What Sort Of Person Can Run A “Successful” Newsletter?

And why most filmmakers and creative individuals should start right now!

Anything I can do, I know you can do better!

If you’ve been anywhere near me lately, I’ve probably explained to you what incredible tools the current incarnation of newsletters and newsletter platforms are. To me, with that argument before you, there should be no hesitation for anyone to launch their own newsletter. Everyone should be jumping in the pool. But that’s not really happening yet, is it? What’s holding people back and why?

I think most folks are misconceived about the why, how, and when of a newsletter.  They don’t really see what they are. Newsletters are how people of all sorts can grow an authentic audience and following — this is particularly necessary for the artist/entrepreneur. We’ve known the need to do this for oh so long. Mail lists are hard to build and newsletters without a platform of other newsletters, hard to grow. And even harder to monetize. The alternatives are few and far between.

Today, every artist of every sort needs a direct relationship with their audience. If we’ve learned anything over the last decade of unregulated growth of global streaming platforms, is that without a direct and meaningful relationship between you and your audience, you are going to get denied from ever monetizing your work for its accurate value. There should be nothing that stands in the way of you directly contacting each and everyone. You should be able to move each and every one of them to any platform you move to.

Social media is superficial and does not lead to actual consumption and engagement around a film. Sure, it can help to make potential customers aware of a film, but after that it falls short. Your only contact with such followers are on that specific platform. Such a relationship doesn’t foster real engagement. Newsletters can help people prioritize so they see the film in the theater and share its progress. Newsletters give the author both emails and credit cards. They build community and deepen engagement. More than a website or a blog, they foster a relationship, arriving in subscriber’s in-box regularly and giving them an opportunity to reply. Newsletters foster two-way communication, which leads to prioritization for consumption.

If you haven’t built a community – or at least a relationships with fans -- you will not have any independence, ever; you will have to make and shill for the corporations. It’s your choice, but newsletters are the best tool towards real independence we have had yet.

I also have to explain “the what” of newsletters for most folks. Granted my newsletter is one you mostly read, but there are no rules. They can be media rich, combining video and audio, podcasts and clips. They can be heavily image based like Tumblr of old. Paywalls wherever and whenever you want them, even never if that’s your preference. All sorts of ways to sort them or design them too. But for artist/entrepreneur, the main thing is that it is a mailing list, and one you control. Actual email addresses. And did I mention you get paid every day and have deep and powerful data and analytics to consider, updated in real time, or at least close to it. Yup. You ready to play now?

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It’s your choice, but newsletters are the best tool towards real independence we have had yet.

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How about if I told you a newsletter could be a significant side-hustle wage for you? I like to ask my filmmaker friends what their peak social media engagement was back in the day. It seems that when someone took it seriously, and they had some artistic facility, they could get to 30,000 strong. Some far better. But that was a reasonable level. Sure those are all “free” subscribers but I think it is safe that most could convert 7% to paid. Let’s say you keep the price down like I currently do, $5/mo or $50/yr. 2,100 paying subscribers at $50/yr equals $105,00. Wow, right? F’n wow. Now you can probably live on that. And then write your scripts on spec. No one is going to tell you what to do or write. That’s all your decision now. You don’t even have to pitch anyone. You are in charge now.

Granted Substack takes a 10% cut and maybe you want to hire an editor or manager of the newsletter, but I think you see it’s a pretty nice addition to all that you are already doing. At least eventually, cuz those 30K fans aren’t going to show up overnight, but still.

But maybe it is not really for you… Let’s examine that, shall we? Dive in with me now and I will go over further details below.

To publish a newsletter regularly, you have to see where it fits into the big picture. In this world of abundance and distraction, newsletters are the tool that artists of all sorts can use to remain relevant and top of mind with those that already care. With so much competition for leisure time, why will we watch something or not? So much comes down to whether one has a built a relationship with an audience, and if they have a method to keep that audience engaged regularly. I know a way that can be done.

When I question folks why they don’t have a newsletter, the first response is they don’t have the time.  I do believe that when people see the results of publishing a newsletter,  they will find the time. You see your audience grow and that’s very exciting. But I get it, you were supposed to be focused on creating beauty, making strange, and deciphering the secret languages. You think this will limit that. And you think that on top of it, now you have to do the dirty work of the sell. I respectfully disagree.

No one wants to be a huckster. And you don’t have to be. You can pour your heart out on a newsletter. Poke and provoke. There’s no right and no wrong. Authenticity is key. It needs to be your voice though. You can find examples of every which way different people approach it and then invent your own. It’s your work. And to me that’s the thing. You are helping us see other aspects of what your work is. You are extending the dialogue. That’s partially how relationships develop, at least the meaningful ones.

The truth is that writing a weekly newsletter does not take much time. And not every newsletter needs to be weekly. Every other week may suffice for most. The trick is to write posts when you do have time and to get significantly ahead of your publishing schedule.  I personally like a six-week lead time. It makes me think that no matter what happens I will be able to stay ahead of schedule. And you don’t even really need to have a schedule. I just recommend it if you want to build an audience and a community.

Of course, getting ahead of schedule raises the problem of how to keep it all fresh. Sure much one writes is timeless, but there is something unifying in not just making each other seen or heard, but also reminding us of the fact that we are all right here right now. We can all change in an instant. We can all change today. Or not. But the fact that we are here together is pretty remarkable, and keeping things timely does that.

Writing a newsletter takes less and less time the more you do it. You train yourself to write in newsletter bursts of five hundred or so words. For every post I publish, I generally launch three or four more, starting them by just landing the primary idea. Soon I have drafts for the entire year.  If one is supplied a guideline of what sort of posts make for intriguing engagement around a movie title there is no reason that one can not devote an hour a night for a month to front load enough posts for half the year.

Some people are nervous about writing. I get it. It can be intimidating when you compare yourself to others. Nick Hornby has a Substack. So does Susan Orleans. They are great writers. I am not. I don’t let it stop me though. And there’s many more like me on this platform than is them. And there are all of those that read me too and the special ones who write in. I feel less alone than I used to.

There are also many ways to generate posts. You can film yourself reading poetry like Patti Smith does. Or just talking about books (she does that too). You can record an interview and transcribe it. You can write about the news like Kareem Abdul Jabaar does. It could just be images that you post. Or sounds. Or links. Lists!

There. Are. No. Rules. Here. There. Or really: ANYWHERE.

For a newsletter to develop a following, you need to be willing to show your personality. Readers want to feel they know the author behind it. Being open with your likes and dislikes goes a long way in this regard. Authenticity is key, but that comes with just being you. Humor helps and wisdom too, but honesty reigns.

Making the newsletter more collaborative helps generate additional content and expand your audience, but it also can reduce the strength of the voice of the author. Conversations with collaborators and other artists allow for both aspects to shine.

It certainly helps to already to have a following before launching. Alerting the community you built on other platforms that they can now find you on the newsletter will helps port them into newsletter subscribers. I sent introductory emails to about 1500 contacts I had after I launched. I asked them to invite me into their inbox, and now most of them currently find me thee twice a week.

But you don’t need to have a following. Good posts will attract people. Unique posts will do the same. One of the beautiful things about a newsletter platform (like Substack) is the network effect. Finding one newsletter to follow leads you to more. There are currently over 100 newsletters recommending mine, and I do my best to return the favor.

But mostly I just try to be true to who I am, and trust that that is enough.

When it comes to newsletter writing and management, it helps to be a bit obsessive, have a completion urge, and a bit of a DIY punk rock attitude where just getting up there and shouting out (versus aiming for perfection or mastery) is enough. The main thing is you have to enjoy it or you shouldn’t do it. I really look forward to writing mine. Everyday I learn more from doing it.

I look forward to publishing my newsletter. I would probably be happy publishing daily, but I think that’s not what most readers want. Keep it short. No more than twice a week, but probably less.

Give it a shot. Write some posts and then launch. These are still early days. Very few newsletters are artist-driven. Now’s your chance to get in on the ground floor and get that early-mover advantage. Build your audience. Own your data. Be independent!

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Can you please help me determine how much of my writing I should provide?

Tastes change and I like to know where you are at. Thanks.

And by the way, have you subscribed to Vanessa’s substack. Please do. It is a great way to follow our film, INVISIBLE NATION. Thanks.