#33.5: Six Months Around the Campfire

Reflecting on the growth of this little Notebook

Yesterday marked six months since I migrated a former version of this blog from Revue, the Twitter-affiliated newsletter platform. (How prescient was that move?)

Live look at Twitter HQ, November 2022.

The one thing I will miss about Twitter is the opportunities that popped up, such as this newsletter! I learned about Substack via Mark's tweet about using the platform for his newsletter, How About This. Immediately, I liked the layout and user features more than my other two previous platforms, and signed right up.

Evolution of Format

Before the use of a newsletter website, I had started irregular blogging on my website proper, with little sense if anyone read it. (In fact, I think it was more or less a private diary.) It had several sections in an issue: Found in Knowledge Translation, #HowToDoPatientEngagement, and Reading Rainbow. The first two sections tended to use someone else’s tweet as a jumping-off point for a short essay; while the last section shared my latest reads.

Since the migration to Substack, I’ve shifted away from this format to posting a longer, single piece. I think I like this better, as I can develop ideas more, but as always, welcome your feedback.

Start Spreading the News

For the same reason that I discuss in an earlier post that I wasn’t, and still am not, worried about what happens in a post-Twitter world, I don’t have any firm goals for this newsletter right now. I write because I’ve always enjoyed writing, and it’s deeply satisfying to make space for honing that skill.

The unexpected and delightfully surprising bonus was finding you. I’ve only shared my newsletter on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, yet we’re at 90 readers! That’s wild to me. I’m not sure how you’ve found your way here, but I’m grateful that you choose to read this newsletter, and then pop into the comments or chat to share your thoughts.

Give it Away

I haven’t made any hard recruitment targets before, but reaching 100 before the end of 2022 seems nice.

So let’s have a giveaway!

If I reach 100 subscribers by my birthday - the 7 month mark, or post #38 - I’ll send one randomly chosen reader the following photograph via snail mail.

Taken on a puffin excursion to Machias Seal Island, the image proper is 5” x 7” but comes to 8” by 10” with the white border, and is printed on Hahnemühle photo rag.

Thanks again to you all for coming on this journey. It’s been fun exploring my own voice, and learning how to share science in an approachable, narrative way.

Let’s see what the next six months will bring, shall we?

xx Bryn

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