced, and I just create. When it’s time to end my workday, that’s it, I put myself into mom and wife mode and try my best to have a personal life. I find if I keep them both separate, it’s easy to feel fulfilled in both.

Apart from design skills, what other skills or tools did you have to invest in to build the business over the years?

I make all my stickers by hand, so I had to invest in a really good printer and cutting machine called a Cricut. I also design on my iPad using Procreate. As for skills, I went to college at the School of Visual Arts in NYC years ago and still take classes in design yearly. I think it’s always good to take professional classes in whatever your career is, just to stay in the know about what’s trendy and new. There are so many ways art and publishing have grown over the last decade, it’s best to make sure you grow with the market if you want to be part of the market.

Customer service is paramount, especially in the b2c business model. I was amazed at how quickly you responded to my request and the help you provided to resolve issues with my order. What lessons have you learned over the years to maintain a 5-Star seller status? 

It’s really simple: always think like you’re the customer. I treat my customers how I want to be treated as a customer—with kindness and respect. I even have my Etsy account hooked up to my phone, so if there’s ever a problem with a purchase, I’m readily available to help. 

What are the hidden truths, struggles or challenges in running an Etsy business that you didn't realize until you got your feet wet? 

There are numerous fees that Etsy takes on every sale you make, and there’s no such thing as free shipping. You have to build all that into your price and add your worth to that as well. 

Yes, I have read that Etsy fees are on the high side — the listing price and renewal price per item, and the transaction fees for each sale. How do you offset these fees with your monthly sales goals and still make a profit?

Etsy's fees are a huge factor when pricing products to sell. There’s always a listing price, processing price, transaction fee, and shipping fee. After you figure the total of all of those, then you need to add all the materials you used. When you get that total, then you add what your time was worth creating it. 

TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, or direct from Etsy — which source helps you get more sales?

Right now, TikTok is one of the best ways to get more sales. Posting every day reaches people you wouldn’t normally reach.

I am assuming most of your customers are writers like me. What is your message to writers who may be interested in working with you, and how can they contact you?

Anyone can contact me through Etsy messages. My message to any writer is written all over my writing stickers, especially my favorite one: Someone out there needs to read your story.

Christine’s goal for 2024 is to publish a new book and also to set up an Etsy store for signed copies. I wish her the best.

Are you an author working on your next book?

Are you a writer struggling to balance work, life, and your passions?

Have you considered offering products to complement your writing?

If your answer is “Yes” to any of the above, then Christine’s journey is proof that you too can make it happen. All you need is perseverance and resolve.

So keep writing. Be creative. Follow your passions.

Remember, you are not just one thing.

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